Where: East Ballard between NW 11th and 8th, between NW 65th and 62nd.
Nanny: Approx 5'5" early 20s, longish blonde hair. Facial discoloration tan/white. Gave her name as "Rose."
Child: Short dark slightly curly (I think) hair, white helmet, nice bike with training wheels, has green on it. Male approx 4 years old.
Incident: The boy was running back and forth on the sidewalk, bawling his head off. No one was in sight. I ran out of the house, asked him what was wrong. I was unable to understand him. After a little time had passed, I saw the female about 1/2 to 2/3 of a block away.
I asked the child if that was his mother and he said No. He did seem to have a name for her, though I couldn't understand it.There was no way this woman could have heard the child say anything. Before I could say anything to her, she said to me "He's lying."
I continued to speak to the female, expressing concern that I didn't see an adult. She told me she was his nanny, he was having a temper tantrum and she was letting him walk it off. During our exchange she seemed really snotty, unconcerned and not at all empathic about my concern. She gave her name as "Rose" and said she was "just down the block." I don't really believe anything she said other than that she was his nanny.
After this incident I went around several blocks I described earlier asking folks if they had seen this kid and everyone said no.
Sometimes people who are close to a child can understand what they are saying better than a stranger.
ReplyDeletePreschoolers do lie sometimes, especially when they are upset and tantruming, and especially to indulgent strangers who are intervening where they have no business.
Preschoolers have temper tantrums. Often. Sometimes even outside.
A half a block away is not very far.
If there is an adult on the scene dealing with a child's temper tantrum, you should let her because you know nothing about the situation.
Sorry, ohmygod, but I'd have done the same thing as OP. I live in the UK, and some time back a small boy was abducted and murdered; he was seen by numerous people crying and trying to get away from his captors, but nobody intervened. I'd rather someone considered me indulgent and interfering rather than ignore a child in distress.
ReplyDeleteruth b:
ReplyDeleteso you live in the UK, big frocking deal. you can't just go around accusing people of being abductors just because a child is crying. children cry. lmfao. it does not mean they are being abducted.
It's weird that the nanny immediately said the child was lying. That's enough to raise a red flag for me. It warrants posting, so that if the parent sees it, they can at least try to ascertain what really went on.
ReplyDeleteThat having been said, you have to expect that whenever you accuse a caregiver (even a good one) of neglecting their child (which you basically did when you "expressed your concern"), they are not going to react kindly to that, whether or not they were in fact neglecting the child. Doesn't mean you were wrong to intervene, but I think it does mean you can't use the nannies attitutde towards you as evidence of wrongdoing.
This is an excellent post. The sobbing child and "he is lying" are enough to warrant a closer look. Of course we do not know the real circumstances but we should all listen to our "inner voice" and, at the very least, remember details and ask questions when something seems amiss.
ReplyDelete