We don’t know whether any child abuse took place. To even begin to answer that question you would need to know where this happened and be familiar with the case law for that state.
I’m very surprised any CPS worker would tell a parent it is okay to “slap” a child (#15). I spent a couple of years in Child Protective Services after getting my MSW. This young child was slapped in the face and then thrown into the car, according to the OP. Many child abuse reports are unfounded , just based on misunderstandings or differences in parenting styles. But what was described sounds like the parent really needs help (anger management, for instance) or more support .
If there is any chance from what you observed that this was not her father, possible kidnapping, etc. ?
Considering what happened to Lisa Steinberg back in the '80s and how many people saw signs of her being abused/neglected yet failed to do anything…or noticed signs of battering in Hedda Nussbaum and yet, did nothing was all over the news in my childhood…my inclination is to phone it in.
Thankfully, I’ve only had to do that once in my life so far…but better than than to do nothing and then later see the child heavily injured or even killed and feel the guilt from my inaction.
As a therapist who worked with children for a few decades I have had to call in many times.
While I needed to be part of the information it is really OK for pedestrians to call and not identify themselves.
Just block the call before you make it. It is far better to do that then not do anything.
My “I did nothing”–a mom and dad had their two little ones get into the car with no carseats and
drove away. I could have talked to them or I could have gotten the license.
I told my D as we drove away how responsible I would feel if I heard about them in the news.
@sevmom I did not see any indication that the child did not belong to the man. She was walking beside him, so I have to assume she arrived with him. That is not to say she belonged to him, but there was no commotion in the shopping area to lead me to believe she was taken, at least from there.
I wish I had left my parking space and followed his car out; that is the only was I would have been able to get the car make and model along with the tag number. I would have felt safe in my car and would have had no problem following him while calling the police; unfortunately, my reaction time was too slow.
Even if the police would have nothing, I would have felt better making the call. I actually called the police on my next door neighbor some 15 years ago. It was not unusual for him to come home in the wee hours of the morning driven by a friend and almost carried to the door. My bedroom window has a clear and close view of his front door and I am a light sleeper so would wake to the voices. One morning around 3:00 am, he had his 3 children out in the front yard, in their pj’s, barefoot, in November. He was making them one by one roll down the hill and then walk back up and do it again. The wife was standing on the driveway not saying a word. After I figured out what was going on, I called 911. By the time they arrived, I think they were all back in the house, but the police did talk to them for a while. I have no idea what, if anything happened after that as we never spoke to these people, other than the children on occasion if they were outside. I am pretty sure the wife and kids were afraid of the husband and knew to lie to the police.
Just thought I would share my day–
H went into a coffee shop driving down the mountain and parked me in the shade.
I heard a dog bark and looked at the car next to me and there is this little white dog bouncing
around the car. Then I notice that all of the windows are shut and there is one of those solve sunscreens in the
window. Of course had no idea how long the dog had already been there.
We waited 8 minutes and then asked at all the shops. Finally called the Sheriff and got the non emergency
people who sent a car out–but 30 minutes away. By this time a group of about 8 had gathered and one local
woman drove the 1/2 mile to the fire dept. and a retired police office who was a husband of one of the woman who
had joined us…
30 minutes later the firman arrived. The car had now been 1/2 in the sun and the dog is lying on the seat but
did not look distressed but no longer looking up at me as I try to talk to him.
The fireman says he cannot break in until the dog is distressed.
Now the owner–a steroid looking super idiot walks up and immediately tries to humor the crowd
that he only been gone 15 minutes. Man, did I light into him as I had been standing there for 30 already.
The fireman got the dog out and told us that the crowd was not helping. The ex cop got into an argument
with him --not sure what about but think he did not like the fireman saying that he could not break in.
I did speak loudly to the owner that he had wasted both the fire dept’s and the sheriffs dept’s time.
We were impressed that not one person who arrived while this was happening left until the owner showed
up. One shop owner told me she had a hammer if needed.
On June 25th, 2017 Oregon passed a law saying that a person who breaks into a car to save a child or an animal
who is in distress cannot be held liable. If that dog had panted with his tongue out I was ready to break the
window. Stupid owner. Good community. We owned a cabin there years ago.
@oregon101 Good for you. If nothing else this thread has inspired us to take action when in doubt.
I think I would have attempted to get a description of the car and plate and called to police to tell them what I had witnessed. I agree with others that it would be a bad idea to intervene in that particular situation. There may be situations where people should intervene. I think your conscience would tell you if that were the case.