I believe Miss Quigley is quoting the parents. I take it that Ma and Pa have come to expect 3 year old Junior to just jump up and run from the table at any moment because they have not taught him to sit still and OR ELSE!
I took that line as an editorial comment by the “reporter”; a comment designed to gin up sympathy for the nice young family and paint the restaurant and its manager as mean. There were no quote marks.