[Saundra Duffy]

I just read that Elizabeth Smart's mother talked to this homeless creep, gave him $5, and invited him INTO THEIR HOME TO DO REPAIRS!!!!!!!!!! For God's sake, don't these people have any brains?!! They should be warning people NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HOMELESS BUMS MUCH LESS INVITE THEM INTO YOUR HOME TO BE AROUND YOUR INNOCENT CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!

[Illbay]

Saundra, this is a BIG piece of misinformation.

He was NOT invited "into their home to do repairs." He came to their home and worked for five hours ON THE ROOF of their home WITH Ed Smart. Smart paid him, and they never saw him again.

Really, if THIS is "irresponsible behavior" then you'd better not ever allow your kids out of the house at all. After all, a creep like Mitchell could see one of them, and follow you home, case out where you live, and then do what Mitchell did and snatch the kid.

Polly Klaas' abductor saw her playing in the neighborhood with friends and decided to abduct her.

There is NO ACCOUNTING for the evil that is in the world, and we kid ourselves if we think we are any "smarter" than the Smarts. There are a lot of things that we do that are "risky" just by living in an open community as we do.

I think everyone needs to just CHILL OUT about this whole thing.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Yes, but that doesn't always work either. Lindsey Ryan's parents had warned their 6 homeschooled children to steer clear of the weird guy at church that Lindsey eventually ran off with. I hope that story can still have a happy ending, but that guy had previously killed a young woman he abducted, so it doesn't look good :(

[Liberal Classic]

I just read that Elizabeth Smart's mother talked to this homeless creep, gave him $5, and invited him INTO THEIR HOME TO DO REPAIRS!!!!!!!!!! For God's sake, don't these people have any brains?!!

This is called helping your fellow man. Perhaps this will be a sore lesson for them, but I hope the do not abandon a believe in Christian charity.