Posted on 06/28/2002 5:21:59 AM PDT by Rodney King
Kids Being Left Behind At Toy Store Timbuk Toys Managers Say Parents Dropping Off Kids To Run Errands Posted: 11:40 a.m. MDT June 27, 2002 Updated: 1:04 p.m. MDT June 27, 2002
DENVER -- Managers at Timbuk Toys wish some parents would just get a baby sitter.
Once or twice a week, employees come across children who have been left at the store, sometimes for hours at a time, while their parents run other errands. They get no warning and the kids aren't supervised.
"Sometimes we don't even know that they're here," store manager Sylvia Horton said Wednesday. "There could be a fire and we all run out and leave a child, or they could leave and try to cross the busy street corner."
The problem at the store on Colorado Boulevard has gotten so bad that Horton has been forced to call police.
"It's extremely dangerous," said Sgt. Michael Anderson. "It leaves an opportunity for kids to fall into the hands of ... sexual predators easily."
Employees of Timbuk Toys approach children they think may be alone and ask for a parent. Horton said the kids will often tell them that the parents have gone shopping at a nearby King Soopers grocery store.
"We had one little girl who was left for a long time and we walked her over to King Soopers to find her mom," said Horton. "Her mom took her home and then called the store and apologized."
Sgt. Brad Lenderink, who oversees the Denver police child abuse unit, said that if the police are called there is a chance that the child will be placed in a family crisis shelter. The parents will be asked to come to the shelter to meet with Human Services the next day.
"The child could very well have to spend the night in a shelter," he said.
Parents could also be charged with wrongs to minors or misdemeanor child abuse, both of which carry possible jail time, fines, court appearances and involvement with Social Services.
Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
A friend of mine owns a sportscard store that his wife works at part-time and a woman dumped her 3 kids there for nearly 6 hours. No money, and the two youngest didnt even have any intrest in the products there. But they were instructed to stay in the store. Incidentally, this store makes some of my childhood bedrooms look absolutely huge, as it is a suite in a converted hotel wing. Also the kids hadnt eaten, so this lady I know, being a good Christian, had to feed them. She stayed at the store 15 minutes after closing then finally called the local police. As the officer was getting ready to make a decision as to what to do about the situation, 'mommy' pulled up, and started getting pissy with both of them. My friend said that she should be paid for the baby sitting, as well as for the food her kids ate. The cop said pay up or go to jail. She paid. Jail might have taught her a lesson tho...JFK
You're kidding, right? Do you have kids? They are never really "safe" until they're grown up and out (and sometimes not even then).
A twelve-year-old would be prime pickin's for the sorts of sick freaks who prey upon the Elizabeth Smarts of the world.
If there is a big store that a kid could easily, and wants to, spend a hour in, then I don't think it's bad if the mother says "I'll meet you back here in an hour".
H*ll, when I was TEN, I left the house in the morning, and my mom didn't see me again until suppertime. I even took a sack lunch with me.
That was then and, sadly, this is now. These days kids aren't safe, period. Not even in their own neighborhoods.
But look at this from another angle: These parents who just dump their kids in the toy store as free babysitting are likely not very responsible parents to begin with. And their kids probably reflect that.
So what happens when a kid gets into some sort of predicament--he pulls over a toy display, say, or even tries to leave the store with an "action figure" tucked in his jacket.
Where's the parent? What does the store clerk--usually a clueless twenty-something himself--do in that situation?
This is just multiple levels of irresponsible behavior depicted here, the same sort of thing in microcosm that bedevils our society in general.
People eschew responsibility, and they expect "someone else" to pick up the slack. Is it any wonder the Democrats continue to do quite well with their promises that "someone else" is going to pick up the tab for all you do?
Sounds like the title of a new Tribulation novel. Plot line could be some sort of post-Rapture "Home Alone" episode.
Maybe that's why you are so grouchy today! (jes funnin' ya...don' get ina hissy fit!) :-))
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.