Found a scared little boy at the Irvington Halloween Festival

[CalebToNowhere]

So I took the family to the Irvington Halloween Festival on Saturday. My 2 year old had a great time watching the parade and having some of her first candy.

We did have a bit of a scary moment. While walking from one end to another I noticed a terrified little boy turning in circles yelling for his Mom. Nobody was doing anything about it. He couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8. I approached him and he was skiddish about trusting me but since I had my 2 kids with me he eventually gave in and let me walk him to a IMPD officer about 30 feet away. I watched them take him to the announcement tent and heard the announcer call out over the PA for his mother. Horrible to think what could have happened to him since everyone else in the crowd was so self consumed with the festival they couldn’t see this poor kid terrified yelling for his mom.

Later that night my Dad told me that I did that to him twice when I was about that age. Eke!

+1 for the Festival for having an action plan for this scenario.
-1 to all the grown ups that were ignoring the poor boy!

 

[goinggreyfast]

While my wife and I have no children, we are VERY protective of them. We would not hesitate to get involved should we be faced with the same situation. If this boy had not gone with us, one of us would have gone and gotten a LEO and brought them to him.

Good job OP! +1

 

[Knife Lady]

+1 to you and to the LEO. I hope he found his mommy and all is well. I wonder if she had already noticed him missing and reported it.?
That would be a terrible and horrifying experience for any kid.

 

[MrsGungho]

Irvington is still a good area with good people. It does get crowded during the festival and it would be easy to misplace a child I guess. I'm glad you stepped in and helped.

 

[raggedoutcummins77]

+1 for the guy that helped the little kid and -1 FOR ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT DID NOTHING BUT JUST KEEP WALKING BY THE BOY

 

[Dead Duck]

While my wife and I have no children, we are VERY protective of them. We would not hesitate to get involved should we be faced with the same situation. If this boy had not gone with us, one of us would have gone and gotten a LEO and brought them to him.
Good job OP! +1

You could probably pick one up at the next festival if your still interested.

 

[CalebToNowhere]

+1 to you and to the LEO. I hope he found his mommy and all is well. I wonder if she had already noticed him missing and reported it.?
That would be a terrible and horrifying experience for any kid.

Thanks.

I would like to think she was freaking as much as her boy, but who knows. I would have been besides myself.

I'd actually like to tether the kids to my belt since my oldest (2) is wanting to be more independent and walk without us holding her hand. That has caused a few mini tantrums...

 

[CalebToNowhere]

Oops, wrong thread. moved. -1 to me.

 

[KG1]

Oops, wrong thread. moved. -1 to me.

+1 to you for being secure enough in who you are to beable to admit a mistake and give yourself a -1

 

[goinggreyfast]

You could probably pick one up at the next festival if your still interested.

Pick up one what?

 

[Scutter01]

+1 for the guy that helped the little kid and -1 FOR ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT DID NOTHING BUT JUST KEEP WALKING BY THE BOY

I know a many men who won't go anywhere near a lone child for fear of being branded a kid toucher. There are too many stories in the newspaper about some guy minding his own business and winding up in court. Even if you're found innocent, you'll still always have that stigma attached.

 

[goinggreyfast]

I know a many men who won't go anywhere near a lone child for fear of being branded a kid toucher. There are too many stories in the newspaper about some guy minding his own business and winding up in court. Even if you're found innocent, you'll still always have that stigma attached.

It's truly sad that our society has come to that. I couldn't leave a child alone and crying for his/her parents, I just couldn't. Because of that, I wouldn't actually touch the child but still offer to help.

 

[phylodog]

When I was 10 years old I was shoved into the corner of a shelf at a Target store by a girl approximately 15 years old who was running down a perpendicular aisle. The corner of the shelf ripped my face open requiring 58 stitches to close, 5 of which were on under the skin due to the depth of the tear.

My mother was elsewhere in the store and had let me go to the toy section by myself. After my face was torn open I was terrified and began yelling for my Mom. When she didn't show up I began running through the store screaming for her and leaving a nice blood trail behind. I passed at least 20 people while I was looking for my Mom and not one of them did a thing other than stare at me.

You cannot count on the majority of people to do anything to help someone they don't know, child or not. Ridiculous lawsuits haven't helped.

 

[Scutter01]

It's truly sad that our society has come to that.

Yes, it IS sad. We've become so litigious and we're so ready to see monsters in every corner that people are afraid to help. Here's one (dated) campaign that asks people to go out of their way to call the police if they see a father holding his daughter's hand. If what they see doesn't "feel right", regardless of whether there's a crime being committed, they're supposed to call 911. In our society, all men are automatically pedophiles:

Billboards and posters show an adult hand holding a child’s hand, with the words: ‘It doesn’t feel right when I see them together.’

» If You See a Father Holding His Child’s Hand, Call the Cops! - Blogger News Network

 

[Dead Duck]

When I was a little and my family was out shopping, anytime there was a lost kid my dad would put them on his shoulder and walk around the store to find their parents.

Now days you have to triple-think everything. I even carry in my car copies of my little girls birth certs, picture IDs from school and shot cards as like a "proof of ownership" or "bill of sale" just in case of whatever.

Scutter - That link is Unbelievable.

 

[CalebToNowhere]

Now days you have to triple-think everything. I even carry in my car copies of my little girls birth certs, picture IDs from school and shot cards as like a "proof of ownership" or "bill of sale" just in case of whatever.

That is a great idea. I'll get on that right away. Nobody will taking my kids because they don't think they're mine.

Yes, it IS sad. We've become so litigious and we're so ready to see monsters in every corner that people are afraid to help. Here's one (dated) campaign that asks people to go out of their way to call the police if they see a father holding his daughter's hand. If what they see doesn't "feel right", regardless of whether there's a crime being committed, they're supposed to call 911. In our society, all men are automatically pedophiles:

» If You See a Father Holding His Child’s Hand, Call the Cops! - Blogger News Network

This is going WAY too far.

 

[Kedric]

+1 to you for manning up and getting involved and helping out.

Unfortunately, with me being a single male with no kids, I would fear the same "molester!" moniker. I would have instead gone straight to the officer you mentioned 30 feet away and pointed the child out.

As for that link with the campaign... that's ridiculous!

 

[CalebToNowhere]

Unfortunately, with me being a single male with no kids, I would fear the same "molester!" moniker. I would have instead gone straight to the officer you mentioned 30 feet away and pointed the child out.

I completely understand what you are saying. Even with having my 6 month old strapped to my back I felt a little uneasy about it.

 

[Mad Macs]

I know a many men who won't go anywhere near a lone child for fear of being branded a kid toucher. There are too many stories in the newspaper about some guy minding his own business and winding up in court. Even if you're found innocent, you'll still always have that stigma attached.

When I was a teacher I couldn't have any female students in my room without a female adult present as well. It was for my own safety that it was school policy.

I would still help a scared kid looking for his parents however and take my chances.

 

[Effingham]

I know a many men who won't go anywhere near a lone child for fear of being branded a kid toucher. There are too many stories in the newspaper about some guy minding his own business and winding up in court. Even if you're found innocent, you'll still always have that stigma attached.

This is exactly the same concern I have.

Sigh.

I miss the good old days. I remember watching an episode of Mission: Impossible where Phelps was picking up the exploding recording in a kids' playground, and on the way in, picked up a random little girl standing at the foot of the slide's ladder, and lifted her to the top of the slide platform, and walked off smiling.

Do that today, and you're in for jail time.