What Punishment Do You Think Fits This Crime

United States
May 21, 2012 3:59pm CST
Just read a story on Yahoo, about some parents who thought it would be funny to lock their child in a washer machine, then when the washer machine started to operate they started to panic as they watched their child helplessly being tossed around in a washing machine full of water. I'm not sure if I would completely throw the book at these parents, but I'm wondering what punishment would fit this crime of stupidity and negligence.
2 people like this
18 responses
@allknowing (130088)
• India
22 May 12
They need psychiatric treatment to begin with and also the authorities should take that child away from them and put it in a foster home. Locking up a child in a washing machine is weird and no one who is normal would do it.
@allknowing (130088)
• India
22 May 12
It depends on how well equipped the grand parents are to undertake this responsibility. Also the relationship between the parents and the grand parents needs to be studied.
• United States
22 May 12
This is true as well, but I think keeping the child with a responsible family member is a better alternative to foster care.
• United States
22 May 12
I'm thinking putting the child in foster care would be bad for the child. Maybe give the grandparents custody till the parents can demonstrate responsible behavior.
@ShyBear88 (59261)
• Sterling, Virginia
22 May 12
I would say jail time indeed and parenting classes for the fact that it was negligent and endangering a child. To me it's not an accident since its not like a car accident so they knew what they where doing. I don't care if they said it was stupid or not because one that to me is just touring a child for there own please of getting a laugh. I don't think the kid found it funny at all.
@ShyBear88 (59261)
• Sterling, Virginia
22 May 12
I said they moved the door because years ago kids would climb in them to play like hide and seek and die because someone turned it on. The same with why car in the trucks now have those glow pull strings in case someone gets stuck in them you can unlach them from the iside. I'm not saying the parents have to be stupid enough to do it. Although these parents where clearly not thinking about what ever it was before putting there kid in there and turning it on. The dryer is just as dangerous there are some so powerful they can cook a human.
• United States
22 May 12
You have a valid point, I might be too compassionate in this case. That child must have suffered some form of trauma from this incident.
• United States
22 May 12
I don't think it matters where the door is if your parent is stupid enough to stuff you in the washer. I saw it and i still can't believe it happened.
@urbandekay (18278)
22 May 12
I here you Americans are very good at waterboarding all the best urban
@urbandekay (18278)
22 May 12
That is why I suggested waterboarding as a punishment all the best urban
• United States
22 May 12
That's not funny Urban. The child could have been killed.
• United States
22 May 12
Sorry I thought you were being sarcastic at the child's expense. I don't think it would cure their stupidity though.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
22 May 12
A washing machine must only be used for washing clothing. I know if a child is naughty then say no and if he or she continues then the parent can put him or her in time out. A 2 year old would have two minutes and a 5 year old would have five minutes time out. The time out area would be in a safe area within the house. It might be a naughty map facing the wall. The parents should not have put their child in a washing machine. That was awful and it was much worse that they actually began the wash cycle. If I was the judge I would not be sure which punishment fits that crime. It was cruelty and negligence. These parents probably regret what they did. I would have them in a court and think very carefully indeed.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
22 May 12
Oh, I see. They should have the kitchen locked up. Maybe they were playing hide and seek or something.
• United States
22 May 12
I don't think they put the child in the washer and intentionally turned it on. I think it was a stupid of the father, and the mother not realizing the child was in the washer turned it on. This was not a disciplinary action, this was supposed to be a joke on the fathers behalf, and it got out of hand.
• United States
22 May 12
No this was at a public laundry mat. There were other people there and they were all horrified at the situation. It was really one of the stupidest things a parent could have done.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
22 May 12
This is beyond stupid and seriously I'm not sure why you would even hesitate in taking this child from these parents. A parenting class is not going to fix this kind of stupidity. They don't teach you things like , "do not put your baby in a washer", "do not set your baby in the campfire" etc. It is common sense that these parents lack and that can't be taught. I would have left my husband immediatly after such an incident and he would have only supervised visits with my child. I watched the video and it appeared that the lady did not know until after the fact that the baby was put in the washer. IF that is true then she should be let off easy. Honestly, my husband used to abuse me and the cops told me that if I chose to stay with him that they would take my kids the next time they came to the house. Why? because it wasn't a good environment for the kids. They were right! Someone with the mentality that would even come up with the thought to put a child in the washer deserves to lose his right to be a parent. Any mother that tolerates someone doing that to her child is no better than the person doing it. If she doesn't boot him out then she deserves to lose the baby. If grandparents or other family are willing and able to help then they should be the first option.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
22 May 12
I'm not sure that I can agree with that. A stupid mistake would be taking your eyes off your child a bit too long or something. I heard (not sure if it is true) that this same couple had put the baby in the dryer also??? This kind of act isn't lack of forthought or parenting skills. It should just be common knowledge...you do not put your baby in the washer! How fair is it for the baby to go back and forth between households while hopefully the parents get their act together?
• United States
22 May 12
I think in the interest of the child, the parents have demonstrated to be irresponsible. There should be a process that takes custody away from them till they demonstrate they are responsible enough to handle it. This incident occurred because they took their child's safety for granted, I think they need to learn a lesson.
• United States
22 May 12
I think they should lose the child till they can display responsible behavior, but one act of stupidity doesn't make a bad parent. I could see if they had a history of neglect, but this is one act of stupidity. The consequences could have been severe which is why I say loss of custody shuld be only temporary.
@jureathome (5361)
• Philippines
22 May 12
I just saw that on local news today. I was really pissed with the parents' negligence and stupidity. And, worse is the kid got hurt. That was really very irresponsible and immature of them.
• United States
22 May 12
Did they have anything more to offer on the news story? I'me very interested to know what happened to the parents.
• United States
22 May 12
Hopefully there will be a follow up soon, I can't imagine them getting out of this without some kind of visit from child services.
• Philippines
22 May 12
Nope, it didn't have any details on what happened to the parents. They just showed the video and sort of described what happened in it. I would be interested to find out what the consequence was for the parents.
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
22 May 12
Sounds like they're too stupid to live if they think that putting a kid in a washer is funny. And then "they felt bad" but never turned it off or pulled the plug? Right.
• United States
22 May 12
They ran to get the attendant, because they didn't know how to get the machine to stop working, then they had to break the door open to get him out.
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
26 May 12
It was later discovered that the one who did that was the babysitter and her boyfriend. I´d punish the media for writing things about people without investigating first. If I were those people, I´d sue Yahoo.
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
26 May 12
The story was completly misleading and the parents are more that pretty angryat the baby sitter. I would say that she should do to jail, but if I were the mother, they would have to take her out of my hnds
• United States
26 May 12
Yes. That story was a bit misleading, but the mother did find out, and she seems pretty angry at the baby sitter.
@NailTech (6874)
• United States
21 May 12
Oh I would totally lock these parents up for years. What is so funny about putting a child in a washer and then starting it up? Did they not think it would not only just scare the bleep
• United States
21 May 12
The only reason I even want to give them half a chance is because they went right into panic mode when that machine started up, you could tell they did not mean to harm a child, but with all the stories you hear about children dieing in washing machines, I would like to think they should have known better.
• United States
22 May 12
What disturbed me was how fast the machine filled up with water. You could see the kid tumbling in the washer. This could have been so much worse.
• India
22 May 12
Hello friend, It is a very horrible incident. I think they are very bad parents. So they are should be punished by police. Have a nice day.
• United States
22 May 12
Punishment of some form should be in order, but I'm trying to decide what the penalty should be.
@syramoon (654)
• United States
22 May 12
I would throw the book at these parents, because that's not negligence I think that's straight up abuse. I mean broken bones, risk of drowning - that's all real, and it would be intentional in my mind if two able minded adults did this and then had something like that happen.
@krupar5 (287)
• United States
22 May 12
Hello PhillyDreamer, I also read this today and was appalled. I cannot imagine ever doing such a thing to a child even just to scare them. I think the parents need to be punished but what is appropriate is hard to determine. Even though the child did not have any severe injuries, the emotional trauma can be lifelong. There is no action severe enough to punish people who do lifelong damage to a child. Hopefully the child will not be affected, but who knows.
• United States
22 May 12
I think taking their child would be the most severe punishment, but I don't know if it should go that far.
• United States
22 May 12
I can't believe it myself. It's a parents worse nightmare to watch their child helplessly get injured, then when you take into account at least one of the parents being responsible for the predicament. Part of me wants to smack the father upside the head, and the other part of me is sorry this happened.
@krupar5 (287)
• United States
22 May 12
I can agree to that because some people are not made to be parents. I think that if they have done some other hurtful and damaging trauma to their child before, then definitely the child needs to be moved. If this is the only incident that they did to the poor child then maybe some mandaory parenting classes, a fine and counseling for them and the child. It is really sad to see that any one would think it would be funny to put a child in the washer. Perhaps some jail time? I don't know. It is just a shame to see a video like that. Although you are correct, at least they reacted as soon as they saw it start.
• Australia
22 May 12
What sort of a sick mind would you need to have in the first place to think it funny to place your kids in a washing machine... How did the machine start up by itself... I read the article too and it sounded fishy to me... As for a punishment, I agree that some jail time is deserved simply for stupidly placing the child in such a dangerous situation...
• United States
22 May 12
That's the weird part, I'm not sure how the machine started. I'm thinking the mother didn't see the father put the kid in the washer so she started it up without realizing the child was in the washer.
• United States
22 May 12
At the very least you are asking for some bad karma when you do stuff like this. Something bad is bound to happen.
• Australia
22 May 12
Of course thats a possibility too, but i mean to be so warped to do such a thing in the first place... Why not hang them off a balcony like the late Micheal jackson did some years ago... he learned his lesson and i hope this father has too because it is a lesson hard learnt.
22 May 12
Duuuude! I remember you from Triond! How you doing man? I think that deserves at least 10 years in Jail!
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
21 May 12
I can't really think of an appropriate punishment. This is just a horrible thing to have happen, and I cannot help but wonder what possessed these people to think this would be funny.
• United States
21 May 12
I feel the same way. If I was in the situation, the first thing that would go through my head would be the washing machine starting up with my child trapped inside.
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
22 May 12
If I had this as my case I would first make a call to their home and determine it the child was in any immediate danger. If not I would examine the role of the parents and take action. It would not be my mandate to punish a parent unless a crime was committed and then would pass that on to the criminal system. (they have already been hurt by this) This washing machine play sounds like something that children would do to other children and not responsible adults. Therefore, I would insist that they take part in some kind of counsel to develop adult parent skills and/or investigate their ability to be parents and make changes if required.
• United States
22 May 12
I feel that child should be taken into social services and the parents should lose the opportunity to raise that child because they are too immature for the responsibility. The child would be better off if placed in a home where he can be secure and loved by parents he's able to trust and respect.
• United States
22 May 12
I understand that, but removing the child completely away from the parents is punishing the child too. I think it was stupidity on their part more than it was malice, but they do deserve to lose custody and re demonstrate that they can be responsible parents. I would not be opposed to relatives taking the child so long as the relatives understand that the parents can not be alone with him.
22 May 12
Putting the child in the washer is not a good idea to discipline the child. He/ she maybe done wrong but it is just normal to the kids to commit mistake because they are not aware of what they are doing for they are still kids. If the mother loves her child so much she must think first of options to what kind of punishment that she will give to her child but not the stupid and dangerous one.
• United States
22 May 12
That's the thing I think the father thought it was big joke, I'm not even sure the mother was aware until he said something, I think she was the one who started the washer. Whatever the case it was pure negligent behavior.