FL - Somer Thompson, 7, Orange Park, 19 Oct 2009 #30

[infinity14]

yes, but we never got an answer, neither did infinity last we heard.

No answer..........................

 

[New1]

How do you twist parents/grandparents showing baby pics of their nude babies to be ? I honestly can't figure out how you get to such conclusions.

Sorry, but the laws on aren't black and white - child is definitely an arrest but what one does with adult , is always subject to interpretation by the law.

It's well known that showing adult to children can lead to sexual deviation - not sure what your implication is, but I don't think Somer had any sexual deviations, far more likely that her murderer did. mho

I think the poster was referring to something on the news recently where the children were taken from the parents for 30 days because they showed nude or partially nude pictures of their kids. IMO the pictures shown on TV were not child , but just pictures of small kids in the bathtub or getting out of the tub wrapped in a towel.

 

[tarabull]

Tara, there is video of AC in the funeral video where it talks about the family arriving about an hour before everyone else.

I'll find it and post it here even if you already found video.

No need for THAT link....I'm familiar....but that's all I got.

Anything else out there?

 

[what about this?]

thanks for posting the video....I don't think it is him either....oh well....

Does anyone think he might look like BC, the guy who was arrested in that little girl's bedroom a week or two ago? The guy from Hastings, who also had pictures of Haleigh on his myspace or facebook, and also handed out flyers for her?

 

[Noway]

I think he was there, but it was a coincidence, from the lunch meeting, I dont think the kids knew he was there and that dt came up with babysitting to cover no one usually at home.

I thought they said there was "typically an adult there to meet them" because if Somer was found, things would likely go back the way they were ... and they didn't want to announce to the public and the RSO-filled neighborhood that these kids were home alone from 3-5 ... more to protect the kids.

Ok if what you are all saying is true - that SP allegedly was NOT there to wait for the kids ... then why would DT go on TV and keep making remarks over and over that it was a safe neighborhood where all of the kids walked home, and she had no idea ANYTHING could ever happen, and by the way, she was not eligible for busing, etc., it just sounds like based on your premise she is digging herself in even deeper. Especially since so many people were outraged that this woman could be called to account, being a poor single mom with no child care arrangements. Public sentiment was clearly on her side.

And if he was not there to pick up kids, it looks pretty suspicious that she came home for lunch with him, he stayed there all day (for what reason) and was there when the kids got home. And then sent the two little ones out to look for Somer. It just casts a damning light on him all around. And finally, if they lied about that, what other things did they lie about?

I think some may have misunderstood my post.

I DO think Sean was at the house that day. I was responding to the comment by Sheriff that typically there was an adult there when the kids came home. True or not, I think the statement was made because at this time, it was a missing child case, and LE didn't want to announce to this RSO-laden neighborhood that these kids were home alone from 3-5 each day.

I don't think there was any law being broken ... I thought it had been determined that FL had no specific law on age of babysitter/kids home alone.

I'll go back and quote the post that I'm referring to if I can get the multiple post option to work for me!

 

[Noway]

No need for THAT link....I'm familiar....but that's all I got.

Anything else out there?

I'm looking in Amanda's PB but my understanding was that Diena had them staying somewhere other than the house to keep them away from the media frenzy so I don't think there would be any recent photos of him.

 

[eyes4crime]

I think the poster was referring to something on the news recently where the children were taken from the parents for 30 days because they showed nude or partially nude pictures of their kids. IMO the pictures shown on TV were not child , but just pictures of small kids in the bathtub or getting out of the tub wrapped in a towel.

thanks - I had no idea what was being referred to. I didn't see that news clip. IMO if parents were taking nude pics of their babies and showing them around for the sake of 'shock' or selling their child for sex, that is understandable. A month seems like a long time for just showing nude pics - must be a lot more to it.

 

[Cheewawa007]

I think some may have misunderstood my post.

I DO think Sean was at the house that day. I was responding to the comment by Sheriff that typically there was an adult there when the kids came home. True or not, I think the statement was made because at this time, it was a missing child case, and LE didn't want to announce to this RSO-laden neighborhood that these kids were home alone from 3-5 each day.

I don't think there was any law being broken ... I thought it had been determined that FL had no specific law on age of babysitter/kids home alone.

I'll go back and quote the post that I'm referring to if I can get the multiple post option to work for me!

BBM: you are correct Noway; here's the link (scroll down to the portion that talks about leaving your child at home alone):
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/publications/fsp/trainingbulletin/july08_trainingbulletin.pdf

 

[Noway]

AmandaReckonWith Photobucket Pictures and Videos

Clay County Clerk

Clay County Daily Bulletin

[ame="http://websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4558531&postcount=187"]Facts I[/ame]


[ame="http://websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4558554&postcount=190"]Facts II[/ame]


Garbage Zones in Orange Park Area

Florida Sexual Offender and Predator Search

Investigative Check List For First Responders

Map of Somer's Route

NoWay's MPR Post

Somer Thompson Book Bag

Somer Thompson Lunchbox

Somer Thompson Missing Person Report (MPR)

Somer Thompson Obituary

Websleuths Forensic Astrology Thread for Somer Thompson

Who's Who and RSOs (this takes you out of Websleuths to another forum)

 

[pinamia]

O/T

I personally dont think anything is cuter than my fat naked babies. And I think pin was just pointing out how these cute pics can get innocent people in trouble, while most does not.

Exactly and adult being shown to a child should be a big crime. I don't know if PC had the safely tucked away or not. He just seems to me to be the type that might not and kids can find hiding spots.

When I was 11, my friends and I caught their father looking at the smut and they knew where it was. Luckily it was when on vacation and it was a one and only time I was exposed (I didn't even look at the magazine but I'm sure those "friends" did). They were 2 little girls even younger than me. This was before the days of internet.

 

[pinamia]

BBM: you are correct Noway; here's the link (scroll down to the portion that talks about leaving your child at home alone):
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/publications/fsp/trainingbulletin/july08_trainingbulletin.pdf

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends that children not be left
alone before the age of 12.

Many other children will not be ready until later
than that.

Also, experts caution that older siblings are generally not ready for the responsibility of supervising younger children until the age of 15 or older.


The following are some questions families should answer before making this important decision:


Is my child comfortable, confident, and willing to stay home alone?
Does my child consistently follow my rules and guidelines?
Has my child demonstrated good independent judgment and problem-solving skills in the past?
Is my child able to stay calm and not panic when confronted with unexpected events?
Have I brainstormed with my child about what unexpected situations could possibly come up while he
or she is alone, and how to handle them?
Is my child consistently truthful with me? Does he or she readily come to me with problems and
concerns?
Does my child understand the importance of safety and know basic safety procedures?
Will my child make decisions to stay safe, even at the risk of seeming rude or overly cautious to other
children or adults?
Does my child have the ability to calmly provide his/her name, address, phone number, and directions to
our home in an emergency?
Can my child lock and unlock the doors and windows of our home?
Can my child tell time?
Is my child able to work independently on homework?
Have my child and I established a clearly structured routine for when he or she is home alone, with
defined responsibilities and privileges?
If I have more than one child staying home, have the children demonstrated the ability to get along well
and solve conflicts without physical fighting or adult intervention?
Have my child and I had some “dry runs” to allow him or her to practice self-care skills while I am at
home, but purposefully “not available”?
Is our neighborhood safe?
Do we have neighbors that my child and I know and trust?

 

[pinamia]

thanks - I had no idea what was being referred to. I didn't see that news clip. IMO if parents were taking nude pics of their babies and showing them around for the sake of 'shock' or selling their child for sex, that is understandable. A month seems like a long time for just showing nude pics - must be a lot more to it.

Not necessarily.

http://www.parentdish.com/2009/09/21/innocent-bath-time-photos-get-kids-taken-away-from-parents/

ttp://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/09/19/20090919walmart0919.html

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=7025719

 

[tarabull]

BBM: you are correct Noway; here's the link (scroll down to the portion that talks about leaving your child at home alone):
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/publications/fsp/trainingbulletin/july08_trainingbulletin.pdf

From page 8:

Staying home alone.
When older children are placed in situations of independence that they can handle, it can help them learn responsibility. However, asking too much too soon is dangerous and holds consequences for the child and the parent.

Children left unsupervised or in the care of younger siblings are at increased risk for accidential injury and social, behavioral and academic problems. Florida law does not have a hard and fasat rule about when children can be left home alone, but instead expects parents to take all of the circumstances into account when deciding what level of supervision is needed.

Because chilren mature at different reates, there is no single,pre-set age at which children are considered to be "old enough" to stay home by themselves for short periods of time. Parents must evaluate their child's individual development and physical capabilities.

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends that children not be left alone before the age of 12. Many other children will not be ready until later than that. also, experts caution that older siblings are generally not ready for the responsiblity of supervising younger chilren until the age of 15 or older.

The following are some questions families should answer before making this important decision:
�� Is my child comfortable, confident, and willing to stay home alone?
�� Does my child consistently follow my rules and guidelines?
�� Has my child demonstrated good independent judgment and problem-solving skills in the past?
�� Is my child able to stay calm and not panic when confronted with unexpected events?
�� Have I brainstormed with my child about what unexpected situations could possibly come up while he or she is alone, and how to handle them?
�� Is my child consistently truthful with me? Does he or she readily come to me with problems and concerns?
�� Does my child understand the importance of safety and know basic safety procedures?
�� Will my child make decisions to stay safe, even at the risk of seeming rude or overly cautious to other children or adults?
�� Does my child have the ability to calmly provide his/her name, address, phone number, and directions to our home in an emergency?
�� Can my child lock and unlock the doors and windows of our home?
�� Can my child tell time?
�� Is my child able to work independently on homework?
�� Have my child and I established a clearly structured routine for when he or she is home alone, with defined responsibilities and privileges?
�� If I have more than one child staying home, have the children demonstrated the ability to get along well and solve conflicts without physical fighting or adult intervention?
�� Have my child and I had some “dry runs” to allow him or her to practice self-care skills while I am at home, but purposefully “not available”?
�� Is our neighborhood safe?
�� Do we have neighbors that my child and I know and trust?

After reviewing this list of questions, you’ll have a better idea of how ready your child is to stay home alone.

These are only general guidelines. Parents and other caregivers must also consider other factors specific to their individual child and family circumstances in order to make the best decision

 

[Noway]

http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm

STATE LAWS (rest of states at link)

Most have None. Some have Unknown. Some are as young as 8.

In the FL area:

Alabama is none; Florida is none and Georgia is 9.

Alabama Babysitting Laws
http://blog.laborlawtalk.com/2006/11/10/alabama-babysitting-laws/

Florida Eighth Judicial Circuit Family Court
http://circuit8.org/family/FAQ.html

Georgia (NBCAugusta.com)
http://www.nbcaugusta.com/features/goodquestion/2793961.html

 

[New1]

thanks - I had no idea what was being referred to. I didn't see that news clip. IMO if parents were taking nude pics of their babies and showing them around for the sake of 'shock' or selling their child for sex, that is understandable. A month seems like a long time for just showing nude pics - must be a lot more to it.

No, they got the kids back and there was no punishment as I recall. Just some busybody reporting them.

 

[Noway]

At what age is it legal to leave a child home alone?

http://circuit8.org/family/FAQ.html (this is the Florida link above)

There is no minimum age established by law. Whether a child can be left alone depends on a number of factors, including: the child's maturity; the safety of the environment they are in; how long they are left alone; whether or not they can get in touch with their parent or caregiver; and whether or not they know what to do in case of an emergency. Leaving a child alone can constitute neglect on the part of a parent or caregiver if the child could be in any danger of harm.

 

[Noway]

The Thompson children were not home alone. Maybe what I should be looking at is the age of babysitters in Florida. I think there may be a difference if it is family member. Maybe?

(a) Babysitters shall be at least sixteen years of age or older and shall be screened by securing a Florida Department of Law Enforcement name check, a child abuse and neglect records check through the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System , and a local criminal check.

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=65C-13.033 (first link)

 

[tarabull]

They weren't home alone Oct 19th....that's correct.

 

[pinamia]

At what age is it legal to leave a child home alone?

http://circuit8.org/family/FAQ.html (this is the Florida link above)

There is no minimum age established by law. Whether a child can be left alone depends on a number of factors, including: the child's maturity; the safety of the environment they are in; how long they are left alone; whether or not they can get in touch with their parent or caregiver; and whether or not they know what to do in case of an emergency. Leaving a child alone can constitute neglect on the part of a parent or caregiver if the child could be in any danger of harm.

That's only half true. If a parent leaves a preschooler home alone, I'm sure they would be arrested if caught. In Somer's case, Somer needed adult supervision. Any child that runs off needs extra care. I know my son needed to be watched like a hawk until 13 (he's got autism though). It is a crime not to provide adult supervision if that's what the child needs. It's called neglect and if my son does anything to harm someone or harms himself, I could be charged. The same thing goes for elderly. This man got arrested and charged with murder because he left his mom and dad in a car and he went into work. The doors were open when he left them but his mom left and his dad with dementia had the door closed and died of hyperthermia. Really sad because he didn't mean to kill his dad. They convicted him recently.

http://wcbstv.com/local/elderly.heat.death.2.766116.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/20/theodore-pressman-convict_n_365927.html

Any case, what is the age for walking home alone from school in Florida? I read somewhere that the child should know about safety especially predator safety. I wonder if Somer knew about predators.

Is Your Child Ready to Be Left Alone?

How do you know if your child is ready to stay home alone or ride his bike to school? By asking him. Ideally, your child should know the following twelve points before he is ever alone in public. Sit down with your child and talk about each one of the twelve points listed below from Gavin de Becker's book, Protecting the Gift.
The Test of Twelve

1. Does your child know how to honor his feelings? If someone makes him uncomfortable, that's an important signal.
2. Are you as the parent strong enough to hear about any experience your child has had, no matter how unpleasant?
3. Does your child know it's okay to rebuff and defy adults?
4. Does your child know it's okay to be assertive?
5. Does your child know how to ask for assistance or help?
6. Does your child know how to choose who to ask? For example, he should look for a woman to help him.
7. Does your child know how to describe his peril?
8. Does your child know it's okay to strike, even to injure, someone if he believes he is in danger, and that you'll support any action he takes as a result of feeling uncomfortable or afraid?
9. Does your child know it's okay to make noise, to scream, to yell, to run?
10. Does your child know that if someone ever tries to force him to go somewhere, what he screams should include, ''This is not my father''? Onlookers seeing a child scream or even struggle are likely to assume the adult is a parent.
11. Does your child know that if someone says, ''Don't yell,'' the thing to do is yell? The corollary is if someone says, ''Don't tell,'' the thing to do is tell.
12. Does your child know to fully resist ever going anywhere out of public view with someone he doesn't know, and particularly to resist going anywhere with someone who tries to persuade him?

http://life.familyeducation.com/safety/home-alone/36362.html?detoured=1

 

[Cheewawa007]

The Thompson children were not home alone. Maybe what I should be looking at is the age of babysitters in Florida. I think there may be a difference if it is family member. Maybe?

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=65C-13.033 (first link)

The difference may be that a babysitter is getting paid for a service, therefore must meet certain criteria in order to receive monetary compensation for a service rendered.