[Brighton] Reports of ‘child abduction’ from Churchill Square...

[ozzygull]

Dare I open my mouth for fear of being abused by some...

But do you not think it's a bit odd... If a child was acting up and didn't want to go home, so was picked up and marched home by their mother, no one would bat an eyelid - but because it's a guy, it's abduction... Massive waste of police time (whether made in good faith or not) - why did said person who reported it, not run and stop the 'abductor' before he got away with youngster - leaving numerous swaths of police resources including a helicopter being called out, because someone took their child home...

Also, wtf is that CCTV image...

Unfortunately because most child abductions are carried out by men, so people will be more naturally fearful if they see a man doing something. Of course women can do bad things but mainly it is men. So all the men that have done bad things in the past are to blame for this reaction, not the people feeling worried.

 

[Weststander]

There's only one thing more horrific than the moment you realise your young child is not where you thought they were and you fear the worst.

And that's being out in public, somewhere like Churchill Square, when your young child starts kicking off.

Our then 11 year old wandered off at Disneyworld Animal Kingdom, gone in a second, and wasn’t found for the best part of an hour. Headstrong, she’d unilaterally decided that she was going to do the Everest Expedition rollercoaster again.

My immediate reaction was to head to the park exit gates to survey everyone leaving, whilst my wife stayed put.

That was bloody stressful!

 

[zeemeeuw]

As a baby, my Mother once left me outside a shop in Churchill Square, which was a done thing (apparently) in the early 70s. What was not so much done was being halfway home on the bus before she remembered .... she rushed back to find me still there (and not a police helicopter in sight). Guess there wasn't hoards of nonces wandering the streets in those days.

 

[Insel affe]

As a baby, my Mother once left me outside a shop in Churchill Square, which was a done thing (apparently) in the early 70s. What was not so much done was being halfway home on the bus before she remembered .... she rushed back to find me still there (and not a police helicopter in sight). Guess there wasn't hoards of nonces wandering the streets in those days.

Think again you were very lucky.

 

[Easy 10]

As a baby, my Mother once left me outside a shop in Churchill Square, which was a done thing (apparently) in the early 70s. What was not so much done was being halfway home on the bus before she remembered .... she rushed back to find me still there (and not a police helicopter in sight). Guess there wasn't hoards of nonces wandering the streets in those days.

Either that, or you were a really ugly baby.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

The real crime here was the husband was asked to go shopping and the secondary crime was her indoors made him take the 3 year old.

 

[Jimmehh]

If that had been a motorist straying 2 inches into a box junction the clarity would have been full HD...
Priorities eh?..

Exactly...

 

[Jimmehh]

Unfortunately because most child abductions are carried out by men, so people will be more naturally fearful if they see a man doing something. Of course women can do bad things but mainly it is men. So all the men that have done bad things in the past are to blame for this reaction, not the people feeling worried.

I totally understand people being worried - and fair enough, if they were, they did the right thing..

However, what I am saying is, if this was a woman, no one would call the police... and if they are/were truly worried about this poor child being abducted, don't just phone the police, do something to stop the person... otherwise why bother - in the future, if it's a really case of an abduction, that poor child could have numerous things happen to them before they are found...

Men aren't to blame - people reading a book by its cover are to blame.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

why did said person who reported it, not run and stop the 'abductor' before he got away with youngster

Let's, for example, assume the person with the suspicion is a 92 year old woman with mobility issues. How would this scenario play out?

 

[Jimmehh]

Let's, for example, assume the person with the suspicion is a 92 year old woman with mobility issues. How would this scenario play out?

There are people that could be called upon in that situation.

A simple shout in the direction can cause people to look and pay more attention to what is going on around them.

 

[father_and_son]

As a baby, my Mother once left me outside a shop in Churchill Square, which was a done thing (apparently) in the early 70s. What was not so much done was being halfway home on the bus before she remembered .... she rushed back to find me still there (and not a police helicopter in sight). Guess there wasn't hoards of nonces wandering the streets in those days.

No... they were all on the telly fixing it or being leader of the gang or some such!

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

There are people that could be called upon in that situation.

A simple shout in the direction can cause people to look and pay more attention to what is going on around them.

So, something like "THAT MAN IS TAKING THAT CHILD!!!!!!" ?

Yeah, that will go BRILLIANTLY. Do you think people will be reasoned and calmly walk up to the man and politely ask him if he is an abductor? Or do you think some people would PILE IN on the 'abductor' before anything's been proven? Based on the fact that, in an article where the police were simply seeking information, you had people immediately calling him every slang word going, I don't trust this to be a sensible move.

I think I'd go for calling the police.

 

[Whitechapel]

There are people that could be called upon in that situation.

A simple shout in the direction can cause people to look and pay more attention to what is going on around them.

What if she’d lost her voice?

 

[Jimmehh]

What if she’d lost her voice?

now you're just being bloody obtuse

 

[ozzygull]

I totally understand people being worried - and fair enough, if they were, they did the right thing..

However, what I am saying is, if this was a woman, no one would call the police... and if they are/were truly worried about this poor child being abducted, don't just phone the police, do something to stop the person... otherwise why bother - in the future, if it's a really case of an abduction, that poor child could have numerous things happen to them before they are found...

Men aren't to blame - people reading a book by its cover are to blame.

As I tried to explain I am not blaming all men just the ones that have done bad things in the past for this reaction. As bad people do not wander around with an arrow above them pointing them out and look like everyone else. People are told to report anything they feel is suspicious to the the police. Maybe they did think it is probably just a relative, but reported it to be sure.

I remember watching a program on the abduction of James Bulgar, people who saw the little boy with the other two and thought it looked odd but did not report it they have had sleepless nights knowing they could have stopped it. It's a very difficult decision to make.

 

[Postman Pat]

Our then 11 year old wandered off at Disneyworld Animal Kingdom, gone in a second, and wasn’t found for the best part of an hour. Headstrong, she’d unilaterally decided that she was going to do the Everest Expedition rollercoaster again.

My immediate reaction was to head to the park exit gates to survey everyone leaving, whilst my wife stayed put.

That was bloody stressful!

We were on a caravan holiday, my wife had just had a shower and was getting dressed, I went to have a shower and left our 4/5 year old son on the sofa watching TV. Whilst I was getting undressed my wife came back into the bedroom and asked where our son was. I rushed out and he had vanished. Lots of running around outside and shouting and knocking on neighboring caravans to ask if they had seen my son.

What seemed like an eternity later (probably 10 mins max) he opened one of the cupboards he'd been hiding in and said "here I am" he had decided to play hide and seek, but not actually mention it to us. Felt physically sick for a good hour afterwards.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

We were on a caravan holiday, my wife had just had a shower and was getting dressed, I went to have a shower and left our 4/5 year old son on the sofa watching TV. Whilst I was getting undressed my wife came back into the bedroom and asked where our son was. I rushed out and he had vanished. Lots of running around outside and shouting and knocking on neighboring caravans to ask if they had seen my son.

What seemed like an eternity later (probably 10 mins max) he opened one of the cupboards he'd been hiding in and said "here I am" he had decided to play hide and seek, but not actually mention it to us. Felt physically sick for a good hour afterwards.

A happy ending. There’s still hope for the McCanns I guess?

 

[Insel affe]

A happy ending. There’s still hope for the McCanns I guess?

Doubt it, It was a hire car wasn't it ?

 

[The Clamp]

A happy ending. There’s still hope for the McCanns I guess?

Not yet, couple more books to get out before they find her.