PA - Her arm stuck in drop-off bin, woman freezes

[Tawny]

Re: the hummer, rhetorical question:

I remember one year I delivered a thanksgiving dinner to a needy family through an organization. When we went to drop off the items, they had a big screen tv, tons of electronics, a decent home...does this mean they were not in need?

The other day I gave some of my groceries to someone who was begging for money outside the grocery store. I basically went to bed hungry that night bc there was no food in the house. The next day I saw her and 2 others seated in a group loafing at the starbucks waching music videos. They had speakers, iphones, gadgets...here i am working and there she is not working. I immediately questioned just how "needy" this lady was and found myself having a twinge of resentment for going to bed hungry. Then I realized that when you do something for someone, you do it not expecting anything in return, but doing it bc you feel it's the right thing. And that if she is begging for money then she needed the food more than me.

It's a different situation kind of from what we are discussing, not sure what I'm trying to say.

I guess I just saying if she was desperate enough to take the items from the bin, then she must have really needed them? Idk...I've been the victim of a burglary and it was heart wrenching to have everything I worked for taken. But these are donated items in a bin, just seems different to me somehow...

I feel like the message is not to judge a person on one snapshot of their life. The hummer, the gadgets, the starbucks are one small moment in that person's life and we don't know the overarching circumstances. Maybe that hummer is paid off, maybe that starbucks and those gadgets were gifts. Poor/needy people are allowed to enjoy life as well, and I cringe when people say someone on welfare doesn't "deserve" their iphones. JMO!

 

[margarita25]

I feel like the message is not to judge a person on one snapshot of their life. The hummer, the gadgets, the starbucks are one small moment in that person's life and we don't know the overarching circumstances. Maybe that hummer is paid off, maybe that starbucks and those gadgets were gifts. Poor/needy people are allowed to enjoy life as well, and I cringe when people say someone on welfare doesn't "deserve" their iphones. JMO!

Yes, thank you, that IS what I was getting at, as related to the Hummer that keeps being brought up. And yes, judging via a snapshot, I was thinking about all that too, one does not know the circumstances, exactly my point.. I think I was more ticked bc I was on my way to WORK...I also told myself big deal, you ain't missing too many meals, Magz (rubs fat belly).

 

[ninij9]

I wonder, has anyone considered she may take Ambien or another sleep aid? I've done some pretty bizarre things an hour or two after falling asleep on the stuff. And just google it. Loads of people drive, shop, cook with zero memory of it and even Tiger Woods drove on it. Perhaps that was behind her 2 am bin raids? It's not impossible....Just a thought.

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[wolfbeard]

bbm it is for me. I could and would never do it. If I did happen to accidentally put something in it, I would call the number and ask when it was to be emptied so I could be there and get back what I put in by mistake. To tell the truth I don't know how a mistake like that could happen, especially at 2 am, but that's just me. jmo

I once found a $50 dollar bill on the floor at a liquor store which also cashed checks, I talked to the guy at the check cashing counter and told him I wanted him to hold it in case someone came back inquiring about it, he said OK come back in a week if it's still here it's yours. I went back and he handed to me. I don't steal/take what does not belong to me. jmo

You're missing the point. I'm not saying any of us would actually steal, but most of us have pondered how you would go about stealing out of a vending machine at least once in our lives. It's a curiosity thing, huge difference between being curious and actually doing it.

 

[Elley Mae]

I wonder, has anyone considered she may take Ambien or another sleep aid? I've done some pretty bizarre things an hour or two after falling asleep on the stuff. And just google it. Loads of people drive, shop, cook with zero memory of it and even Tiger Woods drove on it. Perhaps that was behind her 2 am bin raids? It's not impossible....Just a thought.

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bbm :laughcry:

 

[ninij9]

You're missing the point. I'm not saying any of us would actually steal, but most of us have pondered how you would go about stealing out of a vending machine at least once in our lives. It's a curiosity thing, huge difference between being curious and actually doing it.

My vending machine at work doesn't always dispense my chips. I pound until it's knocked loose and often I'm rewarded with candy bars and gum 😏. I'm not advocating stealing, but if anyone is wondering how.....

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[margarita25]

It is weird to me that this thread has almost 100 posts and yet threads for folks who are missing sometimes get barely a glance. I'm here too, so I promise I am not scolding or pointing fingers, I just found it interesting. Like many of you (I assume, since we're here on WS), we like to know why people do what they do.

Regardless, this is so very sad and tragic for those who knew and loved her.

(Indeed, that's why I felt a little bad starting the "Who Stole Tom Brady's Jersey?" thread ( http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?328961-Who-Stole-Tom-Brady-s-Jersey ), because I didn't want to take time away from missing kids, etc, but then I realized it's OK to be in a light thread sometimes, considering all the heavy stuff we constantly deal with here, not that this is light bc a woman lost her life, but ykwim...it all makes for interesting discussion, and who knows maybe these bins will be useful in another case someday.)

 

[human]

I feel like the message is not to judge a person on one snapshot of their life. The hummer, the gadgets, the starbucks are one small moment in that person's life and we don't know the overarching circumstances. Maybe that hummer is paid off, maybe that starbucks and those gadgets were gifts. Poor/needy people are allowed to enjoy life as well, and I cringe when people say someone on welfare doesn't "deserve" their iphones. JMO!

We don't know, but a Hummer is how much? If you are so needy you have to steal from a poor box donation, then sell your Hummer

I think she probably was mentally ill. I can't imagine who would dig through donated clothes.

They are sent to poor nations who have no use for them either. India has airplane hangars full and they often have to burn them

We are ridiculous consumers in the US. I used to go to estate and garage sales. You can't give clothes away unless they are some fab brand and cheap

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Raises her hand to digging through donated clothes!!! It is also about recycling, not just about being cheap or poor. We need to stop making so much crap when we have no where to put it IMO. I have some wonderful clothing from used clothing stores - people love my outfits and then their jaws drop when I say something came from Goodwill or the like. Just sayin...

ETA: That said, I do know that tons (literally, tons) of clothing is given to third world countries who indeed have no use for it, and agree it is awful.

 

[SophieRose]

It's because it's such a relatable thing. We can't imagine ourselves missing or murdering someone, but we've all at least thought about taking a candy bar out of a vending machine at least once in our lives. If circumstances were different for most of us, it's not a big stretch to say that we too may find ourselves stretching our arm into the hatch of a donation drop box...

How do you get a candy bar out of a vending machine without paying? At one workplace we had a machine that would either take your money and you got no candy or give you two. So first person got nada and second person got not only their candy bar but the other person's bar. You took your chances on that machine. I can remember kicking it to give me my candy or chips but it was stubborn. Of course you could always be the person to put in money again and then get two. At another workplace we had a soda machine that kept on giving.

 

[wolfbeard]

How do you get a candy bar out of a vending machine without paying? At one workplace we had a machine that would either take your money and you got no candy or give you two. So first person got nada and second person got not only their candy bar but the other person's bar. You took your chances on that machine. I can remember kicking it to give me my candy or chips but it was stubborn. Of course you could always be the person to put in money again and then get two. At another workplace we had a soda machine that kept on giving.

We had a vending machine in middle school that would give you a free soda if you folded the top of a dollar bill then taped it with silver tape (can't remember the exact name of it). When it pulled, you could pull the bill and it would think you had inserted a bill.

I seriously doubt this works now, I'm amazed it worked even then.

 

[Indy Anna]

Re: the hummer, rhetorical question:

I remember one year I delivered a thanksgiving dinner to a needy family through an organization. When we went to drop off the items, they had a big screen tv, tons of electronics, a decent home...does this mean they were not in need?

The other day I gave some of my groceries to someone who was begging for money outside the grocery store. I basically went to bed hungry that night bc there was no food in the house. The next day I saw her and 2 others seated in a group loafing at the Starbucks watching music videos. She had speakers, iphones, gadgets...here I am working and there she is not working. I immediately questioned just how "needy" this lady was and found myself having a twinge of resentment for going to bed hungry. Then I realized that when you do something for someone, you do it not expecting anything in return, but doing it bc you feel it's the right thing. And that if she is begging for money then she needed the food more than me.

It's a different situation kind of from what we are discussing, not sure what I'm trying to say.

I guess I'm just saying if she was desperate enough to take the items from the bin, then she must have really needed them? Idk...I've been the victim of a burglary and it was heart wrenching to have everything I worked for taken. But these are donated items in a bin, just seems different to me somehow...

Eta: Maybe you guys are right, stealing is stealing...whatever the case I feel really bad for her.

Awww, Margarita. :hug: It's hurtful when we try to do something good for someone and then feel they have betrayed us. I feel very resentful of my former friend (FF) -- I can't even bring myself to call her my friend any more. I began to have concerns about her before she came to stay with me and discussed them with family and coworkers. I knew I was taking the risk of being scammed but said I'd rather be wronged than withhold doing good to someone who desperately needs help.

But, I think we do (naturally) feel betrayed when we do something out of the kindness of our heart and then realize the recipient of our kindness is muttering <<suck~errr!>> under his/her breath. When we do consider doing something kind for a person in need, our thoughts may go to stories we've heard or read about in the news about charity scams, embezzling by charity administrators, fake charities, the nanny who refused to leave (my mother and I discussed that case when I told her I invited FF to stay with me for a while and she DIDN'T want to leave), etc. This is that type of story that gives us pause.

Yet, I'm reluctant to criticize the woman because I don't know her financial situation or her motive. I remember reading a letter from the president in a charity publication years ago, responding to angry criticism by donors re pictures of charity benefactors' homes. The homes were small and in disrepair -- like we'd expect to see. But, next to them were parked nice cars. The charity president pointed out that the people needed reliable cars to get to and from work. They often lived far from business centers and the cars, although expensive models, were bought used.

OTOH, I worked at a job where it was difficult to find reliable employees. They had the latest stereo equipment installed on their cars and bragged to each other about their fancy stereos and TV's at home. But, so many of the staff would repeatedly call off work or say they couldn't work when called in a pinch because their car wasn't working!

In this situation, maybe the Hummer was bought used at a bargain price because they needed something reliable to get them to and from work. There are a lot of factors to consider, but I think this grabs our attention because it is something most (if not all) of us can relate to. We have a greater chance of falling victim to a scam than to a murder, armed robbery or sexual predator. IMO, we feel betrayed to think someone who is NOT in need may have benefited from our donation.

 

[DeDee]

I want to go with the Ambien Defense. Not good for Ambien. For a brief time, I took that prescription to treat insomnia. When I awoke to find a spoon filled with peanut butter in my bed, I quit taking it. That is something that I don't do even when awake. I mean, for example, what if I had driven myself to McDonald's because I wanted a 1/4 pounder? Since I don't eat fast food that would be alarming. I would not know until I awoke and saw the wrapper in my bed.

Perhaps LE knows she arrived at 2am because of cell phone pings.

I was raised to believe that whatever is done in darkness, will come to light. RIP Judith :rose:

 

[Indy Anna]

How do you get a candy bar out of a vending machine without paying? At one workplace we had a machine that would either take your money and you got no candy or give you two. So first person got nada and second person got not only their candy bar but the other person's bar. You took your chances on that machine. I can remember kicking it to give me my candy or chips but it was stubborn. Of course you could always be the person to put in money again and then get two. At another workplace we had a soda machine that kept on giving.

I worked in a place with a snack machine like that. The items would get stuck. If we put a note on the machine or told the secretary, we'd get reimbursed when the vendor came back to restock the machine. Once, I got 2 of the same item and asked around the whole building until I found the person who lost their money, IIRC the previous day.

 

[Indy Anna]

I want to go with the Ambien Defense. Not good for Ambien. For a brief time, I took that prescription to treat insomnia. When I awoke to find a spoon filled with peanut butter in my bed, I quit taking it. That is something that I don't do even when awake. I mean, for example, what if I had driven myself to McDonald's because I wanted a 1/4 pounder? Since I don't eat fast food that would be alarming. I would not know until I awoke and saw the wrapper in my bed.

Perhaps LE knows she arrived at 2am because of cell phone pings.

I was raised to believe that whatever is done in darkness, will come to light. RIP Judith :rose:

BBM

IDK, DeDee. Maybe you have mice. :mickey::mickey:

 

[flourish]

In the area of Oregon I used to live, there aren't drop boxes. There are attended donation sites. I worked at goodwill and even the dumpsters were locked up in a locked area with cameras. Lots of sketchy people made it so.

 

[human]

Awww, Margarita. :hug: It's hurtful when we try to do something good for someone and then feel they have betrayed us. I feel very resentful of my former friend (FF) -- I can't even bring myself to call her my friend any more. I began to have concerns about her before she came to stay with me and discussed them with family and coworkers. I knew I was taking the risk of being scammed but said I'd rather be wronged than withhold doing good to someone who desperately needs help.

But, I think we do (naturally) feel betrayed when we do something out of the kindness of our heart and then realize the recipient of our kindness is muttering <<suck~errr!>> under his/her breath. When we do consider doing something kind for a person in need, our thoughts may go to stories we've heard or read about in the news about charity scams, embezzling by charity administrators, fake charities, the nanny who refused to leave (my mother and I discussed that case when I told her I invited FF to stay with me for a while and she DIDN'T want to leave), etc. This is that type of story that gives us pause.

Yet, I'm reluctant to criticize the woman because I don't know her financial situation or her motive. I remember reading a letter from the president in a charity publication years ago, responding to angry criticism by donors re pictures of charity benefactors' homes. The homes were small and in disrepair -- like we'd expect to see. But, next to them were parked nice cars. The charity president pointed out that the people needed reliable cars to get to and from work. They often lived far from business centers and the cars, although expensive models, were bought used.

OTOH, I worked at a job where it was difficult to find reliable employees. They had the latest stereo equipment installed on their cars and bragged to each other about their fancy stereos and TV's at home. But, so many of the staff would repeatedly call off work or say they couldn't work when called in a pinch because their car wasn't working!

In this situation, maybe the Hummer was bought used at a bargain price because they needed something reliable to get them to and from work. There are a lot of factors to consider, but I think this grabs our attention because it is something most (if not all) of us can relate to. We have a greater chance of falling victim to a scam than to a murder, armed robbery or sexual predator. IMO, we feel betrayed to think someone who is NOT in need may have benefited from our donation.

I tried to find the price of a used Hummer.Around $60,000? Maybe people have a better site than I do to get an idea.

$60,000 will get you a brand new car and change to put into a bank account

 

[Jax49]

She was retired from the local school district. I'm curious what she did and if she was drawing a pension. MOO

 

[Wyle_E_Coyote]

What an embarrassing way to go.

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[Tawny]

I tried to find the price of a used Hummer.Around $60,000? Maybe people have a better site than I do to get an idea.

$60,000 will get you a brand new car and change to put into a bank account

I don't know this particular woman's situation but I see this said about people's cars and tv's and nice things all the time when discussing people who ARE needy or on welfare. Maybe they had that shiny thing before falling on hard times, and I don't expect anyone to get rid of a thing that makes their ****** situation more bearable. Could she buy a lot of stuff with it? Sure. But I don't know her life and I don't know why she drives a Hummer or why she was donation bin diving. The Hummer has literally ZERO to do with this, as she'd have died just the same having driven up in a 1998 Camry. That $40-$50k will only go so far, so even if she did sell it, she'd be in the same spot in a few months if she's retired and drawing a paltry tiny pension. Again, I don't know her situation, but I'm going to assume she isn't a rich lady diving for second hand scraps. Poor people drive expensive cars all the time, because we are hell bent on putting worth on a person based on their material possessions in this society.

Plus. She's dead. She isn't driving diddly squat anymore.