Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 About half a dozen police cruisers and an ambulance. My neighbors. Again. Someone is screaming at the cops. The kids next door are all outside, screaming and crying. Someone is being tossed into the back of an ambulance. And fighting the whole way. Legs and arms flailing. Looks like the EMTs are trying to strap the person down. At least I won't have to call 911 at 3 am for another front yard fight if she's already been taken in. Right? :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Fuuuuuuuuudge. That's sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I feel so bad for those kids next door. No matter how obnoxious or dangerous or destructive they are - I always feel really really awful for them when their mother goes and does this. What's even worse, is that the only father that *was* involved is in prison now. Those kids really don't have anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 :crying: Those poor kids :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Yikes. Sorry about the loan issue. You need to move yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Okay. Mother was just taken away in an ambulance. Kids went back inside their house after everyone cleared out. From what I could hear/see it sounded like the elderly lady next to them (they're in a duplex - older lady with grown sons lives on the side closer to me) was telling the officers that she'd take care of the kids. But everyone went into their own house. Elderly lady isn't sleeping over there, and the kids didn't go to her house. So there's a 12 year old, an 8 year old, a 4 year old over there alone. That already bothered me. Now in the past 10 minutes, two separate groups of people have strolled over to the house and gone up onto their porch. One group was arguing. The other talking loudly, maybe drunk? Both groups went inside. Both groups - male groups. This bothers me greatly. DH says to leave it alone. We call 911 about them fighting once or twice a week already. He says that if those kids have a problem, they'll run over and get the neighbor lady. I think he's too sleepy to realize what he's saying. Think I should call the police dispatch and let them know that the lady who was supposed to be taking care of those kids isn't? And that there are now two groups of grown, possibly drunk, in that house with the kids? :crying: I see another night of no sleep ahead of me. I'll be up all night alternating between hating the neighbor's crap and worrying over her kids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 What a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 As soon as I hit "post", the loud screaming and music started over there. I've already called 911. I hate to say it, but I really wish the city would come in and take those poor kids out of that situation until their mother can get her sh!t straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Yeah. Make the call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Cornelia Snook Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Glad you called. That was surely the right thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Calling was the right thing to do. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charcat13 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 That's horrifying. Has CPS ever been involved? There are laws in many states saying how old children have to be to be left alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I'm afraid to ask for an update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I cannot believe a cop would leave kids like that! They should have been taken into child custody. I hope they are all right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Ugh. How awful. I'm so glad you called though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 :grouphug: Wow, it must be so hard to be those kids. And it must be so hard for you to observe all of this since you know that the world shouldn't work this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I cannot believe a cop would leave kids like that! They should have been taken into child custody. I hope they are all right. Hey! Remember you little Caesars shocker thread? I thought of it yesterday, out in public, by myself and started laughing like a loon. Good times... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 See at the title "Oh hey! Guess what's double parked by my van?", I was expecting it to be the Meat Truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I lost internet connection last night and only just now got it back. Two police officers did finally respond. The oldest child answered the door and I couldn't hear what was going on, but the officer got her down into the front lawn to talk. Suddenly she's throwing her arms everywhere and screeching something. A man comes out of the house, says a few words with the officer, makes a phone call, and about a half dozen other guys come out of the house and walk off. That's when the lady from next door comes out (their duplex neighbor). She starts talking to the officer and he eventually sends the little girl back inside the house. :glare: This lady next door must have been smoking since she was nine years old. Her voice is like Marge Simpson's and it's LOUD. I could hear her telling the officer that this "arrangement" has been reached before and that she keeps an eye on the kids and that the oldest girl is 13 now so she's okay to watch her younger brothers. He tells her to keep a better eye on the kids or have them sleep on her couch. And then he left. He left them there. Well, I have to assume that there is more to the story than I can see played out in the streets and lawns. I've already reported things to CPS through the public school system, I called the church that they go to (the van picks them up on Sundays and brings them back in the afternoons) but they wouldn't talk to me because I didn't know the names of the kids or their mother, I've called their landlord's office to complain, MY landlord has called their landlord's office to complain (about the vandalism), and I've called the police every week (it seems) since they moved in. I have to move out. I can't watch that train wreck next door anymore. It's heartbreaking because of those kids. And it's maddening because that woman won't figure out her life. I'm tired of her pimps and dealers making scenes in the wee hours of the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Hey! Remember you little Caesars shocker thread? I thought of it yesterday, out in public, by myself and started laughing like a loon. Good times... OMY!!! I remeber that! They finally opened a Pappa Johns here so happy! There is just so little around here. I am sure the people were worried about why ou were laughing LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 That is very strange, and it is hard to believe that the police would leave them there alone....twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I lost internet connection last night and only just now got it back. Two police officers did finally respond. The oldest child answered the door and I couldn't hear what was going on, but the officer got her down into the front lawn to talk. Suddenly she's throwing her arms everywhere and screeching something. A man comes out of the house, says a few words with the officer, makes a phone call, and about a half dozen other guys come out of the house and walk off. That's when the lady from next door comes out (their duplex neighbor). She starts talking to the officer and he eventually sends the little girl back inside the house. :glare: This lady next door must have been smoking since she was nine years old. Her voice is like Marge Simpson's and it's LOUD. I could hear her telling the officer that this "arrangement" has been reached before and that she keeps an eye on the kids and that the oldest girl is 13 now so she's okay to watch her younger brothers. He tells her to keep a better eye on the kids or have them sleep on her couch. And then he left. He left them there. Well, I have to assume that there is more to the story than I can see played out in the streets and lawns. I've already reported things to CPS through the public school system, I called the church that they go to (the van picks them up on Sundays and brings them back in the afternoons) but they wouldn't talk to me because I didn't know the names of the kids or their mother, I've called their landlord's office to complain, MY landlord has called their landlord's office to complain (about the vandalism), and I've called the police every week (it seems) since they moved in. I have to move out. I can't watch that train wreck next door anymore. It's heartbreaking because of those kids. And it's maddening because that woman won't figure out her life. I'm tired of her pimps and dealers making scenes in the wee hours of the morning. You are just amazing to have dealt with this, I would have done freaked out. If anything happens to those kids it is that cops fault! You have done everything you could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Who are all the men in the house with those kids? Creepy. I would be raising nine kinds of heck-----call the media and tell them what is going on. That is beyond disturbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Okay. Mother was just taken away in an ambulance. Kids went back inside their house after everyone cleared out. From what I could hear/see it sounded like the elderly lady next to them (they're in a duplex - older lady with grown sons lives on the side closer to me) was telling the officers that she'd take care of the kids. But everyone went into their own house. Elderly lady isn't sleeping over there, and the kids didn't go to her house. So there's a 12 year old, an 8 year old, a 4 year old over there alone. That already bothered me. Now in the past 10 minutes, two separate groups of people have strolled over to the house and gone up onto their porch. One group was arguing. The other talking loudly, maybe drunk? Both groups went inside. Both groups - male groups. This bothers me greatly. DH says to leave it alone. We call 911 about them fighting once or twice a week already. He says that if those kids have a problem, they'll run over and get the neighbor lady. I think he's too sleepy to realize what he's saying. Think I should call the police dispatch and let them know that the lady who was supposed to be taking care of those kids isn't? And that there are now two groups of grown, possibly drunk, in that house with the kids? :crying: I see another night of no sleep ahead of me. I'll be up all night alternating between hating the neighbor's crap and worrying over her kids! Call CPS directly again. Having an older woman next door watching kids ages 13-4 while grown men come and go is not an okay arrangement. Very high probability for sexual abuse going on. Cops aren't necessarily trained to determine that. Keep calling CPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 KEEP CALLING CPS. Do NOT stop calling. Please. Edited to add--the police are not responding appropriately. More calls to them are useless. It has to be CPS. The danger is REAL and you are the only person there to help. Please keep calling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 That is so, so sad. Must admit, I expected it to be the Meat Truck, too, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspasia Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I cannot believe a cop would leave kids like that! They should have been taken into child custody. I hope they are all right. My dad was a violent alcoholic and every time the cops hauled him off, and the ambulance took my mom, the cops left us with the next door neighbor. My oldest brother was only 7-10 years old, though. The other difference is that my next door neighbor actually took care of us. We had lived there a long time and she was like family (judging from OP's comments about this family moving in fairly recently, I'm assuming the old lady involved is not super close to this family). AND there weren't strange groups of men coming and going. But no, they never took us into custody over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Nightmare for those involved and for those observing. Support for you in your efforts to help! I'll vote with those urging CPS involvement. You described a flailing body fighting against being taken away, and multiple people wandering in-and-out of the house. What details of a drug den have I omitted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Who are all the men in the house with those kids? Creepy. I would be raising nine kinds of heck-----call the media and tell them what is going on. That is beyond disturbing. Not sure, but I'm guessing "friends" of the mom. There usually a few guys hanging out over there. I *think* one might be a father to one of the kids. It's really hard to tell, and I don't know them at all, so I'm doing my guessing from my front porch, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 KEEP CALLING CPS. Do NOT stop calling. Please. Edited to add--the police are not responding appropriately. More calls to them are useless. It has to be CPS. The danger is REAL and you are the only person there to help. Please keep calling. Thinking on what you said - and I think you're right. The police - I don't know what their problem is, honestly. Like the time I had to call because the kid next door had ripped up all these plants DH and I had just put in the weekend before? The police came out and interviewed a woman staying with the kids who said she was an aunt. Then he came back over and said there was nothing he could do because the kid was a minor. :confused1: Another officer that I know for the county (we're within city limits, so we have a different entity to deal with for law enforcement) said that the city police were dead wrong. He read off all kinds of charges that the other officer could have charged the kid with. It's like the cops will have nothing to do with that situation over there. I just called the Hotline and left a message and I called the police department to ask specifically for the On-Call Social Worker. I'll call the social services department itself if I don't hear anything by lunchtime. I wish more of my neighbors were willing to get involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Hoping you hear back from the on call social worker soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 How did I miss this thread last night??? :eek: What an AWFUL situation! Those poor kids! And poor YOU, being stuck in the middle of it. I hope CPS is more helpful than the police were. I really, really, really hope you can move soon. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charcat13 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 [/size] I just called the Hotline and left a message and I called the police department to ask specifically for the On-Call Social Worker. I'll call the social services department itself if I don't hear anything by lunchtime. I wish more of my neighbors were willing to get involved. [/size] Those kids are lucky to have you in there corner. Unfortunately it seems you may be the only one. You've done the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I was just telling another friend about last night's situation and she said "There's one in every neighborhood." I laughed it off at first but then she said, "No, really. It seems like it. When I lived in big cities, there was always one family in the building that was questionable. When I lived in suburban areas, there was always one house on the cul-de-sac that was "off". And even when I was out in the rural areas, there was always one family at church, or school, or "down the lane". It was always a mentally unstable mother or an abusive father/husband or overbearing in-law. It may be time for you to just let it go." I'm not sure how to take all that. Do these situations really occur all that frequently?? I've had some rude neighbors before, sure, but this is my first experience with a neighbor that I could be 99% positive is abusing drugs and neglecting her children. My friend also said that it was possible that this family is already on CPS's radar and that's why they're not calling back. They might already be involved and I just don't see it. That's a possibility, yes. If that's true, can I get in trouble for calling excessively about this family? Like I'm harassing them somehow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Oh man. I'm both sorry and glad you're there dealing with this. We had neighbors like that the first couple of years we lived here. It's so stressful. Hugs & good coffee to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I wouldn't think so unless CPS specifically tells you to back off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I don't think any of our neighbors are nuts. Or maybe they're just quiet about it. Or maybe we're the nuts, and that's why we don't think there are any nuts in the neighborhood ;) Your situation is just awful. You want to help, but the police aren't doing anything. I hope CPS steps in. But please be careful not to get too openly involved, because Crazy Mom or her "friends" might turn on you or your family. She sounds incredibly violent and unstable. Take care of yourself and your own family first. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Call CPS directly again. Having an older woman next door watching kids ages 13-4 while grown men come and go is not an okay arrangement. Very high probability for sexual abuse going on. Cops aren't necessarily trained to determine that. Keep calling CPS. KEEP CALLING CPS. Do NOT stop calling. Please. Edited to add--the police are not responding appropriately. More calls to them are useless. It has to be CPS. The danger is REAL and you are the only person there to help. Please keep calling. :iagree: Please do all you can do. I'm not someone to say this lightly, but those kids need to be taken away until mom gets her life on track. I don't even want to think about what's going on in that house with groups of possibly drunk/high men around three young kids. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I don't get the logic that says "it happens in every neighborhood so just leave it alone." If those kids make it to adulthood and maturity, I'm 100% certain they wouldn't get it either. Whether it's possible to help or not, I wouldn't be able to NOT try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 the first house i ever bought was in a 'bad' area of a very small town. we always said the family on one side of us was crazy and the other side was rednecks. the rednecks were the bigger problem. there was the mom, her boyfriend, the teen daughter, her bf, and maybe her bf's brother or something, sometimes a cousin? and the teen's kid. It took a while until i realized just how bad it was . . . the mom once complained that the father of the baby might have been her bf at the time . . but she said it like it was the teen's fault. the 'baby' when she was a preschooler apparently slept on a bed with no sheets because she just peed on it all the time anyways so they let her sleep that way . . . when the baby was younger she was always in a play pen in front of the tv and no one ever spoke to her. when she got older she'd show up in our yard and be mean to my son. eventually they were kicked out of the house and the owner had to hire people to get the tons of garbage out of there. and later i heard the baby's custody was given to her paternal grandmother after some legal abuse charge levied against the babysitter and the maternal grandmother. nothing like that here tho . . . finally moved in to a nice enough neighborhood that they cant afford to live here if they are that dysfunctional. But there is a guy on the corner who used to come get his paper in the morning, in a short robe, when the kids were at the bus stop, and bend down . . . he also made questionable videos but sold them overseas and was not breaking any laws. he had ads for female roomates with steep discounts for being in his videos. and he did get in trouble with the law when one woman came about renting a room and he was sitting in a chair unclothed . . . . it aint utopia, this world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I called the church that they go to (the van picks them up on Sundays and brings them back in the afternoons) but they wouldn't talk to me because I didn't know the names of the kids or their mother What is keeping you from bringing those kids a hot meal and some paper plates, introducing yourself, and finding out their names? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 What is keeping you from bringing those kids a hot meal and some paper plates, introducing yourself, and finding out their names? Good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Sheer intimidation at this point. When they first moved in, we tried to be friendly. Their moving day, the kids were all outside. Her kids were throwing rocks and hammers. At the cars parked behind their house, our car parked on the street, at trees and windows. When I said something to DH about going over and saying something to the mother, we heard from their back door, "I am NOT putting up with nosy $%^&*#@ neighbors getting in my business in THIS house. My kids are MY business." Noted. That night, she was on the porch with some people. Drinking and laughing. Not a big deal. Hot summer night and we were outside having a cigarette and beer. Then a guy pulls up to the house and gets out. The mom runs inside and slams shut the door. The couple who were on the porch with her start yelling at the guy, "NO WAY! We are NOT having that sh!t at this new place. Get out of here!" It ended up close to blows be exchanged and a lot of screaming and the mom hanging out of one of her windows screeching at him to go way. I've avoided them ever since, except for telling the kids to get off my property or to stop throwing rocks at other neighbors' windows and cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 What is keeping you from bringing those kids a hot meal and some paper plates, introducing yourself, and finding out their names? Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you. But these are definitely not normal circumstances. That mother and her friends could pose a serious safety risk to KK and her family. I think the only thing she can do is keep calling CPS and hoping they'll take action. It's a helpless feeling, but I believe that KK needs to put her own family's safety first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Sheer intimidation at this point. When they first moved in, we tried to be friendly. Their moving day, the kids were all outside. Her kids were throwing rocks and hammers. At the cars parked behind their house, our car parked on the street, at trees and windows. When I said something to DH about going over and saying something to the mother, we heard from their back door, "I am NOT putting up with nosy $%^&*#@ neighbors getting in my business in THIS house. My kids are MY business." Noted. That night, she was on the porch with some people. Drinking and laughing. Not a big deal. Hot summer night and we were outside having a cigarette and beer. Then a guy pulls up to the house and gets out. The mom runs inside and slams shut the door. The couple who were on the porch with her start yelling at the guy, "NO WAY! We are NOT having that sh!t at this new place. Get out of here!" It ended up close to blows be exchanged and a lot of screaming and the mom hanging out of one of her windows screeching at him to go way. I've avoided them ever since, except for telling the kids to get off my property or to stop throwing rocks at other neighbors' windows and cars. Oh wow. Yeah, that is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Oh wow. Yeah, that is bad. Yes. And just to be clear, because I really don't want to come off as judgmental about this family next door. There are literally dozens of stories that I could tell you about that would illustrate why I'm actually afraid to make any personal attempt at helping. Maybe I'm afraid for no reason. Maybe it's a lot of big, loud talk over there. That's a possibility. I promise, though, that I'm not exaggerating when I say things like "her dealer" or "her pimp" or tell you about the violence and screaming and fist fights and all the emergency response teams over there constantly. I AM afraid of getting involved with a family when I see that sort of thing going down. I'm not just avoiding the mom because I think she shops and the Walmart and I won't shop anywhere but World Market, KWIM? There isn't one person in that house that I've ever witnessed behave in a "normal", sane, stable way. ETA: Stupid cursor. I hit submit before I meant to. Anyway. If anyone has any ideas on how to anonymously help besides calling authorities, I'm all ears. I really would like to help. I'm just not sure how without having a spotlight thrown on me. Would contacting their church again help, maybe? What could I say/ask? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I don't think you're being judgmental at all. You're just giving us the facts of the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 On the one hand, my instinct would be to protect those children, get them out of that house, feed them, whatever I could do for them. But you're absolutely right that it could be very, very dangerous, and you do have to take care of your own first. Such a tough situation, KK. It sounds to me like you're doing everything you can. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Sheer intimidation at this point. When they first moved in, we tried to be friendly. Their moving day, the kids were all outside. Her kids were throwing rocks and hammers. Yikes! Hide the butter knives! (Too soon?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charcat13 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 That sounds scary. I'd stick with the anonymous phone calls to the authorities. Repeatedly. Your first priority, of course, is the safety of YOUR family. There's only so much one can intervene in another families problems. Sad but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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