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Title: Mom Could Get 30 Days in Jail for Letting 4-Year-Old Play Outside
Source:
Reason
URL Source: https://reason.com/blog/2015/11/25/ ... get-30-days-in-jail-for-lettin
Published: Nov 25, 2015
Author: Lenore Skenazy
Post Date: 2015-11-27 19:25:04 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 3523
Comments: 17
A Sacramento, California, mom who let her 4-year-old son play outside at a playground 120 feet from her home was arrested. Her neighbors called 911 when they saw the kid outside. While many people might think four is too young for a boy to be outside on his own, the bigger question is: Is this a criminal offense? And doesn't the boy's mother have the right to make that choice? The boy (whose name is Tomahawk) was in a gated apartment complex and on a playground. He's an outdoorsy kid who loves exploring and sounds like he can take care of himself fairly well. If the neighbors were worried, why wouldn't they just talk to the mom? And if the cops were worried, why didn't they tell her why this was dangerous (citing actual stats, not just "what ifs"), rather than threatening her with jail time? How does that solve any problems? The mom, Sonya Hendren, was arrested and charged with child endangerment—a felony. While the charges were later dropped to misdemeanors, Hendren told KTXL in Sacramento: "We have a CPS (Child Protective Service) case now and every time he's not in my visual site we're in violation," Hendren said. In other words, the state has decided how best to raise her child and will prosecute the mom if she doesn't agree. The neighbor who reported Hendren hoped the mom would just get a warning. But when you play with fire—that is, call 911—someone can get burned. Or, in this case, scorched: The maximum sentence that Hendron can face is 6 months in jail with 3 years of probation. She was offered an alternative deal of just 30 days in jail and 1 year of probation but she has rejected the offer. Just 30 days. That wouldn’t disrupt a family's life, would it? It's barely a month! I'm sure someone will supervise little Tomahawk while his mom is in the pokey. But let's talk (non-Thanskgiving, metaphorical) turkey: Just how dangerous is it for a 4-year-old to play outside, period? It totally depends on the neighborhood, the child, and what the child has been taught. A 4-year-old is almost kindergarten age. He can speak the language, he knows where he lives, and he is close to home. This is not to say that nothing bad could ever happen to him. Only that the mom who loves him more than we do assessed the risk and decided it made sense for her to let him have some time outside. As her lawyer noted: "If this happened 20 years ago, we wouldn't be here. There wouldn't be a criminal case filed," said Hendron's attorney. Today, thanks to the ease of dialing 911, the constant exhortations to report unattended kids to the authorities, and selective risk aversion, a call was made. No one calls the cops when a mom drives a kid to the grocery, even though the number one way kids die is as car passengers. But ever fearful of the much rarer stranger danger, they call when they see a child not directly supervised, even for a short time, by a parent. Good luck to the mom, and to all of us who don't want our parenting second-guessed by arrest-happy police. 
KTXL
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#1. To: Deckard (#0)
And if he fell and was knocked unconscious? Broke his leg? Cut himself severely on the playground equipment? Accidentally choked himself on the swing? Oh, wait. The neighbors would look after him, right? And the bill for the ambulance/fire department/police/paramedics/ER/hospital/rehab? Don't worry. We got it.
Is that you again, Melissa? "...we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or kids belong to their families, and recognize that kids belong to whole communities." In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much Well, when daddy is nowhere to be found, momma is out partying (and getting pregnant) and grandma can't control the brood, I guess the community has to raise the keeds. (I assume she's referring to her community 'cause she ain't referring to mine.)
Hmm, no mention of a husband in the article. Or what her job is. Or what she was doing while a four year old wandered loose. Watching The View? Smoking "medical" marijuana?
The kid's name is Tomahawk. Probably tells you all you need to know about his "family".
And yet another collectivist weighs in to shill for State ownership of children. Get the fuck out of my country commie assholes. In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much You like the idea of little children unattended. I bet I know why.
Where do you get that? This story is about the state telling this woman to take care of her own children.
No. It's the state telling this woman HOW to take care of her own children. In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much She WASN'T taking care of her 4-year-old child. That's the whole point, you fool.
As a parent, she has the right to decide what is best for her child. Not you - not the neighbors or the State. Good grief, what the fuck is wrong with you? Sonya Hendren says her 4-year-old son Tomahawk was ready to start playing on his own, so she began allowing him to use the playground inside their gated community located 120 feet from her home. In a Cop Culture, the Bill of Rights Doesn’t Amount to Much Not if her decision is potentially harmful to the child.
Putting a kid in a car is potentially harmful to the child. If you ever put a kid in a car you are an irresponsible parent.
So what is your definition of harmful??? Parents let children do stupid things all the time because they know the child will learn the consequences of it's decisions better if the end result is painful... Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Not if she decides to let you near him. There are laws.
Was this painful enough for you? Man Charged in Case of Toddler Burned to Death in Oven Speaks Out: ‘I’m Not a Bad Person’
I was thinking more on line of things that you tell kids not to do on a daily basis but they ignore you. Like chasing each other thru the house, doing stupid tricks on their bikes, climbing trees they shouldn't etc... etc... You stick around to make sure they don't learn too harsh a lesson... You don't leave the kids alone while you go out and score some drugs... Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
#2. To: misterwhite (#1)
Your Kids Belong to the Collective
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#3. To: Deckard (#2)
(Edited)
"...we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or kids belong to their families, and recognize that kids belong to whole communities."
#4. To: misterwhite (#3)
Well, when daddy is nowhere to be found
#5. To: Roscoe (#4)
"Hmm, no mention of a husband in the article. Or what her job is. Or what she was doing while a four year old wandered loose. Watching The View? Smoking "medical" marijuana?"
#6. To: Roscoe, misterwhite (#4)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#7. To: Deckard (#6)
fuck
#8. To: Deckard (#6)
"And yet another collectivist weighs in to shill for State ownership of children."
#9. To: misterwhite (#8)
This story is about the state telling this woman to take care of her own children.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#10. To: Deckard (#9)
"No. It's the state telling this woman HOW to take care of her own children."
#11. To: misterwhite, Roscoe (#10)
She WASN'T taking care of her 4-year-old child. That's the whole point, you fool.
Graphic shows distance from Hendren’s 1st floor home to playground. / Credit: Fox News “Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#12. To: Deckard (#11)
"As a parent, she has the right to decide what is best for her child."
#13. To: misterwhite, Deckard (#12)
"As a parent, she has the right to decide what is best for her child." Not if her decision is potentially harmful to the child.
#14. To: misterwhite, redleghunter, A K A Stone (#12)
Not if her decision is potentially harmful to the child.
#15. To: Deckard (#11)
As a parent, she has the right to decide what is best for her child.
#16. To: CZ82 (#14)
Parents let children do stupid things all the time because they know the child will learn the consequences of it's decisions better if the end result is painful...
#17. To: Roscoe (#16)
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