I found this story to be really sad - if the parents had a large group of kids with them and they lost count on the way out, I can almost see this, them getting in the car, leaving, and then realizing they left someone behind and coming back a short while later.....but this story was posted the next day..... apparently no one had claimed the boy or reported him missing by the next afternoon. Unbelievable! According to the police his party left the restaurant at 8:30....and he was found there after 10pm! Wouldn't you think they would have noticed something was amiss when they got home?
Very sad for the little boy, imho.
Little Boy Left at Mesa Restaurant
March 10th, 2008 @ 7:43pm
by Dan Guerin/KTAR and Associated Press
Mesa police have released new details in the case of a 5-year-old boy who was discovered alone late Sunday night at a Mesa restaurant.
The boy told police his name is Adam. Police are now looking for his parents after he was found at Amazing Jake's Food and Fun Place about 10 p.m., an hour after the restaurant, near Baseline and Gilbert roads, closed.
Monday afternoon, police released photos of a green Chevy Suburban and a blue Suburban or Excursion. Police say they believe the two vehicles are related in this case.
They say the occupants of the vehicle were inside of the restaurant from 5:30 p.m. until approximately 8:30 p.m. They say 8 to 10 individuals were together inside with the little boy. Police say the child was not with the group when they left.
"We asked the little boy what his name was and he said his name was Adam and that he had gotten to Amazing Jake's with his parents and with his brothers and sisters," said Detective Diane Tapia.
She said the boy also told police, "When they got to Amazing Jake's, it was light out."
But, she said, "we don't know exactly how long he had been there."
Police said Adam didn't know his last name and was unable to provide any other information.
The boy is in good health, Tapia said.
Police say Adam, who is being cared for at a children's group home, is approximately 44 inches tall, weighs 42 pounds, and has brown hair and eyes. He was wearing a white T-shirt with a crown and black lettering reading "Young Prince and Treal," blue jeans and black and silver zip-up high top shoes.
Wow I can't wait to hear
Wow I can't wait to hear their explanation, that's ridiculous!
I heard about that too. How
I heard about that too. How sad! And it happened right by my house. It makes me wonder....I doubt his parents just forgot about him for that long. It'll be interesting to hear the outcome of this one. If we ever do.
Hobbymommy, 38, is a discussion leader from Mesa. She is a happy stay-at-home mommy to a 3-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.
Yeah, I could understand
Yeah, I could understand something like that happening if you have a large group of people/kids, but to not notice for hours or even a day is ridiculous! (My mom left my brother at Macayo's once when we were all young and had gone to eat with the neighbors and their kids, but she realized it when she got home! LOL) I really want to hear the explanation on this one too!
I agree with everyone else,
I agree with everyone else, I can't wait to hear them attempt to explain this away.
Something is definitely hinky!
It is better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what you are not.
Yeah, no kidding....plus, my
Yeah, no kidding....plus, my 5 yr old knows (and knew at 4 in preschool), his full name, address and phone number. Now, he doesn't always remember the area code and sometimes you have to remind him by saying, "house number", because he gets the house number and the phone number initially confused sometimes, but he could most certainly tell the police where he lived! He could also rattle off the first and last names of his cousins, aunts and uncles!
The case is heartbreaking, because obviously, the parents paid little enough attention to him to teach him these things.
I'm guessing that two or three of the adults will explain that they each thought the other had the little boy, either in a split custody case or a sleep over with the aunt, or something. A lame excuse, for sure, as I would most certainly be calling to check on my little one and to say goodnight IF I ever would have let him sleep over at his aunt's house, or something like that. Of course, I can actually say that I've never spent a night apart from my children, except when I was in the hospital having the second one!
"Only a life lived for others, is the life worthwhile" - Albert Einstein
I went there 1 time for a
I went there 1 time for a b-day party and brought my 4 year old and 6 year old. I happened to stay for the party, as the hostessed payed for my admission too, in order to 'help out' with the party. thank goodnes she did....
I thought the place was way too big, confusing and crowded for the majority of the kids there. I can EASILY see how someone would get lost/separated there.
Most children's parties only charge per kid; the parent chaparones can always hang out for free. B/c of the food served there, they charge (a lot) for every adult too. Therefore, the motivation for a parent is to invite as few adults as possible to a child party there.....thereby having little/meager supervision in a huge place where you can blink and lose multiple kids!!!
Obviously, that doesn't explain why a head count wasn't done when they left and why no one was frantically calling around to find him.....but I have to say that I believe that the place is just not that appropriate for a boy his age. Too busy, too crowded, too big!! (and essentially no door security)
Happy2BMommy, is a stay-at-home mom who just turned 40 (argh!) with a 6 yr. old daughter and a 4 yr. old son, and is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Scottsdale.
There was an update to the
There was an update to the story. Apparently a woman came forward stating she's the boy's mom.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0310abrk-childlefthome031008.html
It is better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what you are not.
I saw the update on the news
I saw the update on the news tonight. They said something about the family members all thinking the boy was with the other. Just horrible! I was also thinking while I watched it how sad it was that the parents have not taught this boy his last name. How does a 5 year old not know his last name? Almost every 5 year old I've ever known has known their last name and usually a cell phone number of a parent. No matter what the excuse from the parents about how/why he was left, it's obvious they aren't doing their jobs as parents. However, this should be a wake up call to parents that it is crucial to teach your child his full name, telephone # and address by this age!
I saw this story this am
I saw this story this am when I was getting dressed. This is very sad but I can see how this could happen. That place is big and very confusing. And honestly it's very easy to think that a child is with another parent. For instance about 2 months or so ago my husband and I were in the mall with 4 of our 5 kids. I had the two oldest with me and thought my husband had the 2 youngest in a store. Very quickly (thank god) we realized that each other didn't and luckily I was able to scope out (mom vision) the 2 downstairs with a couple who were taking them to the customer service. I have never been so scared as I was in those 5-10 minutes. That shows how easy it is to say, "we are looking over here," and taking 2 with me and my husband thinking I have all the kids.
My kids are 5 and 7 y/o. Here's the thing, my daughter (7) is slightly autistic, so as far as knowing all the crucial information, she would have known her first and last name. My step-daughter (5) would have known her name and that's probably all as well.
"It's not to late to become who you've always wanted to be..."
Okay I can understand
Okay I can understand thinking that someone else has the child, but wouldn't it just be easier to do a head count to ensure nothing like this happens? And she waited 18 hours? Did she forget that she didn't kiss him goodnight and put him to bed, that he didn't get up in the morning and eat breakfast?
As for a 5 year old not knowing their last name. That's just freakin ridiculous! Hell, at 2 years old my cousin (now 21) knew her full name, the full names of her parents, her address, and her phone number.
It is better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what you are not.
I do agree with not knowing
I do agree with not knowing at least their last name lol...oh and both of our kids know the parents full name too.
"It's not to late to become who you've always wanted to be..."
Just so sad - it breaks my
Just so sad - it breaks my heart. I am sure he was so scared. It's hard to believe how this all has unfolded. Tragic.
LisaMommy is a 38 year old discussion leader for arizonamoms.com from the Paradise Valley/Scottsdale area. Her two boys are ages 7 months and 3 years old.
How can a mom........ leave
How can a mom........
leave someone so young behind. I could understand how you could think that he was with another relative but c'mon now. When I leave my kids with someone even if its with my mom or other family members I check in with them to make sure things are okay. I'm just glad that he wasn't left anywhere else or even left alone at home while the mom went out clubbing. Another disturbing story that I read....... Hope that things turn out for the better in this story.
This story just broke my
This story just broke my heart for that little boy with the big sad brown eyes! How do you forget your child??????? This is a child who I am sure still needs to be strapped into a booster seat and NO ONE noticed?? Give me a break
What 5 year old does not
What 5 year old does not even know his last name? Sounds like Mom is a slacker. My 3 yr old knows her first, middle, and last name and Mom and Dad's real names. She doesn't know her address yet or phone number but she will by the time she is 4.
DD 3 years old brand new baby Luke David born 6/9/08 9lb 1oz 21 1/2 inches long
Some people do not deserve
Some people do not deserve to have children. There should be a test or something/ If you don't make 70 or above... bang! your tubes get tied!!! Not to make a joke but we tried for 4 yrs to get pregnant and we would always talk about stuff like this.. It's sad!!!!
This story is heartbreaking!!!
Elizabeth is a discussion leader for arizonamoms she writes about everything from her needing mommy advice to crazy and silly stuff that happens. She lives in the West Valley with her husband and 3 children.