AR - Mom charged after forcing 10-yr-old to walk 4.5 miles

[bellyup]

I don't know what she is supposed to do but send the child alone when there is busy traffic isn't one of the things she should be choosing from. And I certainly ain't going to support blasting a computer with a gun either.

Kids have to have consequences for their actions. You get suspended for being bad on the bus FOUR times ... looks like you are walking to school. It's the logical, natural consequence after other avenues have been explored IMO. I have NO CLUE how or why she'd even be charged.

Is there some kind of law that kids can't walk in a specific area ? He was ten years old ?

 

[jjenny]

Kids have to have consequences for their actions. You get suspended for being bad on the bus FOUR times ... looks like you are walking to school. It's the logical, natural consequence after other avenues have been explored IMO. I have NO CLUE how or why she'd even be charged.

Is there some kind of law that kids can't walk in a specific area ? He was ten years old ?

The consequences for actions shouldn't be something that endangers the child.

 

[LolaMoon08]

I don't know what she is supposed to do but send the child alone when there is busy traffic isn't one of the things she should be choosing from. And I certainly ain't going to support blasting a computer with a gun either.

I'd rather he be walking in a well crowded area then behind buildings, side streets, or out of the way? That way people could see him. Unlike poor Carlie Brucia (only one year older than this boy) who walked behind businesses other then staying on the heavy traveled street while walking home in Sarasota, Florida? It's much safer to walk on a heavy traveled street than somewhere out of the way. There are sidewalks too. It's not like he was walking in the actual street and in traffic.

 

[LolaMoon08]

Well, his mom was sitting at home on vacation from work, so she can at least afford to take vacation days.

I don't see how he got his mom in trouble; he was going about his consequence when a bank guard called the police as he crossed their parking lot. I think the mom did not use common sense and was neglectful to send her child out there into such a dangerous situation. She could have given the situation more thought and taught him a lesson without endangering him. Sounds to me like she just did the easiest thing. "Oh, you can't take the bus? Fine. Walk. As long as I don't have to bother doing anything."

I don't think she did the easiest thing? It's his fifth suspension? She probably tried everything and did everything she could do the first four times. I'm sure she had a hard time coming to this conclusion? She obviously thought about it enough to tell the boy not to stop or talk to anyone?

And why should she have to spend her vacation driving this boy to and from school when he can not behave properly? I'm sure she worked very hard for her vacation and earned it just like any of of us have earned our vacation time?

At least she didn't shove him on a street bus and tell him to figure it out for himself and he ended up God knows where?

 

[jjenny]

I'd rather he be walking in a well crowded area then behind buildings, side streets, or out of the way? That way people could see him. Unlike poor Carlie Brucia (only one year older than this boy) who walked behind businesses other then staying on the heavy traveled street while walking home in Sarasota, Florida? It's much safer to walk on a heavy traveled street than somewhere out of the way. There are sidewalks too. It's not like he was walking in the actual street and in traffic.

In many places streets in the US are not designed for people walking. There are frequently no sidewalks, and no place to cross safely.

 

[jjenny]

I don't think she did the easiest thing? It's his fifth suspension? She probably tried everything and did everything she could do the first four times. I'm sure she had a hard time coming to this conclusion? She obviously thought about it enough to tell the boy not to stop or talk to anyone?

And why should she have to spend her vacation driving this boy to and from school when he can not behave properly? I'm sure she worked very hard for her vacation and earned it just like any of of us have earned our vacation time?

At least she didn't shove him on a street bus and tell him to figure it out for himself and he ended up God knows where?

Why should she? Because its her child, that's why.

 

[Belinda]

I wish we had a better idea of just what the route was that he had to walk. I think that really makes the difference as to how much danger he was in. I couldn't personally do it, but I understand why she did. I would have had to at least follow him to ensure his safety. I don't feel the mother should be charged in this case. A warning to the mother would have been sufficient.

 

[LolaMoon08]

Why should she? Because its her child, that's why.

We're just not going to agree on this? That's okay. I find no fault in what the mother did. You do. It's just the way it is.

Let's just hope this young boy has finally learned his lesson? He's safe. His feet didn't fall off from walking. He didn't get hit by a car. No one abducted him.

 

[jjenny]

We're just not going to agree on this? That's okay. I find no fault in what the mother did. You do. It's just the way it is.

Let's just hope this young boy has finally learned his lesson? He's safe. His feet didn't fall off from walking. He didn't get hit by a car. No one abducted him.

He only made a few blocks before police picked him up.

 

[LolaMoon08]

He only made a few blocks before police picked him up.

How big were the blocks?

 

[Lovejac]

In many places streets in the US are not designed for people walking. There are frequently no sidewalks, and no place to cross safely.

Is where this happened one of those places?

 

[Lovejac]

Great video.

http://www.kltv.com/story/16951551/...-walk-45-miles-to-school?clienttype=printable

 

[Mimiof8]

Is where this happened one of those places?

Yes, its one of those places. No sidewalks or crosswalks at intersections. Also no cabs and i think they discontinued the bus service. I tried to explain this earlier but everyone wanted to argue. My daughter attends college in Jonesboro and so did I. The video clearly shows one of many major itersections that he would have to cross.

Jmo

 

[bellyup]

Yes, its one of those places. No sidewalks or crosswalks at intersections. Also no cabs and i think they discontinued the bus service. I tried to explain this earlier but everyone wanted to argue. My daughter attends college in Jonesboro and so did I. The video clearly shows one of many major itersections that he would have to cross.

Jmo

I have to point out that kids walk in NYC and other major cities all the time. To school, to friends, to a shop. Many intersections are insanely dangerous (I've come close to getting hit several times in NYC). Are those parents endangering their children?

 

[jjenny]

I have to point out that kids walk in NYC and other major cities all the time. To school, to friends, to a shop. Many intersections are insanely dangerous (I've come close to getting hit several times in NYC). Are those parents endangering their children?

What are the stats on how many people die on these intersections?

 

[gxm]

If walking to school is so dangerous then the school should not have been allowed to suspend his bus privileges. They should have relied on another form of punishment.

And if the intersections are so dangerous, the county should put up some crosswalks with crossing lights.

Good grief, what is the world coming to when walking to school is considered child abuse. No wonder we have an obesity problem with children.

 

[STEADFAST]

I have to point out that kids walk in NYC and other major cities all the time. To school, to friends, to a shop. Many intersections are insanely dangerous (I've come close to getting hit several times in NYC). Are those parents endangering their children?

His walk is equivalent to walking from Times Square to CUNY's Vorhees Hall in downtown Brooklyn.

http://g.co/maps/shbpu

 

[LolaMoon08]

In major cities, parents put their children on the subways and city street buses to get to school all the time? Parents put their children on planes and charter buses on their own to travel hundreds, if not thousands of miles. We've seen how some of those cases have ended up? Should the parents be charged with child endangerment for leaving their kids to travel with complete strangers? The plane could crash? The bus could crash?

What this mom did is so low on the spectrum of wrong when looking at all the other titles of the threads in this section. I can't believe she is actually charged with child endangerment. If I was that mom, and I had to pay a 1,000 fine, that little boy would have weekend jobs mowing lawns, picking weeds, etc... to help pay it off!

 

[MsFacetious]

I wish we had a better idea of just what the route was that he had to walk. I think that really makes the difference as to how much danger he was in. I couldn't personally do it, but I understand why she did. I would have had to at least follow him to ensure his safety. I don't feel the mother should be charged in this case. A warning to the mother would have been sufficient.

A warning and some other suggestions on how to handle the situation, would have been nice.
This kid MIGHT have learned his lesson.
OR he might realize now that he can do whatever he wants... because Mom can't punish him without getting charged. :twocents:

 

[hollyblue]

I think the charges should be dropped and just a warning be given. Five miles is long way...and 2 blocks can be dangerous in today's world, imo. Why was he yelling on the bus all the time? Maybe he should be checked out? He didn't "get it" after 5 times. Problem there. JMO