Nobody's Watching...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
May 22, 2008 7:23am CST
Yesterday while I was talking to our apartment manager she was telling me about how they are going to have to have an antenna tower taken out. It’s disconnected b/c it isn’t used anymore but they’ve never taken it out b/c it costs a lot to have it dug out. The tower is around 20-30 feet tall and is near the office.
Well, the other day her son (who lives here in one of the apartments) called her up to tell her that there is a child of about 5-6 years old at the top of the antenna tower!! The kid had climbed up there and was looking around. She told him to call the police immediately before the kid fell (surely to his death from the height). When the son went back outside to see if the kid was still up there, the kid had climbed down and taken off. No one knows where the kid lives or who he is.
I cannot believe that parents have so little regard for watching their kids. I know the tower should have been taken out years ago but parents should also be watching their kids. If that child had fallen and been hurt or killed you can bet the family would have sued the daylights out of the apartment owners…and probably had won. Personally, I would have taken a picture of the kid, hunted down the parents and made them pay part of the cost for having the tower removed…at least that way maybe they’d get the message to watch their kid in the future.
Do you let your kids go off by themselves with no supervision? Would you have blamed/sued the apartment owners if your child had been hurt or killed b/c of a stunt like this? What would you have done if you were the manager or owners of the apartments?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
4 people like this
20 responses
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
22 May 08
Children can slip away from parents very quickly. It probably would have been a good idea to get a picture for evidence/proof. Does the complex have warning signs? I know that hotels and even some apartments have to have signs about pools and fencing for protection. I wonder what the liability of the complex would be with that tower. Is that the first time any one has climbed the tower? If this were the first time and I were the management I would send a flyer or letter to all residents warning them that they are not responsible for anyone climbing it.
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
22 May 08
Very good questions. No, they don't have warning signs but at the same time it is in the rules and regulations that kids are not to be outside without constant supervision. As far as I know, no one has ever climbed the tower before. I actually suggested the letter as well. Along with a reminder of the rule about supervising kids as there have been alot of problems with it lately. They are having it pulled out next week.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@My2Cents (291)
• Canada
22 May 08
I agree with jillmalitz. There is responsibility on both ends should something happen. The tower should have warnings for sure (not just for children, but because it is the right thins to do). And the parents should watch their children better - however, I have had mine run off WHEN WATCHING them and can understand how this can happen (although it seems it was a long time of unsupervision as it must take a while for a 5 yr old to climb a tower)
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
23 May 08
It is scary how fast a kid can disappear even when a parent is watching. Even when in a different room they can get into something in the span of just a few minutes. When my kids were little or even now when my grandkids are around I have to spend a lot of time checking or "sneaking" up on them to control what they are doing.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
22 May 08
My children are not allowed to go anywhere without me, I panic when they are all in the garden in case one of them decides to go roaming.
But I can totally believe that some parents allow their children to please themselves, the estate that I used to live on before was full of kids and to be honest their parents were not bothered about letting them roam the estate late into the night on their own.
I remember the worst I saw was a little boy of 4 roaming around the streets at 11.00pm, being concerned about him me and a neighbour asked him why he was out on his own and he said his parents had gone out to the pub and he was lonely. It broke my heart, I let him sit in our house until I saw the parents come back home and then took him back across to them.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
22 May 08
I was a bus driver for a long time. I was in a very run down trailer park and this little boy, in a diaper and nothing else, essentially played "chicken" with my bus. He walked right up in front of me with his hands on his hips. I could radio dispatch who called the police. This was before seven a.m.
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
22 May 08
The bottom line is that parents are 100% responsible for their children, even teenagers.
While this tower is not a real good idea, the fact still remains that children have to be supervised to prevent them from doing things that could get them hurt or killed.
Children have to be taught not to climb on things, and to leave things alone that they do not have permission to play with or on.
Children need to learn discipline and obedience, and they have to earn the trust of their parents.
5 or 6 is way too young to be letting kids run unsupervised, because even if this tower wasn't there, there are other potential dangers everywhere.
What parent wants to try and explain why they were uncaring enough to allow their child to get hurt, because that is the bottom line.
These days, parents can go to jail simply because a teenager refuses to go to school, so don't think for a minute that parents are not responsible for everything that happens to your kids, although the schools and government sometimes pretend otherwise.
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
22 May 08
wow! good thing the kid was safe and was able to manage going down safely by himself. I know he will not stop doing it since he was able to do it, and I hope the parents will be more responsible to watch their kids!I have no kids but I remember my mom was like our security guard, if we were lost in her sight, she will start calling us and count 1,2,3,,LOL you know! That time, when someone in that family will start counting, every one will settle down and behave!LOL! "That's why almost all of us hate math in the family" joke! Anyway,if something bad happened to the kids, the parents can't blame anyone but themselves for being careless in supervising their kids!
1 person likes this
@pixelpixie (473)
• Canada
22 May 08
When I was young we lived in a very small town and I used to go off and play all the time. Of course I was a smart kid and was taught what was okay to do and what was not. I think a lot of kids now aren't.
Of course these days fear is a big deal and I wouldn't allow my children to do so.
The world is becoming a scary place.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
23 Jun 08
Well, I would think that everyone should pitch in to have it removed because of the dangers it poses. That way it is not to costly on a few people. I am sure the manager could find the kid if they went through the leases to see who had children and then contact them as to what ages they were. It would take some doing and a little footwork but they could track them down if needed to. And since the kid was out and about alone without suspervision then it is needed. No telling what could have happened he could have gotten hurt or kidnapped or worse. He could have slipped out when his parent were alseep or busy and thinking he was alseep. Kids do love ot sneak off when they think their parents aren't watching.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
23 May 08
i don't have a child yet... but when i do have one in the future, i will definitely supervise my children and won't let them wonder anywhere they like... it is just too dangerous and like you say in the post, the child can harm himself or even die if he falls down and the parents will blame the apartment owner... i am just amazed at how many irresponsible parents that don't care about their children nowadays... take care and have a nice day...
@ambkeb (782)
• United States
23 May 08
WOW! That scares me! Luckily I live in the country with nothing like that around. I do let my 3 (almost 4)year old go outside alone...but I am CONSTANTLY checking on him and our yard is fenced in. I also allow him to walk across the field to my parents house. I of course watch Im until the moment I see him walk inside. My daughter is 1 and I dont let her go yet...it will probably be a while yet for that.
Your other questions, I dont think I would have sued the owners. If it was my child I would probably be extremely angry with myself for not being a better parent and knowing where my child was and what they were doing. If I were the owners I probably would have done the same thing that was done. Call the police. There really isnt much more they could have done. Expecially without making the situation much worse.
@moondancer (7433)
• United States
23 May 08
First off I don't and never have let my children or grandchildren go off anywhere that I do not know where they are! Period!
As for the tower if they did not and were not going to take it down they should have put a fence around it to stop any children from being able to climb it.
It is an accident waiting to happen!
A fence of any kind would stop them from climbing if it is tall enough.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
25 May 08
The picture wouldn't work. The parents wouldn't pay and if they did , it would just mean less money for the family.his parents won't change the way they are "watching" the kid.
@schilds (410)
• United States
23 May 08
I agree that it should be fenced. By owning something like that - especially in an apartment complex with children living on the property - you have to atleast make an effort to keep people off of it. And kids do get away. Especially at 5 or 6 -- childproof door locks don't keep them in anymore, and even the most attentive moms have to pee. It's a pretty big assumption to say that the kids parents weren't watching him at all, and at 5 or 6 I probably wouldn't hover around either, I'd just check on him from time to time. The scariest thing that has ever happened to me was when I was right behind my son - We were in my moms new resteraunt checking out how the remodeling was going, my two kids were making laps around the dining room and through the kitchen. I was just behind them, but my son who was in the lead took a quick right out the front door instead of straight into the dining room and I missed it. As soon as I realized he wasnt in the dining room I went back and looked outside - it hadn't been more that maybe 15 seconds. By the time I got outside there was traffic stopped on both sides of the street and my son was standing on the sidewalk on the other side of the busiest street in town.
If it were my child on the tower - I would be upset that it is not fenced in (assuming there is no appropriate fencing). I would not have sued them, because that isn't my way. If I were the apartment owner I would not have left it there when it was out of use. I'm surprised their insurance company hadn't asked them to remove it already.
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
22 May 08
This reminds me, though of the autistic child who climbed a tower, and couldn't or wouldn't come down. His big brother climbed up and got him down, in spite of his own fear of heights. Kids can get away, even if they are not supposed to be out of their yard, or maybe even not out of their house or room. I have known it to happen, but not with my own kids, except once. I would not sue, but I do not think that way anyway.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
22 May 08
Well that depends..This is an apartment building and what if the kid lived right there close to the tower? At 5 they should be able to be trusted some to play on their own without constant supervision and it doesn't take long for a child to disappear like that..If fact, the kid may have gotten down because someone did see him and told him to get down..
And if you think 5 is too young, what if this was a 15 or 16 y/o? At that age they get pretty brave to do certain dangerous things..And you don't expect a parent to watch their teenager like a toddler do you? I think if it was available to a 5 y/o, then it is available to anyone regardless of age and it should be removed before something does happen..
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
23 May 08
When My son was little I never let him go off alone
unsupervised and surely not close to anyhing
dangerous. when I was little and went to grade school
the town's water tower was put of all places behind
our school building. the most stupid place to put
a water tower where all the grade school boys could see
the darned thing. it was fenced and a shallow water
canal placed around it but that did not stop two grade
school kids from crossing the water and climbing the
fence. and climbing half way up the tower then getting
scared and freezing there. the fire department had to be
called to rescue the two scared little kids.
@dragonfly242 (1060)
• Bahamas
22 May 08
My younger children dont go anywhere without me or a responsible adult there.If it were to happen to my kid i might blame the apartment owners,but i wouldn't sue them, i'd have to accept my role in it. If i were the owner/manager of the apartments i would accept some of the blame but not all.
@judy43 (299)
• United States
22 May 08
When my kids were younger they did not go off alone and they did not sneak out because I watched them very closely. I was always afraid some thing would happen to one of them but I did know some parents who let their kids go anywhere. Not a good idea
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
22 May 08
Yes, kids that age should be supervised for various reasons. But when I was that age it was normal to be sent outside and not be watched. Some parents still don't care, even around here.
The antenna tower should have been seen as a hazard years ago and there should have been something in place to discourage people from climbing it, something other than just a sign. If it is that easily accessible it is a no-brainer that a child may climb it. And yes, it's the owner of the building who is responsible to take care of such hazards. Even if the parents didn't watch the child, they still can be held responsible. I would sue, too, if something would happen to my child.
I watch my children, but if you take your eyes off them for just a second just to deal with a sibling they may be up there in a heartbeat. Maybe the kid was watched and the person watching just had trouble catching up with him to get him down. That may explain why he was gone so quickly.
