Missing Child
By carpenter5
@carpenter5 (6782)
United States
April 30, 2007 10:09pm CST
Last week, here in my town, there was a young boy who got into trouble in the classroom at school. His teacher scolded him, because what he had done was potentially dangerous, not only for him, but his classmates as well.
She wasn't derogatory and had another teacher in the room when she corrected him. She took him outside the classroom and away from the other kids to do it as well.
After they returned to the class, several of his friends began to pick at him about being called outside into the hall. This 7 year old 2nd grader got angry and began to taunt some of the other kids. What ensued was a verbal argument.
The teacher reprimanded all the kids involved. The bell rang to go home. This young man was supposed to go to aftercare, but when the aftercare teacher came to the classroom to get all the kids, he chose instead to turn right instead of left, go out the end door and out onto the school grounds.
By the time another adult could be summoned, he had gone into the woods and vanished. High school and junior high kids were immediately rounded up and a search started. The sheriff's office was called.
Here's the kicker. It took 45 minutes for the sheriff's department to get someone out there. Then there was one lone deputy in a patrol car. We have a missing kid with a highway on one side of the school and a country road that leads into the next county on the other side of the woods.
Our local law enforcement, I feel, dropped the ball on this one. Our kids are the ones that eventually found him...almost 2 hours after he disappeared. He had gotten turned around in the woods, and couldn't find his way out again.
What do you think? Do you feel as though the sheriff's office should have been more proactive? BTW...they never did send anyone else out to help us look. We had teachers from other schools come, parents were called, and members of the church next door, as they were arriving for Wednesday evening prayer meeting all joined in the search.
This had a happy ending, but it could have easily gone the other way...
12 people like this
19 responses
@smartmom (826)
• United States
1 May 07
I think you are absolutely right, the sheriffs department should have taken the situation more serious and have sent someone immediately. When it comes to our children, we should all come together to keep them save. At least it seems as if your community, and the students at the school really did come together in order to make sure that this 2nd grader was ok.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
My husband works at another school across town. His teacher's and staff were some of the first to head this way.
@jamie11982 (1658)
• United States
1 May 07
If this had happened with one of my children i would not only be sitting in the class room with him or her (I have four) but i would also be sueing the sherifs department. We have what is called an Amber Allert here and if there is a child that comes up missing they put it into affect right away. They don't wait 20 minutes and only send one person out to help with the search. They have a group of men and women looking for the child as well as local cops stoping cars at road blocks and everything else. If i was the parents of this 7 year old child then i would not only punish him but i would punish the athorities as well. I would be so angry that words wouldn't describ what i would be feeling towards them for not helping look for my missing child. I feel bad for all of you going through this because of the worrie and cacern that you must have felt. I know when my son took a little walk around the block last summer with out telling his father i went crazy when i got the call at work. I left work and came home to help look for him. by then he was already home sitting on the couch and he learned that it was bad to take off like that. I never touched him but he did have to sit for the rest of the day on the couch. I was scared for him and my other children.
5 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
Our entire family was involved in the search. My girls were so hot after coming in from the woods, and they asked me, why didn't the police come?
1 person likes this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
1 May 07
I totally agree with you. In the county where I used to live they had what is called the MOunted Patrol which is part of the sheriff's dept but is volunteer. My father is on it and they are called out along with the sheriff's dept. A lot of them go out on horse back and search while others go out on foot. I am glad that this had a happy ending.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (160522)
• United States
2 May 07
Excuse me, but that line they are using as an excuse is beyond contempt. I am glad this had a happy ending. I am sorry that leadership in your community set such a poor example for your kids. I am proud of the people who give of themselves freely. This situation makes me hot--I have a grandson that age, who could easily end up similarly.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
We have that here. It just wasn't brought out and utilized. Their answer was, it costs so much money and is so time consuming to get them here, that the kid has to be gone for several hours before they will bring the horses and the dogs out.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
1 May 07
I see my email tip is working for you. SSHHHH!! It is a secret. LOL I read this on the PW group on gather. I cannnot believe that they took so long to do anything. A seven year old child is too young to have to go through this. It is sad indeed. I just cant believe that people are not in an uproar about the time lapse
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
we are, believe me.
We have a security company that is part of our School of Entrepreneurship here at Crossgate.
The students involved in that are going to really play this up. Our cameras and security system, that they designed and installed, is the reason that we knew where he had gone, and that no one had left with him, and that he didn't get in the car with anyone...at least at first.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
1 May 07
Like the first poster we have the amber alert in my state also. I dont know if you have anything like it or not but it may be a good idea to get something started by writing your state representatives. I am glad he was found and its a very good thing it was still ice cold frigid weather or this story might have had a very unpleasant ending. I just read the webpage for the amber alert and it says it operates in all 50 states I dont know why no one put this into effect as soon as the boy went missing but its should have been done. Anyways maybe all those involved should get a petition together to make sure the sheriffs department follows the policy of the amber alert next time something like this happens.
3 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
We have an Amber Alert here. It is actually called a Morgan Nick alert. One was never issued by the Sheriff's department.
It is sad, that our kids are the ones who found him.
@kodymeme (3)
• United States
1 May 07
I agree with you they should have come alot quicker and with more help then one person showing up.If this had been a family home this child could have been hurt or lost for a lot longer. thank god it happen at school where you have lots of people to look for him.
I hope his parents have gotten him someone to talk to about the right way to deal with disappointment and embarrasment all children go though these type of things. They need to know how to handle themself and as for the children who teased him ,they need to learn that that kind of behaver is to right.If people would just teach there children to treat people with kindness instead of being mean that would be a start at ending the school shootings that seem to be happen lately.
4 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
The thing is, that this little boy is a great kid, and any other day, would have been right in on the teasing, and having fun..even when getting in trouble.
I guess he was just having a bad day.
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
1 May 07
That is terrible. They should have sent more officers to help in the search or atleast rounded up some volunteers to help. Anything could hve happened to this child. I am glad he was found and ok. Back in AR where I am from the woods was home to a lot of homeless people and a lot of mentally unstable individuals dwelt there. Not a safe place for a small child to be.
2 people like this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
1 May 07
it is true that we will always wish that the police officers had done better. now we know, that we cannot rely that much on our police officers. the people must be able to map out some emergency procedures just in case the police will not be as responsive as we want them to be.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
We are in arkansas, and the woods where he disappeared into is very dense, with alot of underbrush, and a large creek that runs through it. Not only snakes, but wolves have been seen in this area, as well as bears and a pack of wild dogs. Those things don't usually come around if there are alot of people, but if we hadn't had the kids out looking, and calling...who knows?
@arvee17 (730)
• Philippines
1 May 07
you know, you are still lucky... here in my place, if a child goes missing, the police would just file it on their reports and say they will look for him. But most of the time, they will start looking the day after or days after you report it to them. Most of the time, they will never find that child for you. They will never do anything unless you are rich...
but still good for community that you helped each other to tract that kid. And that you found him.
I just remember a time when I was a kid that I also did the same thing as what that child did. I was 8 at that time and my older sister and I had an argument about something I can't remember. She told me to scram. So while my siblings, cousins and some neighbors were not looking because everyone were busy playing, I took off. I went outside our yard, outside our village and just started walking and walking. Until I got into the next village which was not that far from ours. But the next thing i knew i couldn't find my way back... Luckily, my siblings, cousins and my neighbors together with some old folks started looking for me. My siblings found me. Pretty worried and my sister was so sorry for what she said. I was just glad they found me.
Kids are pretty sensitive sometimes. If they feel everyone is picking up on them all at the same time, they would feel alone and that even if they leave nobody would care. So adults as well as children should be careful on how they treat the situation. Just to avoid things like this to happen.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
13 May 07
how awful for you. I remember running away from my aunt in a department store once. I thought it was fun, I was only 5 at the time, and I would hide under clothes racks and laugh while my aunts were looking all over the place for me. I didn't realize how dangerous this was, and how worried they were.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
1 May 07
This is shocking, you would think they would have done more. Like you said, this time it did have a happy ending but it could have been different. He is only 7 years old, anything could have happened to him. I am glad that he was ok.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
thanks...so are we. His mother made him get up and apologize to everyone for running off and scaring everyone. I don't think he'll do it again.
1 person likes this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
1 May 07
I am glad that his mother made him apologise. I bet he won't do it again, he was probably just as scared as everyone that was looking for him.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
13 May 07
he was a little embarrassed the next day, and when he got up, he just stood there and cried for a few minutes. One of the little girls walked up to him and got him by the hand...and it gave him the courage he needed. It was so sweet.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
1 May 07
I agree with you and the others here - police department totally off on this one. We're talking a 7 year old child every available officer on the force should have been out to help search ASAP...
Now in my case of a 15 year old I have called the police, at the recomendation of a police officer, when my teen isn't home at curfew time. They take a report and if they see him will bring him home - have even gone to suspected locations and if there picked him up and brought him home. We are a very small town and I am finding out are rare but I remember one time a few years ago a local resident's cows got loose and were roaming the township - police, fire departement, churches, school district staff and many others got together and did an old fashioned 'round-up'. I know if this happened in our town with a young child the same would have been true - within minutes hundreds would have been out looking including our on and off duty police officers (all 5 of them).
2 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
The thing is, we knew he left the school of his own free will, because they had him on camera. But there are so many things that could have happened after he got into those woods. It was such a blessing that he didn't get snake bit, or picked up by someone, or fallen into the creek and drowned.
@Tenerifelynn (575)
•
1 May 07
Woow! What a scarey thing to happen. Glad they found the youngster too before anything happened to him. I think the law should have sent more out than just the one, especially in this day and age with children being obducted and harmed.
Lynn-Marie
2 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
I agree with you totally. It taught our staff some things though...the main one being that our new security system and emergency response team works! Even when our law enforcement agencies don't.
@mi2ok02 (406)
• United States
1 May 07
I think the reason why the sheriff's department responded that way is because it wasn't an abduction. It was a child who purposely wandered off and didn't think the child was in any real danger. But they are wrong to think that!
Any child who wanders off is immediately vulnerable to someone snatching them! It is terrible that we live in a world where there are as many child snatchers/predators/whatever you want to call them. But they are out there and this world isn't so kind. The boy needs to understand it and so does the sheriff's department!
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
If he'd gone in the other direction, he would have ended up on a road, that leads into the next county. Anyone could have picked him up and been gone!
@eanna13 (133)
• United States
1 May 07
After finding out that my child was ok, my next trip would be up to the sharrif's office! (after calling a few friends to make sure bail money was available) That is highly unexceptable, they are there to protect the people, and children are ranked as the most important people here!
2 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
I am just glad it wasn't a deputy that I knew, because I would have probably given him a piece of my mind, and would have gotten myself into trouble. We are fighting this, but are going through the right channels so that we don't just seem like we're on a vendetta..even though we really are.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
no, the teacher didn't get fired. When a child is doing something that is potentially harmful to themselves and others, you have to have some sort of discipline. Otherwise, they don't ever learn consequences to bad actions.
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
1 May 07
it is good that the boy was found before something bad had happened to him. by this time, the reasons are now known why the boy did that. for this incident must not happen again and the best way to achieve this, will be to know the root cause of the boy's action.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
He was mad. That's what he's told his mother and his teacher. We're talking alot this week about better ways to handle anger.
@anonymili (3138)
•
1 May 07
Firstly let me say I'm so glad to read the child was found within 2 hours, it could have ended so differently, thank God he was found safe and sound. Secondly, I don't know really how the law enforcement system works where you are but it's not much better here. I'm not entirely sure how the sheriff system works, we have local police stations and local community support officers too who don't have the same authority as "real" police officers do but they're supposed to be there to help. Funny thing is when you need one they don't ever seem to be around but when you don't need them you see dozens of them walking around in pairs chatting away happily to each other!
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
We have city policeman, and the sheriff's department works outside the city limits, which is where we are.
@Impervious (1147)
• United States
1 May 07
Firstly thank goodness he was found. I couldn't imagine what I would feel had I been that child's parents. As to the police response I totally agree that not a reasonable amount of time for a patrolman to arrive.
I personally would try to find out what the protocol is for them in these situations. Especially considering that we all know that when a child is missing, lost or otherwise time is of the essence.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
We have been told if we need someone to get here quicker, we might want to consider annexing into the city. Why should we have to do that?
@charlestchan (1415)
• Malaysia
1 May 07
yes.. i agree with you.. police department in my country too is a pain in th @ss.. if you have someone missing.. you called the police.. they will ignore you because they say it's less than 24 hours that the person is missing.. hey.. come on.. if someone in your family was abducted.. and you're very sure about it.. do you still have to wait for it? ... worse still.. of course we know whether a person is missing or not.. we know that person habit.. what time he usually come home and so on.. why are the police acting this way? sometimes i don't get it.. i know there are fake reports.. but.. it's really difficult at times to differentiate between the fake and the truth.. isn't that right?
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
Especially a 7 year old child. God, someone could have them in a car and be out of the country in 24 hours.
@kavinpurams (184)
• India
1 May 07
i think its time to change the way of teaching the students. i think its start from the home when they become small in size otherwise no use.thats why this child is disturbing in the class while he is showing noty in the home they didnt scold them thats why they show in the school.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
1 May 07
you are probably correct. We are a small private school and can have discipline and consequences. Some homes do not, the kids do whatever they want.
