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7 year old girl fights off abductor in Walmart


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http://fox4kc.com/2012/02/09/video-little-girl-fights-off-would-be-abductor-in-walmart/

 

 

BREMEN, Ga. — Seven-year-old Brittney Baxter was looking at princess toys at a Walmart in Bremen, Georgia, when a man grabbed her and tried to carry her away.

But Baxter fought back.

“I was kicking and screaming, and then he put his hand over my mouth, but I kept kicking,†she said.

The man is seen on store surveillance footage carrying Baxter as she thrashes around, trying to get away. Once she starts kicking the man puts her down and takes off running.

Bremen police later arrested 25-year-old Thomas Andrew Woods. He was later charged with attempted kidnapping. Other charges are pending.

Police said Woods was out on parole after being convicted of voluntary manslaughter.

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This is a lesson in how we need to teach our kids to protect themselves.

 

We can't and shouldn't be with our school-aged kids constantly. A successful stranger abduction is extremely rare. It will be even more rare if we teach our kids to react as this little girl did. Good job, kiddo!

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What is voluntary manslaughter?

 

Probably something he pled down from a more serious charge. :glare:

 

I agree with SKL about not needing to be with a 7 year old all the time. Heck, yesterday I sent my 7yo daughter to put something back on a shelf after I changed my mind about it. She was out of my sight for about a minute. I don't think that was irresponsible of me.

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My daughters think I such an old fuddy-duddy and neurotically overprotective when we go into grocery stores and shopping malls.

"Stay where I can see you!"

"Oh, Mom."

Wal-Mart is such a strange place. I dislike going into that store it creeps me out when I see the shoppers. I'm always asking myself, "Why am I here? Can't I buy cheap boxes and postal packing supplies somewhere else?"

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Good for her! I tell my kids to fight back too.

 

FWIW, I give my children some independence in stores I feel are safe. WalMart is not one of those stores. It is too big, with too much going on.

 

 

I agree about Walmart. In our area, it is just a strange, strange place. I was giving my children much more independence in other stores long before Walmart. One of the things about ours that is so disconcerting is the total "who gives a rip" attitude that permeates the management and that seems to trickle down to the other employees. There have been numerous incidents in which employees, managers, or security should have gotten involved and the party line is always, "Not my problem."

 

Kudos to the seven year old for quick thinking and not freezing in the moment. She's got a great head on her shoulders!

 

Faith

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It seems that this young girl has self-confidence and has likely been taught what to do. I say, "Good job!" to the parents, teachers and other adults in her life that have taught her well.

 

:iagree:

 

My daughter never had to physically fight to get away from the man who tried to abduct her, he tried to lure her away from the other kids. He messed with the wrong girl, she started screaming and running to get me with all the other kids hot on her heels.

 

We can not always be right by their side (and even when we are there is no guarantees, the 3 attempted abductions of 4 yr olds that have happened recently in the city were done literally under the parents noses. The parents were practically next to their kids and the man tried to lure them away), Kids need to be taught what to do.

 

I am so thankful that the little girl didn't panic, and knew what to do to get away safely.

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I'm so glad she's ok, but my first thoughts when I read the story were:

 

Where was the mom? This child was screaming and kicking and the mom never heard her own child in distress? It sounds like "another aisle" must have been in a different part of the store. Otherwise, how could she not have heard her child yelling, fighting, and struggling?

 

Where were the store employees and other customers? No one attempted to intervene? Let's face it, it sounds like the guy got scared off and ran, not that the little girl was able to successfully defend herself against him -- so realistically, she was just very, very lucky that her abductor wasn't a different and more determined man. He may very well have been able to walk right out of the store with her, kicking and screaming, because people may have assumed that she was just a kid having a tantrum because she didn't get something she wanted.

 

I think this story demonstrates how important it is to keep our little ones in sight at all times when we are in places like Walmart. Just because there are a lot of nice families around and just because there are a lot of store employees in the aisles, does not mean that those people will look out for the safety of our children.

Edited by Catwoman
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Just showed the video to my boys, too. I've taught them to do the exact same things, but something about seeing a child actually fighting her kidnapper makes a difference.

At a friend's birthday party, another adult picked up my then 8 year old and shook him. It was very scary. He still has nightmares almost 4 years later. Ds didn't fight back because he was afraid of getting in trouble because it was an adult. He'd already had 3 years of taekwondo at that point and didn't use any of it. I've spent a lot of time telling my boys that if an adult is hurting you or trying to grab you, fight as hard as you can. Go for eyes, groin and throat. And if that adult comes to me injured saying that my child hurt him, well, he can explain that to the police.

These lessons are so hard to teach without scaring the kids. It's also hard to teach kids because we spend all our time teaching them not to hit and to respect their elders. It's hard for them to judge when to do these things. We do a lot of scenarios and role playing.

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Just showed the video to my boys, too. I've taught them to do the exact same things, but something about seeing a child actually fighting her kidnapper makes a difference.

At a friend's birthday party, another adult picked up my then 8 year old and shook him. It was very scary. He still has nightmares almost 4 years later. Ds didn't fight back because he was afraid of getting in trouble because it was an adult. He'd already had 3 years of taekwondo at that point and didn't use any of it. I've spent a lot of time telling my boys that if an adult is hurting you or trying to grab you, fight as hard as you can. Go for eyes, groin and throat. And if that adult comes to me injured saying that my child hurt him, well, he can explain that to the police.

These lessons are so hard to teach without scaring the kids. It's also hard to teach kids because we spend all our time teaching them not to hit and to respect their elders. It's hard for them to judge when to do these things. We do a lot of scenarios and role playing.

 

:iagree: Exactly. I have told my kids you fight as hard as you can with whatever you can, kicking, biting, scratching, eyes, throat, nose, groin, anywhere you have to. If the person gets maimed in the process it is less than they would get if I caught them hurting my kid. kwim.

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Where were the store employees and other customers? No one attempted to intervene? Let's face it, it sounds like the guy got scared off and ran, not that the little girl was able to successfully defend herself against him -- so realistically, she was just very, very lucky that her abductor wasn't a different and more determined man. He may very well have been able to walk right out of the store with her, kicking and screaming, because people may have assumed that she was just a kid having a tantrum because she didn't get something she wanted.

 

 

 

 

This is why we should teach kids to scream the words, "You are not my dad! Let me go."

 

Screaming that will get the attention of others and clue them in that the child is not just having a tantrum.

 

Gavin DeBecker explains it well in his book.

 

I showed my kids the video and asked if they reminded what words they are supposed to scream.

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This is a lesson in how we need to teach our kids to protect themselves.

 

We can't and shouldn't be with our school-aged kids constantly. A successful stranger abduction is extremely rare. It will be even more rare if we teach our kids to react as this little girl did. Good job, kiddo!

 

It seems that this young girl has self-confidence and has likely been taught what to do. I say, "Good job!" to the parents, teachers and other adults in her life that have taught her well.

 

:iagree:

 

Yep. Go awesome 7 yo! I hope she's feeling proud of herself and not too traumatized by it.

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:iagree: Exactly. I have told my kids you fight as hard as you can with whatever you can, kicking, biting, scratching, eyes, throat, nose, groin, anywhere you have to. If the person gets maimed in the process it is less than they would get if I caught them hurting my kid. kwim.

 

:iagree: I also showed my kids. I told them how proud I am of that girl for fighting back. Never be quiet when someone tells you to if you are scared of them. I've read Protecting the Gift and I've talked to my kids about it and I am so glad this girl knew what to do. She is very lucky.

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What is voluntary manslaughter?

 

I think killing someone deliberately without premeditation, like in the heat of an argument, is what tends to be voluntary manslaughter, as opposed to involuntary manslaughter for accidents.

 

I appreciate this. I've told my kids to do this sort of thing, so I may talk with them specifically about this girl. I don't think one should have to hover around a 7 year old at every moment when outside the house, but it helps to know what to do in case of weirdness.

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Good for her! I tell my kids to fight back too.

 

FWIW, I give my children some independence in stores I feel are safe. WalMart is not one of those stores. It is too big, with too much going on.

This. In another article I read it said she was looking at toys while her mom was looking at strawberries nearby. In every Walmart I have ever been in, the strawberries are nowhere near the toys.

 

I'm all for giving kids some freedom - I have even been chastised about the amount of freedom I give my 8 year old - but Walmart is not a place I would do that.

 

That said, kudos to the parents and teachers for giving the little girl the confidence and tools to know what to do in such a situation!

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That's a rather haphazard attempt. Gavin De Becker has stranger abductions moving much slower than that. They usually try to get the kid alone, entice them away from crowds etc. I wonder if that guy was on drugs or drunk.

 

But that video does highlight how important it is to cause a fuss, make noise. Good for her! I am always haunted by video where you see a young woman be polite, not wanting to cause a scene --going quietly with a man, getting into a car etc.

 

My teen dd and I have discussed various scenarios. You go somewhere without a fight or screaming, and you're done for. I've told her that if someone has gotten into your car and he tells you to drive or you're driving, you crash the car. You have a better chance of living through a fender bender, hitting a parked car etc on a busy road than following the directions of a psychopath. Never be embarrassed to make a scene if you feel in danger. NEVER.

Edited by LibraryLover
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That's a rather haphazard attempt. Gavin De Becker has stranger abductions moving much slower than that. You try to get the kid alone, entice them away from crowds etc. I wonder if that guy was on drugs or drunk.

 

But that video does highlight how important it is to cause a fuss, make noise. Good for her! I am always haunted by video where you see a young woman going willing with a man, getting into a car etc.

 

My teen dd and I have discussed various scenarios. You go somewhere without a fight or scream, and you're done for. I've told her that if someone has gotten into your car and he tells you to drive or you're driving, you crash the car. You have a better chance of living through a fender bender, hitting a parked car etc on a busy road than following the directions of a psychopath. Never be embarrassed to make a scene if you feel in danger. NEVER.

 

:iagree:

 

I saw someone on TV once talking about Crime Scene #1 and Crime Scene #2.

 

Crime Scene #1 is where the kidnapper attempts the kidnapping.

 

Crime Scene #2 is where the victim dies. It's usually a place where the kidnapper feels safe doing whatever he wants to do.

 

Knowing this, the victim should pull out ALL the stops at Crime Scene #1, no matter what kind of weapon the perpetrator may have. The victim may or may not die at Crime Scene #1, but will almost definitely die at Crime Scene #2. Crime Scene #1 is the place to be loud and fight as fiercely as possible.

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:iagree:

 

I saw someone on TV once talking about Crime Scene #1 and Crime Scene #2.

 

Crime Scene #1 is where the kidnapper attempts the kidnapping.

 

Crime Scene #2 is where the victim dies. It's usually a place where the kidnapper feels safe doing whatever he wants to do.

 

Knowing this, the victim should pull out ALL the stops at Crime Scene #1, no matter what kind of weapon the perpetrator may have. The victim may or may not die at Crime Scene #1, but will almost definitely die at Crime Scene #2. Crime Scene #1 is the place to be loud and fight as fiercely as possible.

 

I remember seeing this on Oprah. " Don't go to the second location."

 

http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/Never-Go-to-the-Second-Location-Video

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I agree about Walmart. In our area, it is just a strange, strange place. I was giving my children much more independence in other stores long before Walmart. One of the things about ours that is so disconcerting is the total "who gives a rip" attitude that permeates the management and that seems to trickle down to the other employees. There have been numerous incidents in which employees, managers, or security should have gotten involved and the party line is always, "Not my problem."

 

Kudos to the seven year old for quick thinking and not freezing in the moment. She's got a great head on her shoulders!

 

Faith

 

There was a 4 or 5-year-old little girl crying and asking for her mother. She was alone. People ignored her. I tried to talk with her (I had some of my kids with me), but she was too scared. I tailed her and flagged down an employee to help. That didn't do much good, but I watched until I saw her back with her mom.

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He may very well have been able to walk right out of the store with her, kicking and screaming, because people may have assumed that she was just a kid having a tantrum because she didn't get something she wanted.

 

I've always taught mine to yell "stranger" rather than just scream.

 

He'd already had 3 years of taekwondo at that point and didn't use any of it. I've spent a lot of time telling my boys that if an adult is hurting you or trying to grab you, fight as hard as you can. Go for eyes, groin and throat.

 

My son tends to think his black belt training will help him. I have to remind him that a kid's black belt is not the same as an adult with a black belt, and even adults will use what they know to get away and then run...not stay and fight.

 

I tell mine to kick, hit, bite, gouge, etc. I tell them when I say bite I mean bite as hard as you possibly can. Try to blind them. Don't be afraid to seriously hurt the adult who is trying to steal you away.

Edited by joannqn
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This is why we should teach kids to scream the words, "You are not my dad! Let me go."

 

With the prevalence of blended families, that line may not be enough - kids are known to yell that at step-parents! We've taught DS to scream, top of his lungs, "this person is not my dad (or mom), help me!" and just repeat, while kicking, screaming, scratching, poking - whatever - to get out of their grasp.....then run like all heck and continue screaming until you find someone to help you!

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:iagree:

 

I saw someone on TV once talking about Crime Scene #1 and Crime Scene #2.

 

Crime Scene #1 is where the kidnapper attempts the kidnapping.

 

Crime Scene #2 is where the victim dies. It's usually a place where the kidnapper feels safe doing whatever he wants to do.

 

Knowing this, the victim should pull out ALL the stops at Crime Scene #1, no matter what kind of weapon the perpetrator may have. The victim may or may not die at Crime Scene #1, but will almost definitely die at Crime Scene #2. Crime Scene #1 is the place to be loud and fight as fiercely as possible.

 

 

Absolutely, this! And I've taught my kids where the "really, really owie places" are to bite, grab, twist, and kick. So, yes, my little ones new that you could probably get a female to drop her release on you with a n*pple twist or poke in the eyes...etc. Many people always assume the perp will be a man and only teach them to go for the privates, however, I learned my lesson when dd was only an infant and a very mentally ill woman in a grocery store tried to undo her from her infant seat. I was able to stop her and went to get store security and by the time they were able to react she was trying to drag a two year old little girl out the front door. The little girl was whimpering, but not making a huge fuss other than dragging her feet. The mom was in the dressing room when her toddler got away from her. SOOOOOOO FRIGHTENING! It really changed my perspective because we often feel that strange women are not a threat. However, that is not always necessarily the case.

 

We have to teach them to fight back with all of the strength they have because #2 just doesn't bear thinking about!

 

Faith

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While this is scary and the type of scenario that we usually teach our kids about, I think it's also important to teach them about the people who seem nice and tell them to come with them because their mom needs them, etc. It's difficult for kids to refuse a nice person asking them to go along because their mom said to!

 

We were at a birthday party and I watched a lady that my son had never seen before in his life go up to him and say, "I have a little boy just your age. Do you want to play with him? Come with me." She put out her hand and off went my son with someone he'd never met before. Of course she was perfectly harmless, but how could my son know that? I taught him that he should have said, "I have to ask my mom" and run to me asap to ask before going off with someone. He also knows that if mom or dad are ever hurt or can't get to him for some reason, there are only 3 people who would ever come to get him and that would be Grammy, and 2 Aunts. If anyone else tells him this, it's not true and never to go.

 

My son also really liked this video and it brought up a lot of good conversation on the topic.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009LS9Y4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=whispesprin0e-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0009LS9Y4

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I experienced a frightening incident in a Walmart.

I came home, wrote a detailed email and I received the phone call I asked for from a manager.

Since that time, the store has done some things to improve the atmosphere. Now, at every register in that particular store, there is a card with the manager's name and phone number for customers to call. This is NOT the normal custom at Walmart, from what I have seen.

After that incident I was chatting with a local sheriff and he told me that Walmart stores are absolutely covered with security cameras.

 

So now I know two things--factually based complaining can have a positive impact and if I complain about something, a manager can check the tape.

 

I just really want to encourage you to stand up and speak up when things are not good at a store. It can make a difference. But even if you are ignored, isn't it the right thing to do, for everyone's safety?

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This is a lesson in how we need to teach our kids to protect themselves.

 

We can't and shouldn't be with our school-aged kids constantly. A successful stranger abduction is extremely rare. It will be even more rare if we teach our kids to react as this little girl did. Good job, kiddo!

 

I respectfully disagree. There are mean people everywhere & 7 is way too young to be left alone in a store.

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Involuntary manslaughter is accidentally killing someone while committing another crime. Such as running a red light and accidentally killing a pedestrian or driving drunk and killing someone in an accident.

 

Voluntary manslaughter is when one kills with malice aforethought but there are other things that come into play. So to use the people in the article, if the mom saw the guy trying to kidnap the little girl and attacked him to the point that she beat him to a greasy spot, she could be charged with voluntary manslaughter.

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Glad she got away and glad they got the suspect.

 

But, I admit my first thought was..."and mom/dad were...where?" I hope it's a wake up call to her parents that they need to stay with their young child in the store.

 

Fortunately stores have security cameras and other people around. (although that didn't help poor little Adam Walsh who was only a toddler when taken) But it does give me pause when people let their kids go door to door selling stuff. Even if they go in twos, how hard would it be to grab them?

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Fortunately stores have security cameras and other people around. (although that didn't help poor little Adam Walsh who was only a toddler when taken) But it does give me pause when people let their kids go door to door selling stuff. Even if they go in twos, how hard would it be to grab them?

 

The problem with the security cameras is that they aren't always monitored very closely, so they might not be of any help to anyone but the police... and not until after the child has already been missing for hours, which may already be way too late to prevent a tragedy. I think many people have a "there's safety in numbers" mentality in a busy store like Walmart, but they seem to forget that just because there are people around, does not mean that any of them will get involved when someone needs help, even a child.

 

I don't understand it when people let their little kids go door-to-door alone (or with another little kid,) either. I know most organizations strictly forbid the practice, but some parents have them go alone anyway, and it seems so risky to me -- particularly in areas where people don't really know their neighbors.

Edited by Catwoman
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My daughters think I such an old fuddy-duddy and neurotically overprotective when we go into grocery stores and shopping malls."

 

Same here. Can't think of a reason that a 7 yo needs to be alone in a Wal-Mart. I kept my dds with me at that age, and.... imagine that... they are still perfectly capable as teens of being alone and taking care of themselves. At this age, I still prefer they use the buddy system, though, if possible. It's nice to think they could always fight their way out, but obviously not.

 

We also teach what will happen if they go to the secondary location if someone tries to take them. I talk to my girls a lot about safety because statistically this is a dangerous part of their life, both from strangers and men they do know. All of my dc have been taught to scream that they need help and that the person is not a parent and to inflict as much harm as possible.

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I'm so glad she's ok, but my first thoughts when I read the story were:

 

Where was the mom? This child was screaming and kicking and the mom never heard her own child in distress? It sounds like "another aisle" must have been in a different part of the store. Otherwise, how could she not have heard her child yelling, fighting, and struggling?

 

Where were the store employees and other customers? No one attempted to intervene? Let's face it, it sounds like the guy got scared off and ran, not that the little girl was able to successfully defend herself against him -- so realistically, she was just very, very lucky that her abductor wasn't a different and more determined man. He may very well have been able to walk right out of the store with her, kicking and screaming, because people may have assumed that she was just a kid having a tantrum because she didn't get something she wanted.

 

I think this story demonstrates how important it is to keep our little ones in sight at all times when we are in places like Walmart. Just because there are a lot of nice families around and just because there are a lot of store employees in the aisles, does not mean that those people will look out for the safety of our children.

 

I thought that, too, at first, but watching the video, he had her for a matter of only several seconds and that's all they showed. The mom could have been around the corner the very next second, so we really don't know. Other customers could have thought it was the parent taking a screaming kid out of the store if they didn't actually see it. (Heaven knows I've heard enough kids crying at Walmart!)

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Fortunately stores have security cameras and other people around. (although that didn't help poor little Adam Walsh who was only a toddler when taken) But it does give me pause when people let their kids go door to door selling stuff. Even if they go in twos, how hard would it be to grab them?

 

That was hell on earth. I believe Adam was 6 when that horror took place. Although as I age, 6 does seem like a toddler to me.

Edited by LibraryLover
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