Man Leaves Baby Home Alone To Rob Store

@carolbee (16230)
United States
December 5, 2007 7:12pm CST
Now this is a little crazy. What are people thinking? What sort of punishment should this man receive? LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. - Deputies said a man left his three-month-old baby home alone for six hours while he robbed a grocery store. Police said Tony Doden and his accomplice, James Schmidt, were arrested after their getaway car was spotted by a witness. A teenage employee told police a man wearing a Halloween style 'Jason' masked robbed them at gunpoint and then took off. Deputies said Doden had left his three-month-old son at home to fend for himself while he and Schmidt robbed the store. The child's mother was arrested in October. Police say the baby was found with a severe case of diaper rash. Doden's grandmother is now taking care of the baby.
3 people like this
10 responses
@makatas (1098)
• Greece
6 Dec 07
Well this is insane of course.But why mention it only because the guy left it alone to perform a robbery?Wouldnt it be almost equally horrible if he just left it alone to go buy something or to go at a bar or anything? People who leave their babies unattended should always be punished!However, it is understandable why this particular case sounds even worse.I am curious to see what his punishment will be.
2 people like this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
6 Dec 07
There is never any valid reason to leave a baby home alone. I'm curious also to know what punishment this man will receive. Thanks for your response.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
6 Dec 07
Wow. I wonder what he was thinking. And I am a bit curious as to why the mother was arrested - If the baby is three months old now, it must have been a month or two old when she was arrested. The child is clearly better off with the grandmother, but this is so sad.
1 person likes this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
7 Dec 07
The article didn't say why the mother was arrested which seems odd. Hopefully the grandparents have the means to take care of the baby. Thanks for responding.
@Celanith (2327)
• United States
6 Dec 07
Makes you wonder why the baby's grandmother wasn't caring for the baby in the first place. He must be a real Moron. Why did they even leave the baby with this guy. Why was he robbing a grocery store and what did he take? Money, Food or diapers. Depends what he took. If he took food and diapers maybe he was trying to provide but didn't know how. How young is he. Did he have a job? Why were social services not helping or were they? Before we totally condemn him we need to have more information and facts. Leaving the baby home alone was the worst thing, Not robbing the store. Not that I condone robbing the store. Depends why he robbed the store. If he was with some other guy did the other guy have a female friend to help with the baby. Too many unanswered questions. I know he was wrong what he did the questions are why? Before condemnation and where is the babys mother now?
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
7 Dec 07
Actually I posted the complete story and unfortunately we don't have all the facts in the article. The mother is in jail. Thanks for responding.
@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
6 Dec 07
I agree this is a completely irresponsible thing to do. However, in a way maybe it is the best thing to have happened. The child would be better off without these parents - a mother who was arrested and a father who thinks it's ok to commit armed robbery. I hope the grandmother is a big improvement for the poor little kid.
1 person likes this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
6 Dec 07
You are exactly right. Maybe grandma will get custody and the baby will have a chance. Thanks for responding.
• United States
6 Dec 07
Sometimes things make me so mad that I don't know what to say even though I want to say something. There are so many irresponsible parents, and so many dumb people. This guy would fall into both categories. It is a good thing that the baby is okay though. Six hours could have done more then just a sever case of diaper rash... ERRR
1 person likes this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
7 Dec 07
What's sad is this baby is going to have a long life. Mom in jail and dad a loser. They simply don't deserve kids. It angers me also. Thanks for your response.
@tiffiny (872)
• United States
6 Dec 07
Wow. What an a-hole. That baby didn't do a darn thing to desirve two dumb, for a lack of better words, parents. I hope that the grandmother is really taking good care of that little angle. As far as his father is conserned that's neglect and child endangerment. Atleast two years in prision just for that. But I sincerly hope that niether one of that kiddo's parents get that baby back. That's a horrible thing to think but come one now. She's in jail he's in jail. The kids better off with adoptive parents who will truly love and adore the baby.
1 person likes this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
7 Dec 07
I agree. Makes me sick to think that poor little baby was in a wet, nasty diaper and hadn't been fed for 6 hours. That is so cruel. Thanks for responding.
• United States
6 Dec 07
That is terrible. How can you do something like go out and rob a store leaving your child home alone, especially since the child's mother has already been arrested and there is no one to take care of him. You would think these people would think about their priorities, like taking care of the kids instead of robbing stores when that just means they'll be thrown into jail.
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
6 Dec 07
The dad will probably have some lame excuse that he needed to go rob in order to feed that baby. Priorities is right. Thanks for responding.
• United States
6 Dec 07
i think they are both crazy u dont leave a baby home alone to fend for itself what if he got into trouble there would be noone there to help the baby is breaking the law more important than a baby i think not this man does not deserve having a baby there are plenty of other parents who would love to have a baby and cant. he should get penalized even if nothing happened thats one guy who definitely is a few fries from a full happy meal why is it people who cant have kids are not blessed and the ones who can do not take their job important. there is something wrong with this picture
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
7 Dec 07
While this father is spending time in jail that state needs to make it mandatory for him to sit in parenting classes. He might learn something. These parents obviously don't deserve a baby. Thanks for your response.
@nkhanna (922)
• India
6 Dec 07
i really dont understand as to why these kind of people go for kids when they reallly cannot take good care of their cildren.its really sad to hear this.i think any punishment is very small for these kinds of people.its good that the old grandma is now taking care of that child.atleast the kid can get love from her.
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
6 Dec 07
I agree these people don't deserve kids. It was a selfish, stupid act. Thanks for responding.
• United States
6 Dec 07
Thats crazy...but I also saw a story that a man left a 4 month old baby home alone to pick up a women that he was having an affair with. How said is that?
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
7 Dec 07
That's pretty sad and pretty pitiful. Thanks for your response.