Woman Calls Authorities About a Man Abusing His Child at Walmart

@fec139 (810)
United States
September 29, 2016 9:41am CST
So a woman shopping at Walmart [who is a mom] sees a man pulling a child by the hair as a form of discipline. The little girl is crying and begging her dad to stop. First, the concerned mom asks the man to let go of his child's hair and the dad tells the woman to mind her own business. The woman calls 9-1-1 and reports the "abuse" and Child Protective Services comes and says they will investigate. In the meantime, they allow the child to go home with her dad because she shows no physical signs of abuse. Here is the question: was the woman right in reporting this, especially after getting such a defiant response from the dad? Or do you think she needed to mind her own business, that discipline is a personal and private affair. On the other side of the coin, a little boy in New York City was just found dead in an apartment and when they examined his body, he was covered in bruises. And, in that case, CPS had been called to the apartment many times because of reports by neighbors.
11 people like this
9 responses
• Valdosta, Georgia
29 Sep 16
It is hard to say, it's such a fine line. People these days think a tap on the butt is "abuse" and it's not so should people call about everything they "think" is abusive? I don't know. I have had CPS called on me because someone was trying to get back at me for something completely different. The case was closed quickly and it was ridiculous-people who make false reports in my opinion should be charged since their taking time away from REAL abuse situations.
6 people like this
@fec139 (810)
• United States
29 Sep 16
@enlightenedpsych2 Do you really want to teach them that biting is a good form of expression ? Just like violence against a child, begets a violent adult later in life, don't you think biting a child will beget a child who bites other children? And don't you think it mimics animal behavior? I never heard of biting a child as a form of discipline But I grew up with a mom who slapped me across the face if she didn't like the way I looked at her and called me "stupid" and "idiot" and "moron" and later on in life said she wondered where i got my low self-esteem. Uh, maybe from you, Mom?.
• Valdosta, Georgia
29 Sep 16
@enlightenedpsych2 Thank you. People are so tattle tail happy that good parents have to go through all of the mess that CPS brings to the door. It's not right! As you said pulling the girls hair was extreme and maybe the call was necessary-but maybe not. What if that same girl pulled her siblings hair and the parent was showing her how it felt to have that done? Then, maybe it's a little bit called for. We don't know the whole situation... My kiddo's all bit me ONE time in their lives. Why? I bit them back-not enough to break skin or anything, but enough to hurt for a second. Extreme? Maybe but they never bit me again or anyone else after that!
1 person likes this
• Valdosta, Georgia
29 Sep 16
@enlightenedpsych2 Thank you. Some people think I'm crazy but my children are well behaved and respectful-which is what I wanted. I love spending time with my kids because I am raising them not be spoiled little brats, they are enjoyable to be around! =) Very rare to find these days in kids... Of course they have their moments and they are not perfect by any means but they know how to behave.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
29 Sep 16
Investigating is a good thing @fec139 ; especially if there truly is physical 'abuse'. The occasional spanking though let's the kid know that there are boundaries; otherwise, the kid KNOWS they can get away with things.
3 people like this
@fec139 (810)
• United States
29 Sep 16
@enlightenedpsych2 Spanking caused psychological pain for me and humiliation. I have had to battle low self-esteem and also it took years for me to accept that I was worthy of love from partners rather than abuse. Corporal punishment often causes a violent adult later in life
@fec139 (810)
• United States
2 Oct 16
@enlightenedpsych2 no, the abuse didn't make me stronger; therapy and self-examination did. The spanking and abuse made me fearful, a nerdous wreck, and a victim of abuse in my adult life, until I realized that I was worthy of a loving relationship. Abuse really psychologically damages..
@clrumfelt (5490)
• United States
4 Oct 16
I think she was right to report the man to CPS. Children need discipline sometimes, but pulling them around by the hair is just not an acceptable form of discipline in my estimation. It is abuse.
1 person likes this
• Southend-On-Sea, England
5 Oct 16
I think she did the right thing as the father seems to have anger issues and not to realise that you don't have to resort to physical violence, no matter how mild, in order to discipline a child. Also, if he does that to the child in public, what on earth could he be doing to her behind closed doors?
1 person likes this
@advokatku (4033)
• Indonesia
1 Oct 16
My opinion, which conducted the father is clearly a crime against the rights of children. True, the father has the right to assign disciplinary action against her daughter. But, should not the father can punish her child physically. Associated with the attitude of the woman who complained the girl's father to the police, my opinion, I support the woman was due to report crimes is the duty of all people who know the criminal act
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39269)
• Gouverneur, New York
30 Sep 16
I think the woman was correct to call it in. If he does that in public to his child it makes you wonder what he does in private.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
19 Nov 16
Well, yes and no, because since social services let the man take the child home the father might be angry and take it out on the child.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
30 Sep 16
thats tough to inow the right answedr as to me p;ulliong hair is mean and cruel'bu t I do not know the circumstances surrounding the chikd and her father.If he had gone on and on wth the hair pulling I would have reported him.,
1 person likes this
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
9 Oct 16
One thing is to check when many times neighbors report problems and quite another when a father disciplines his child. I think many children have turned into brats because noone givbes them the once good spank on the butt. Nothing happened, but the child learned to behave.