Mom locks kid out on deck in 41 degree weather -- is this a crime?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry for the family involved, but I don't think it was a wrong decision for a neighbor to call the police about a 10yo cold and crying outside at 1030pm. Seriously, what kind of world do you PPs live in where this is either normal or concern about it is overstepping privacy? I have boys this age, and while they can make me crazy, sticking one out in the cold late at night is not in the same universe as a reasonable or effective punishment... it's abuse.

It's a shame the mother's professional life is jeopardized but I don't want anyone like that teaching my kids, until/unless she gets some psychological help.

I agree.

Also, what would have happened if no one had seen him and called the police? He could have died of hypothermia if left out there a long time.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-hypothermia

It actually doesn't take much.

I hope this woman gets help for her sake and her children's.

[Anonymous]

Warning from police. Investigation by CPS. Not a felony.
Why didn't neighbor knock and say she noted that the child was locked out, don't know if you're aware, wanted to make sure everything is ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Warning from police. Investigation by CPS. Not a felony.
Why didn't neighbor knock and say she noted that the child was locked out, don't know if you're aware, wanted to make sure everything is ok?

+1, now this family has a lot of worse problems, plus the fact that the community knows and her job is affected. No one looked at the big picture here, they just blew everything up with overreaction instead of helping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry for the family involved, but I don't think it was a wrong decision for a neighbor to call the police about a 10yo cold and crying outside at 1030pm. Seriously, what kind of world do you PPs live in where this is either normal or concern about it is overstepping privacy? I have boys this age, and while they can make me crazy, sticking one out in the cold late at night is not in the same universe as a reasonable or effective punishment... it's abuse.

It's a shame the mother's professional life is jeopardized but I don't want anyone like that teaching my kids, until/unless she gets some psychological help.

I agree.

Also, what would have happened if no one had seen him and called the police? He could have died of hypothermia if left out there a long time.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-hypothermia

It actually doesn't take much.

I hope this woman gets help for her sake and her children's.

Agree. Mom needs a wake up call if she thinks locking a 10 year old out of the house late at night is appropriate.

Also agree with the previous poster that question why it was the kids answering the door and not the mom. I wouldn't be surprised if the mom went to bed with the boy still outside and the sister let him in so they were the only ones up when the cops arrived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Warning from police. Investigation by CPS. Not a felony.
Why didn't neighbor knock and say she noted that the child was locked out, don't know if you're aware, wanted to make sure everything is ok?

+1000 This is what a concerned neighbor would do. But not anymore. Too many nanny state watchdogs on the prowl.

[Anonymous]

Is it a crime? I have no idea. Should it be? I don't think so. I think parents have a right to figure out what works for their particular kids. I read (or saw on the news) and article about a mom who was sick of her 13 year old coming home long after curfew, so she decided to leave a sleeping bag on the deck and lock the door and go to bed. I think this is totally appropriate. She was also charged with a crime. What kind of a signal does this send kids -- your parents have no right to enforce a curfew (or whatever family rule is set)? Absurd.

Let parents do the parenting and keep courts out of it unless it is truly harming the child. Shivering is hardly an indication of "pain" or "abuse" as others have stated. One of my kids shivers in the swimming pool to the point that others start gently suggesting to me he get out, but he doesn't want to get out.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Warning from police. Investigation by CPS. Not a felony.
Why didn't neighbor knock and say she noted that the child was locked out, don't know if you're aware, wanted to make sure everything is ok?

Because that would be normal. Calling CPS on a neighbor feeds the neighbor's inner demon. We don't live in a healthy society, where neighbors help each other out. At all. Sad.

[Anonymous]

The article provides very little information.

I find it difficult to judge the actions of the neighbor, the police, or the school without knowing more.

Had the neighbors witnessed similar incidents in the past and tried to intervene in a more helpful and understanding matter?

Did the teacher have a history of complaints at work?

Had the police been to the home before to issue warnings?

I don't think a kid can really deserve this punishment-- there are a slew of better options-- which is why I said it's difficult to judge the actions of the mother-- she definitely made a mistake. The only exception I can think of is if for some reason he were so out of control that he was frightening her and threatening the safety or herself and her other child, but the scanty details the article provides suggest that he ceased being a threat (by shivering, huddling, sobbing to himself).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's abuse even if the weather was not a factor. It was late at night, and dark outside. Throwing your child outside under any condition is abuse. The child is going to be scared. What if he decides to jump off deck? what if he gets attacked by a raccoon, or a bad guy? Trauma can by inflicted by the fear alone. It is pure abuse. Children can be given time out but it has to be under very safe conditions.

???

Raccoon attacks? A ten year old not having enough sense not to jump off a deck?

Dramatic much?

Kids are outside all the time in 41 degree weather.

I personally would not choose that punishment but how is it child abuse? And where do you live that you worry about roving bands of raccoons attacking somone on their deck at night?

Neighbor is a bit nosey and should have walked over and talked to her neighbor or the kid instead of calling the police as her first reaction.

Way to ruin the kids and the family's lives over nosiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Warning from police. Investigation by CPS. Not a felony.
Why didn't neighbor knock and say she noted that the child was locked out, don't know if you're aware, wanted to make sure everything is ok?

+1000 This is what a concerned neighbor would do. But not anymore. Too many nanny state watchdogs on the prowl.

I'm sorry, but I don't want the sort of woman who thinks it's ok to lock her own son outside with no coat in 40 degree weather anywhere near my kids. The neighbor could have knocked on the door and the mother could easily have lied and said her son did it himself or some other bullshit. This way with CPS involved, she'll be held accountable for her actions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Police-Teacher-Locked-Son-Out-of-House-in-Cold-as-Punishment-375101541.html What do you think?

It appears that it was about 41 degrees at the time. The story doesn't indicate how long the child was out there. I can see it being a problem if it was for an extended time (i.e. maybe more than 20-30 min.), but is this really a "crime" if it was for 15 min. or less? It was later at night and I get that the kid wasn't happy about it.... but we're not talking about a 3 yr. old who can't process this or who could get hurt. It seems like overkill to me. People can hit their kids and it's just "disciplining the kid" -- but putting your kid out for some time out is a felony?

What do you think?

I remember in another thread there were many parents who claimed it's perfectly normal for their kids to be outside in 40 degree weather for hours wearing Tshirts. They claimed kids don't get sick or anything, that it's OK to wear flip flops too.

[Anonymous]

The temperature doesn't bother me, and I think a lot of you posters are outright lying when you protest that 41 degrees is freezing. My kid's elementary school sends all the kids out for recess if it isn't raining and the temperature is above the 32degree freezing mark. What bothers me is the hour in which it was committed. However, like a PP posted up thread, what caused the mom to take this action? Was the kid disobedient and refused to abide by a curfew, and the mom said " you want to hang out, then stay out ."

Why did the neighbor not injure the kid into her house? I would have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Police-Teacher-Locked-Son-Out-of-House-in-Cold-as-Punishment-375101541.html What do you think?

It appears that it was about 41 degrees at the time. The story doesn't indicate how long the child was out there. I can see it being a problem if it was for an extended time (i.e. maybe more than 20-30 min.), but is this really a "crime" if it was for 15 min. or less? It was later at night and I get that the kid wasn't happy about it.... but we're not talking about a 3 yr. old who can't process this or who could get hurt. It seems like overkill to me. People can hit their kids and it's just "disciplining the kid" -- but putting your kid out for some time out is a felony?

What do you think?

I remember in another thread there were many parents who claimed it's perfectly normal for their kids to be outside in 40 degree weather for hours wearing Tshirts. They claimed kids don't get sick or anything, that it's OK to wear flip flops too.

My kids insisted on wearing shorts to school yesterday, in 40 degree weather. They claimed they were not cold during recess. And I agree with the other poster about kids shivering in the pool and not wanting to come out. My kids do the same. Lips are turning blue, they are clearly shivering, and even when I insist they come out, they don't want to.

I think we've gone overboard in our nanny state. Cops should've just given her a warning, but now the family's lives are ruined, and the boy is probably more scared from seeing the mother get hauled away than the time spent outside in the cold; and the daughter is probably scared now, too. And the mom is now getting no income. And if they lose the home, they will now be homeless, too.

This could've been handled so differently as to cause the minimalist amount of suffering all around.

[Anonymous]

Wrong move, yes? Abuse? it depends on how long the child was out there.

I also wonder why she did it. If the boy was out of control somehow, maybe it was all she could think,of to do. I would think some sort of help or parenting class would be more warranted then prison.

[Anonymous]

No, not criminal.

But in the USA... CPS is called for everything under the sun, yet crazy people walk around with guns and kill.