Originally posted by RR
Originally posted by Byrd
I suspected it would end that way. She was friendly and naive, and broke one of the prime rules of being in a different area... stay with your
group.
I'm sad for her parents. What a horrible thing to have happen to your child.
Maybe you are naive, who in their right mind would just up and leave with a bunch of unknown locals?
Well, just about every teen I've ever known. You're with people from that particular area, they know some "cool places" and you trot off with
them (without taking your friends, or telling folks) to see something neat like a haunted lighthouse.
Heck, lots of adults would do it, too. Friendly people sometimes trust too easily.
She was most likely looking for something and thought she'd found it but, unfortunately, she found a bunch of animals instead. And on top of
that where were the so-called chaperones? I tell you where they were, they were sitting in the same bar she was, drinking just like she was and
because of that they didn't see her leave with a bunch of animals who did EXACTLY what animals do. It's sad she got killed but it is probably more
naive to think she was completely innocent in all of this...
I'm probably a bit more paranoid than most parents, and I've likely traveled more. When my daughter went off to DC on a school trip, I did sit down
with her and warn her about staying with the group and that it was irresponsible to head off without telling folks where she was going and who she was
with.
Of course, I made them do that at home, too.
It's simple safety. I realize that most people probably don't think of these things, but I can be terribly paranoid where my family (or people
under my responsibility) are concerned.
Her poor parents. Imagine, having to identify your child's body (actually, I don't have to imagine that. One of my coworkers' sons drowned about
12 years ago and the poor parents were too overwhelmed to make the identification. I made the ID on their behalf since I knew the kid.)
We, as parents, need to teach our kids some common sense... like not going off with new people without telling friends or family who you're going
with and when you'll be back. If the ones who lured her out and killed her had heard her telling everyone "I'm going with these guys and I'll be
back by midnight," it might have been just enough to keep them from carrying out their attack.
And she might have gone and come back in perfect safety.
