Free-range kids picked up AGAIN by police

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I think parents for the most part know their kids and what boundaries they need to set for them and when they can give them their space. I really don't think it does society or these kids any good to have busy bodies second-guessing the judgment of parents.

Clearly the kids were not in peril. The 911 operator who answered the call should have told the guy to call the local police department and to keep the line clear for real emergencies.

If given an opportunity to think this through I don't think anyone, including the guy who made the call, believes that these kids are safer or better off with CPS than with their parents.

Also, I wonder if the guy had known what was to come next - highly irresponsible actions on the part of the police and CPS to basically kidnap these kids - he would have actually made the call.

I hope the parents lawyer up and sue the county for unlawful imprisonment.



So we should all just look the other way if we think someone might need help? Fear of being wrong about whether or not they actually need our help should keep everyone's eye diverted.

This guy probably thought pretty hard about what to do. He said he'd been watching them for 20 min already before finally calling for help or assistance on how to best proceed.

If something had happened to these children, don't you think it would weigh heavier on him that he stood back and did nothing? I'd take making someone upset if I felt I was genuinely doing the best I knew to do regarding someone's safety, especially a child. That's much better that regret.


Wow that guy should be arrested. Why is he taking so much interest in kids? Very abby normal.


How sad that your take away from all of this is that the guy is somehow a perv or something. He couldn't possibly have been concerned about them so he was hanging out to make sure they were okay.....then called police when he realized they were unsupervised. Yup, anyone who is concerned and watching out for the kids should definitely be arrested!!

That guy is a creep and should be arrested. If you have kids CPS needs to paid you a visit. You are an unfit parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think parents for the most part know their kids and what boundaries they need to set for them and when they can give them their space. I really don't think it does society or these kids any good to have busy bodies second-guessing the judgment of parents.

Clearly the kids were not in peril. The 911 operator who answered the call should have told the guy to call the local police department and to keep the line clear for real emergencies.

If given an opportunity to think this through I don't think anyone, including the guy who made the call, believes that these kids are safer or better off with CPS than with their parents.

Also, I wonder if the guy had known what was to come next - highly irresponsible actions on the part of the police and CPS to basically kidnap these kids - he would have actually made the call.

I hope the parents lawyer up and sue the county for unlawful imprisonment.



So we should all just look the other way if we think someone might need help? Fear of being wrong about whether or not they actually need our help should keep everyone's eye diverted.

This guy probably thought pretty hard about what to do. He said he'd been watching them for 20 min already before finally calling for help or assistance on how to best proceed.

If something had happened to these children, don't you think it would weigh heavier on him that he stood back and did nothing? I'd take making someone upset if I felt I was genuinely doing the best I knew to do regarding someone's safety, especially a child. That's much better that regret.


Wow that guy should be arrested. Why is he taking so much interest in kids? Very abby normal.


How sad that your take away from all of this is that the guy is somehow a perv or something. He couldn't possibly have been concerned about them so he was hanging out to make sure they were okay.....then called police when he realized they were unsupervised. Yup, anyone who is concerned and watching out for the kids should definitely be arrested!!

That guy is a creep and should be arrested. If you have kids CPS needs to paid you a visit. You are an unfit parent.

Okay, crazy. Take your meds and go back to bed.

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure the kids were more in danger sitting in the back of the police car without car seats or boosters than walking down the street. She's 6, according to many on DCUM, she should still be rear facing in a 5 pt harness.

[Anonymous]

One thing I don't understand is how it is possible that the dog walker was unfamiliar with the prior incident with the free-range kids. It's national news at this point. Did he know he was "turning in" the same kids or was this just a completely separate and random incident?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing I don't understand is how it is possible that the dog walker was unfamiliar with the prior incident with the free-range kids. It's national news at this point. Did he know he was "turning in" the same kids or was this just a completely separate and random incident?

His voice on the 911 call sounds fairly young. This might not be the kind of news he pays attention to. He is asked in the call if he knows the kids and he says he had not seen them before.

If you listen to the call, it is clear that he is concerned for the safety of the two children.

[Anonymous]

I think the 911 caller was probably thinking of the Lyon sisters (ages 10 and 12) when he made the call.

Located a half mile away from their home was Wheaton Plaza shopping mall (now Westfield Wheaton). On March 25, 1975, Katherine and Sheila Lyon were going to see the Easter exhibits. It was their spring vacation and they planned to have lunch at the Orange Bowl. They left home between 11:00 AM and noon. Their mother had instructed them to return home by 4:00 PM; when they had not arrived by 7:00 PM, the police were called and an extensive search was conducted.[1] Police felt comfortable enough with accuracy of this timeline to release it to the public.
11:00 AM to noon: The girls leave home.
1:00 PM: A neighborhood child tells investigators that he saw both of the girls together outside the Orange Bowl. He also told the investigators that the sisters were speaking to an unidentified man.
2:00 PM: The girls' older brother saw them at the Orange Bowl eating pizza together.
2:30 to 3:00 PM: A friend sees the girls walking westward down a street near the mall which would have been one of the most direct routes from the mall to their home. This is the final sighting of the sisters that is absolutely confirmed by the police.
4:00 PM: This curfew set by their mother passes. The girls are expected home and do not arrive.
7:00 PM: Police are called. The investigation and an active search by professionals begins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing I don't understand is how it is possible that the dog walker was unfamiliar with the prior incident with the free-range kids. It's national news at this point. Did he know he was "turning in" the same kids or was this just a completely separate and random incident?

His voice on the 911 call sounds fairly young. This might not be the kind of news he pays attention to. He is asked in the call if he knows the kids and he says he had not seen them before.

If you listen to the call, it is clear that he is concerned for the safety of the two children.

+1 Good for him for being concerned. The parents need to stop tilting at windmills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the 911 caller was probably thinking of the Lyon sisters (ages 10 and 12) when he made the call.

Located a half mile away from their home was Wheaton Plaza shopping mall (now Westfield Wheaton). On March 25, 1975, Katherine and Sheila Lyon were going to see the Easter exhibits. It was their spring vacation and they planned to have lunch at the Orange Bowl. They left home between 11:00 AM and noon. Their mother had instructed them to return home by 4:00 PM; when they had not arrived by 7:00 PM, the police were called and an extensive search was conducted.[1] Police felt comfortable enough with accuracy of this timeline to release it to the public.
11:00 AM to noon: The girls leave home.
1:00 PM: A neighborhood child tells investigators that he saw both of the girls together outside the Orange Bowl. He also told the investigators that the sisters were speaking to an unidentified man.
2:00 PM: The girls' older brother saw them at the Orange Bowl eating pizza together.
2:30 to 3:00 PM: A friend sees the girls walking westward down a street near the mall which would have been one of the most direct routes from the mall to their home. This is the final sighting of the sisters that is absolutely confirmed by the police.
4:00 PM: This curfew set by their mother passes. The girls are expected home and do not arrive.
7:00 PM: Police are called. The investigation and an active search by professionals begins.

To repeat: In 1975. 1975! 40 years ago. (The 911 caller probably wasn't even born.) Why do you remember this case? Because events like this are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very rare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing I don't understand is how it is possible that the dog walker was unfamiliar with the prior incident with the free-range kids. It's national news at this point. Did he know he was "turning in" the same kids or was this just a completely separate and random incident?

I am familiar with the story, but I wouldn't have thought it was them, "them" would not be in the forefront of my mind.
What a weird assumption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the 911 caller was probably thinking of the Lyon sisters (ages 10 and 12) when he made the call.

Located a half mile away from their home was Wheaton Plaza shopping mall (now Westfield Wheaton). On March 25, 1975, Katherine and Sheila Lyon were going to see the Easter exhibits. It was their spring vacation and they planned to have lunch at the Orange Bowl. They left home between 11:00 AM and noon. Their mother had instructed them to return home by 4:00 PM; when they had not arrived by 7:00 PM, the police were called and an extensive search was conducted.[1] Police felt comfortable enough with accuracy of this timeline to release it to the public.
11:00 AM to noon: The girls leave home.
1:00 PM: A neighborhood child tells investigators that he saw both of the girls together outside the Orange Bowl. He also told the investigators that the sisters were speaking to an unidentified man.
2:00 PM: The girls' older brother saw them at the Orange Bowl eating pizza together.
2:30 to 3:00 PM: A friend sees the girls walking westward down a street near the mall which would have been one of the most direct routes from the mall to their home. This is the final sighting of the sisters that is absolutely confirmed by the police.
4:00 PM: This curfew set by their mother passes. The girls are expected home and do not arrive.
7:00 PM: Police are called. The investigation and an active search by professionals begins.

To repeat: In 1975. 1975! 40 years ago. (The 911 caller probably wasn't even born.) Why do you remember this case? Because events like this are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very rare.

This is the case that convinced parents that it was not safe for their kids to be free range. Even WashPo says so. Besides, it has been in the news lately. Who cares how rare these are? We remember Adam Walsh, the Lyon sisters, Megan Kanka, Leiby Kletzy, etc. We should remember all of these kids. Why wouldn't you keep them in your memory?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is the case that convinced parents that it was not safe for their kids to be free range. Even WashPo says so. Besides, it has been in the news lately. Who cares how rare these are? We remember Adam Walsh, the Lyon sisters, Megan Kanka, Leiby Kletzy, etc. We should remember all of these kids. Why wouldn't you keep them in your memory?

Everybody who wants to assess risk rationally.

[Anonymous]

And kudos to tbe neighbor in Arlington who called 911 about the kids sting alone in their own yard, someone who thought something was off and called authorities. Thank God for that person!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the 911 caller was probably thinking of the Lyon sisters (ages 10 and 12) when he made the call.

Located a half mile away from their home was Wheaton Plaza shopping mall (now Westfield Wheaton). On March 25, 1975, Katherine and Sheila Lyon were going to see the Easter exhibits. It was their spring vacation and they planned to have lunch at the Orange Bowl. They left home between 11:00 AM and noon. Their mother had instructed them to return home by 4:00 PM; when they had not arrived by 7:00 PM, the police were called and an extensive search was conducted.[1] Police felt comfortable enough with accuracy of this timeline to release it to the public.
11:00 AM to noon: The girls leave home.
1:00 PM: A neighborhood child tells investigators that he saw both of the girls together outside the Orange Bowl. He also told the investigators that the sisters were speaking to an unidentified man.
2:00 PM: The girls' older brother saw them at the Orange Bowl eating pizza together.
2:30 to 3:00 PM: A friend sees the girls walking westward down a street near the mall which would have been one of the most direct routes from the mall to their home. This is the final sighting of the sisters that is absolutely confirmed by the police.
4:00 PM: This curfew set by their mother passes. The girls are expected home and do not arrive.
7:00 PM: Police are called. The investigation and an active search by professionals begins.

To repeat: In 1975. 1975! 40 years ago. (The 911 caller probably wasn't even born.) Why do you remember this case? Because events like this are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very rare.

This is the case that convinced parents that it was not safe for their kids to be free range. Even WashPo says so. Besides, it has been in the news lately. Who cares how rare these are? We remember Adam Walsh, the Lyon sisters, Megan Kanka, Leiby Kletzy, etc. We should remember all of these kids. Why wouldn't you keep them in your memory?

It doesn't matter how rare it is if it happens to me or my child. And abduction is only one risk to young children out by themselves. I'd take into account the possibility of my kids getting hit by a car or getting involved in bullying situations or being bitten by an animal. I grew up going all over a major city without adults and I know it's not all fun adventures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And kudos to tbe neighbor in Arlington who called 911 about the kids sting alone in their own yard, someone who thought something was off and called authorities. Thank God for that person!!!

Yes, a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old in their pajamas in the front yard at 7:50 am on a Friday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the 911 caller was probably thinking of the Lyon sisters (ages 10 and 12) when he made the call.

Located a half mile away from their home was Wheaton Plaza shopping mall (now Westfield Wheaton). On March 25, 1975, Katherine and Sheila Lyon were going to see the Easter exhibits. It was their spring vacation and they planned to have lunch at the Orange Bowl. They left home between 11:00 AM and noon. Their mother had instructed them to return home by 4:00 PM; when they had not arrived by 7:00 PM, the police were called and an extensive search was conducted.[1] Police felt comfortable enough with accuracy of this timeline to release it to the public.
11:00 AM to noon: The girls leave home.
1:00 PM: A neighborhood child tells investigators that he saw both of the girls together outside the Orange Bowl. He also told the investigators that the sisters were speaking to an unidentified man.
2:00 PM: The girls' older brother saw them at the Orange Bowl eating pizza together.
2:30 to 3:00 PM: A friend sees the girls walking westward down a street near the mall which would have been one of the most direct routes from the mall to their home. This is the final sighting of the sisters that is absolutely confirmed by the police.
4:00 PM: This curfew set by their mother passes. The girls are expected home and do not arrive.
7:00 PM: Police are called. The investigation and an active search by professionals begins.

To repeat: In 1975. 1975! 40 years ago. (The 911 caller probably wasn't even born.) Why do you remember this case? Because events like this are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very rare.

This is the case that convinced parents that it was not safe for their kids to be free range. Even WashPo says so. Besides, it has been in the news lately. Who cares how rare these are? We remember Adam Walsh, the Lyon sisters, Megan Kanka, Leiby Kletzy, etc. We should remember all of these kids. Why wouldn't you keep them in your memory?

A lot less than anxiety disorders, add, adhd, depression, etc.....