Do the parents have a right to be mad?
By nelly5
@nelly5 (1424)
United States
April 16, 2008 1:01pm CST
A tow truck driver towed a car, without knowing that a young child was in the car. Once he realized the child was in the car, he returned the car and took off because he was afraid of what the parents would say and do to him, I guess. My question is do these parents have a right to be upset with him, after all the mother had parked in the fire lane, where I am sure it says "No Parking". What is your oppinion on this?
Here is the article.
(AP) A tow truck driver unknowingly hauled away a car with a 7-year-old asleep inside before returning the vehicle minutes later and speeding away, police said.
The panicked parents of the missing boy watched the driver hurriedly unhook their car and take off as they met with authorities late Monday, according to a Dallas police report. A possible kidnapping investigation at the apartment complex had already begun.
Fidel Retana Jr., 23, was pulled over a short time later and arrested on child endangerment charges. But police said Tuesday they expect to drop the charges.
"It appeared that he did not intend to take the child," Dallas police Sgt. Brenda Nichols said.
David Traylor, Retana's attorney, said his client noticed the boy only when he stopped to ensure that the car was hooked up properly. The car had been parked in a fire lane while the boy's mother ran upstairs to her apartment.
Traylor said Retana left the second time in a hurry because he knew the parents were there and were probably angry.
"He tried to do everything he could to get the kid back quickly," Traylor said.
Authorities said the boy's mother was crying and vomiting outside when they arrived. The boy was still asleep when the car was returned.
"I hate the way towing people run the business," said Sergio Zuniga, the boy's father.
1 person likes this
12 responses
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
16 Apr 08
Well it sounds like an honest mistake I mean they did park in a fire zone. I think people like to blame others for everything instead of actually taking responsibility for their own mistakes.
2 people like this
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
17 Apr 08
Oh thats what i was trying to say the mother needs to be punished more than that poor tow truck driver who was just doing his job. I mean I would have said okay she learned her leason lets be forgiving but wanting to go after the driver thats just sad she learned nothing she thinks its all his fault. I hope if it goes to court they laugh her out of there.
1 person likes this
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
17 Apr 08
The parents should be mad at themselves. Where are the child endangerment & neglect charges against them? 
The driver was doing his job by removing an illegally parked car but he could have at least tried to find the owner first before towing it. He's more interested in the impount & towing fees than the situation or helping someone out.
The driver was doing his job by removing an illegally parked car but he could have at least tried to find the owner first before towing it. He's more interested in the impount & towing fees than the situation or helping someone out. 2 people like this
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
17 Apr 08
What you said about the driver, may be true....but then again, who is to say that his boss didn't tell him to tow that car immediately. If that was the case, he was following orders, just maybe he has a strict boss who doesn't want his drivers taking their time to look for the driver in order to give them a chance to move their vehicle. I mean after all, there are signs that say "no parking" for reason. But really who knows, maybe it was just that, maybe he was just wanting the money from the fees he would collect. Thanks for the response, have a fantastic day!
@CraftyCorner (5600)
• United States
17 Apr 08
That repo man should have called the cops because a sleeping child could have been stolen by anyone, and that anyone could have had some ugly intentions. That child was not being properly protected.
*
I can understand his fear though, that is one incredibly hot potato to find in a repossessed car when your just doing your job!
@CraftyCorner (5600)
• United States
20 Apr 08
It is fortunate that a ruckus was caused and the incident is being looked into. As for checking on the tether to the car after it was on the road, the tow man could have had an attack of intuition... but didn't know exactly what it was. It went something like this, 'something ain't right with this car.' Indeed, something was not right with the car, it had an extra bit of cargo.
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
17 Apr 08
Thanks for the response CraftyCorner. I agree with you, I can understand his fear too, even though he really didn't do anything wrong. I am a parent and if I were in his shoes, I would be afraid of what the parents may say or do also. Have a great day!
1 person likes this
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
17 Apr 08
What were they doing leaving their 7 year old in a car alone? It's a good thing someone didn't decide to just break open a window and take him. Just think, they never would have had to worry if they actually acted like competent parents.
As for the towing truck incident: the guy probably should have checked the car first, and he definitely should have stayed to make sure he was okay. However, it essentially all leads back to the parents. They should have never left their 7 year old child alone in the car, and if their anger is directed mostly at the tow truck, then it's misplaced. They should be angry with themselves for leaving him alone.
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@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
16 Apr 08
Swaana, I agree with you, he was only doing his job. I just think that the parents should be thankful that he noticed the kid in there before something worse happened. What if the kid would have waken while the man was towing the car and freaked out and tried getting out of the car while the car was being towed. It could have been a really bad situation. I also agree with you, if any charges are filed, it should be against the mother for parking in the fire lane. Thanks for the response, have a great day!
1 person likes this
@kezabelle (2974)
•
16 Apr 08
She shouldnt have parked there and certainly not going off leaving her child in the car its their own fault for parking there what a stupid thing to do.
Although im concerned the tow bloke only stopped to check the car was attacjed properly AFTER he had driven off if he had checked it properly to start with then surely he would have noticed the child before even driving off, naughty!!!
2 people like this
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
16 Apr 08
Yeah I didn't understand that either...about him checking it after he already started towing it. Maybe he just felt like something was wrong, maybe it didn't feel right when he was towing it, I wonder if that is why he stopped?? I can't imagine why he wouldn't have checked it before leaving with the car the first time. Yes, I agree with you...she should not have parked there and certainly should not have left her child in the car. Thanks for the response. Have a wonderful day!
1 person likes this
@mssnow (9484)
• United States
17 Apr 08
First of all let me say I do not like towing companies. I will not go into details about that though. With that being said.
1. The mother should never have left her child asleep in a car for any reason.
2. The tow truck driver could have checked first to make sure everything was ok
3. The mother did park in a fire zone. Even for a minute that WAS wrong
Now we have all these should haves out of the way.
Since all these things did happen they can only move forward. The tow truck driver did bring the car back with the child inside. Everyone was safe and hopefully the mom and the tow truck driver learned a valuable lesson. Everything happens for a reason.
1 person likes this
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
17 Apr 08
I believe the parents should have been very thankful to the tow truck driver. He could have just driven straight to the nearest police station instead of returning the child. The parents should have thanked him instead of being upset with him. Thanks for the response, have a great day!
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
17 Apr 08
It seems to me that the tow truck driver was simply doing his job. The lady should have never left a sleeping 7 year old in the car by himself anyway. The kid could have very well been kidnapped. Then the mother may have been facing charges.
1 person likes this
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
17 Apr 08
I agree, seems like everyone pretty much agrees with your statement. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this. If charges are brought against the tow truck driver, I believe he will have an over flowing amount of support. Thanks for the response. Have a great day!
@Galena (9110)
•
17 Apr 08
well, they shouldn't have had to check to see if there was a child in the car, as a real parent wouldn't have left them unattended in the car in the first place.
the parents are more at fault than the tow driver, who was just doing his job.
unlike the parents.
1 person likes this
@jarves (814)
• Philippines
17 Apr 08
The parents are to be blamed for this. They know they are parking on a no parking lane and in top of that they are leaving their child inside the car alone on the street. These parents are irresponsible. They should be the one to get arrested by the police.
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@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
17 Apr 08
It would seem a bit suspicious to see him in a hurry leaving the car, but other than that, no, he did nothing wrong. The parents are at fault for leaving the child alone in the car and parking it in a fire lane. Are any charges going to be filed against the parents for endangerment for leaving the child alone in a car? They should be. The tow truck driver was just doing his job- towing an illegally parked car.
With the way people are so quick to blame and sue other people for their own mistakes, it makes it really hard for people to do what would otherwise be a normal part of their jobs.
1 person likes this
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
17 Apr 08
I have not heard if the parents are going to be charged with anything yet. As for people sueing all the time, you are correct and I won't be suprised if these parents file some kind of suit against the tow truck company and driver. Thanks for the response, have a wonderful day!
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
17 Apr 08
I think the tow truck driver was doing his job. In today's world, it would probably be smart for a driver to check the car first. If a driver is stupid enough - inconsiderate enough, really - to park in a fire lane, then he/she is probably stupid enough to leave a child in a car.
In many states, that parent could be in deep trouble for leaving a child in a car, even for a short time, and even if the weather was pleasant.
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