Nosey-Self-Righteous-Neighbor calls Police screaming Child Abuse

This is not a YouTube vid..can someone embed for me??? Thanks!!!!!

I take this incident very personal....more about that later.

Here's the video

Google Video Link

...and here's the story in print...

Noses neighbor who lied gets Mom arrested...

Lindsey Cross the journalist for the story in print says this and I qoate....

When I used to pick my daughter up from daycare every day, I would drive through a small suburban neighborhood. And one house always had young children, all definitely under the age of ten, playing in the front yard Read more: mommyish.com...

Key words, " when I would drive threw a small suburban neighborhood "

She goes onto say...

I almost never saw a parent out in the front yard with them, but I did witness numerous times that the kids ran out into the street for a ball when cars were coming. I knew to slow down to a crawl when I passed the house because the children on scooters or bikes or big wheels could come into the street at any time. Read more: mommyish.com...

My question, how much do you really see driving by in a matter of seconds?

She then says,

Every day that I passed that house, I was angry. Read more: mommyish.com...

Ok, self-righteous indignation...I'll tell you why I feel that in a moment...here's more from Lindsey....

I didn’t know this family, but I used to imagine walking up to the front door and telling them off, because I honestly felt like those kids were in danger. I still wish that I would’ve called CPS to at least file a report and make them aware of the situation. Read more: mommyish.com...

Lindsey did not live in this neighborhood. Even if Lindsey was going 20mph it would still reduce the time Lindsey spent with these children daily to just mere seconds. How can you even make an informed opinion on anyone putting that much time in?

If she was really worried about these poor, smiling, playing children, she would have sat at the corner and took video of the irresponsible parents that would allow their children to play in the front yard. Or...she would have discussed the issue with her provider since the provider is the neighbor. She did niether according to her,

I didn’t know this family, but I used to imagine walking up to the front door and telling them off, because I honestly felt like those kids were in danger. I still wish that I would’ve called CPS to at least file a report and make them aware of the situation. Read more: mommyish.com...

Lindsey then says, ( not surprising these days with people...)

As a society, our communities are not nearly as strong as they used to be. Plenty of people don’t know the names of those who live around them. They don’t have relationships with them. It’s completely possible that Shelley Fuller and Tammy Cooper had never spoken a word to each other Read more: mommyish.com...

Exactly Lindsey!!! Don't sit there and preach to us when you cannot follow your own preaching sister!!! I find that totally offensive out of anyone.

Lindsey also says,

So while it’s easy to say that the concerned neighbor should speak to a parent themselves, it’s also easy to understand how intimidating such a talk would be.

True. So if you don't have the nerve to approach someone you have concerns with....write them a note. Call them on the phone. Don't be attacking and loud. Respect will normally calm any situation.

In my opinion...people don't want to do as I mentioned above because they themselves want the recognition. People love to stand on self-righteous ground and prove how pathetic you are and how much of a selfless hero they are.

My daughters are 19, and 17yrs of age now, obut I have 2 stories involving people just like the ones above. Attention seeking, self-righteous, entitled, people.

The first incident happened to us when we lived in Dunn, NC. My daughters were 9 and 7 and roller skating with their " black " friends after school on a beautiful fall day. They were all going around the block. As a Mother I would periodically stroll outside to see how much fun they were having and making sure all were staying out of trouble and following all the rules set forth so they all could remain as safe as children can be on skates. ( ha)

Coming home from work the next day I had a visit from CPS. The CPS worker was one of those rare gems that just got it. The reason I mentioned " black" friends in qoates was because that was one of the issues complained about. I couldn't believe it and still don't. And then the other issue I suppose was that they were all in a group roller skating together. The CPS found the whole complaint Un-founded of any wrong doing. No bruises other then from roller-skating and being kids. They were both happy, smiling, well adjusted children.

Wouldn't a case to be concerned about is the child in the streets, Un-kept, not smiling, wandering around aimlessly...(?) not 6 laughing and smiling and skating, clean, in a group ( stated ) children...(?)

Another incident this time in Leesburg VA. I took my girls down to the clinic to get their school physicals. My youngest daughter went first and btw, myself and my other daughter were in the same room. While the youngest was speaking to the Dr., the oldest and I read a short book. She sat quietly and respectfully. When it was my oldest turn to get on the table...btw..the kids are a year and a half older then the roller skating incident. So, my oldest is on the table and I have the youngest trying to pick out a book for us to read.

She's playing around instead of picking....I correct her. And I correct her. And I correct her. She's old enough to understand the words that are coming out my mouth. That's when I decided a more private talk between my youngest daughter and what is expected of her in regards to respecting her sister and me and herself was in order.

My daughters pony's tails were a dual tool. Up and out of the face and they look so cute, also it's a rudder. Most mom's will know what I mean when I say this but for those that don't...when you have a 6-7yr old kid that doesn't want to listen, you grab them gently but firmly by the pony tail/ rudder and in a forward motion you direct them to the area they need to be. In this case, the bathroom. My youngest never, cried, her feet never left the floor, she was not directed into either wall on either side of her ( in my mind she was...lol) We had our talk in the bathroom, she came out under her own influence, we walked back into the examining room and she smiled and read a book with me the rest of the time. She never cried 1 time. When we got into the bathroom, I came down to her level and explained how she was hurting Jamie's feelings by acting like she was. She was making Jamie feel less important.

She got it.

Continued....

The next day I had CPS at my door wanting to talk about my abusive behavior. Wowowowowowow!!!! I was so offended. Had I let my child continue to act like a monkey inside and at the Dr's no doubt I would have had the very same people roll their eyes at my incompetence at not being able to control my bratty children.

In a lot of cases reported its crap. It's a way for people to gain attention at how much of a great parent and person they are. If they didn't feel that way, they would write a letter to the person, sit down and respectfully talk to them...if that doesn't work...then you dial 911. But let's also make sure your reporting for the right reasons.

I know we don't live in a world like I did back in the 70's...me and my twin brother went every where together and I can certainly tell you without any hesitation....I didn't want my mom or dad hanging around when we were building a fort, fishing, playing house...ect...

We knew our woods like the back of our hands and at young ages. 6-on up. Obviously we knew our boundaries and you can bet most kids do to. As stated earlier ....people don't even know their neighbors. We're all so willing to feed a kid in Africa when kids are starving here....right next door to you! I bet most don't get nosey then. When your neighbor could probably use the help...you want to turn them in and make sure their life goes to complete hell because they don't live like you live. I've witnessed this to many times.

Racism isn't limited to black...Jew....ect. Racism is non- tolerance of the way another lives or feels. If you don't live like the almighty ones think you should, or act, or dress, you get the government called on yea for 1 reason or another. Both of my cases were unfounded and both workers thought they were silly.

Stop abusing this system...try to help people instead of trying to destroy them.

Look for the real signs of abuse....

You probably got on some type of "potential" abuser list.

People don't realize how much power CPS has. They talk about rights when they want to put you in jail but these same rights don't apply to having your children taken from you.

I would never and do not ever allow my children to play untended out side playing in the front yard or the park. EVER If my children want to play I escort them to the skate park or the playground and I stay until they are finished and want to go home I will even escort the other children on my way home as well, I feel i am a responsible parent who cares for the safety of my children 100% .

Not only that I am aware that pedos and child abductions happen in the streets parks and even your own front yard if you are not out side watching what is going and something bad happens you will NEVER forgive your self.


I am a proud house husband and care for the safety of my children. And would never leave them untended.

Americans are so bored with their own lives and their own children that they have to go around neighborhoods looking for other children's to look for and families to spy at.

I raised two children now adults, pedophiles has always been among us, accidents is part of growing up and children playing "modern parents" is actually part of the childhood experience.

Get over it and start taking care of you own and not the neighbor next door.

Lord have mercy people needs to find ways to spend their time better, than spying other neighbor's children.

The lady in the story needs to do volunteer work to keep herself busy.

reply to post by marg6043


I like the way you talk!! (lol) I really agree w/ what you said.

To the " proud " house-husband above you....lord. I really resent your holier then thou attitude. " because you care for your children" huh?

I'm here to tell you that you are not a better parent because you sit/ stand out in the front yard w/ your children. I think you should educate yourself on what's age appropriate and according to the mentality of your child. If you want to hover over your 12 yr olds while they play in your front yard...well...great and I'm sure they're saying the same thing.

I don't think anyone would send their 3 yr old over to the skate park and in particular the restroom area. You need to use your head as was my point when sticking your nose or attitude where it doesn't belong... Calling CPS for instance for the reasons and opinion outlined.

In this case your opinion and attitude are most welcome in this context. CPS deals w/ a lot of grudge calls and self- righteous nosey neighbors not using their head calls.

Your reply was self-righteous and ridiculous.

My kids play by themselves in my yard and ride their bikes out front all the time.

I give them boundries, time limits, I'm slowly letting them have independance......why is that bad?

My dad used to camp out in a ship graveyard with his brothers as kids younger then my two...no one called the police on his parents....its part of growing up, what kids used to be able to do...until the nanny state busy bodies creep in...

My kids shoot bb's, climb trees...no big deal...they been taught from the begining that they have to be responsable for their actions...I give them permission...when they screw up its revoked.....they always stay within their limits.

I did not say anywhere i am a better parent at all, I am a caring parent that cares for the safety of my children.



I don't hover I'm there to have fun as well, i play get on the rides and do all the things my kids do while i watch over them, You speak as though your children are a task and not a pleasure, I don't understand how you would not want to be out side playing around as well.

"As a Mother I would periodically stroll outside to see how much fun they were having and making sure all were staying out of trouble and following"

What is more important then the safety of your children may i ask..?

Originally posted by kat2684
My kids play by themselves in my yard and ride their bikes out front all the time.

I give them boundries, time limits, I'm slowly letting them have independance......why is that bad?

My dad used to camp out in a ship graveyard with his brothers as kids younger then my two...no one called the police on his parents....its part of growing up, what kids used to be able to do...until the nanny state busy bodies creep in...

My kids shoot bb's, climb trees...no big deal...they been taught from the begining that they have to be responsable for their actions...I give them permission...when they screw up its revoked.....they always stay within their limits.

Right on girl!!! You sound like me growing up. We had whittling knives at 8. Ha you give children boundaries and you trust they stay with-in them. Once boundaries are followed and age increases you have to give your chi,d room. To grow! Hell...kids can read by the age of 2!! They're not stupid...and with the right guidance and neighborhood watch...

This reminds me of kids getting so sickly over the years...I've often thought why and my humble opinion...parents don't let their kids eat dirt anymore!!! ( haha) they're constantly doing hand sanitizing, sanitize cloths, sprays, cleaners, soaps....kids don't know what a germ or worm is! Let them eat dirt..their immune system will thank-you!! Instead we're making 3month olds wear falsies for a beauty pageant.

Geezzzzzz

Originally posted by Legion2024
I did not say anywhere i am a better parent at all, I am a caring parent that cares for the safety of my children.



I don't hover I'm there to have fun as well, i play get on the rides and do all the things my kids do while i watch over them, You speak as though your children are a task and not a pleasure, I don't understand how you would not want to be out side playing around as well.

"As a Mother I would periodically stroll outside to see how much fun they were having and making sure all were staying out of trouble and following"

What is more important then the safety of your children may i ask..?

Wow...I'm floored by your ignorant comment!! When did I ever skim the topic of my children being a task and not a pleasure?? I started a topic concerning people that are calling CPS over self-righteous opinions. A women's children are playing in the front yard and she gets COS called on her?

People like these examples given, they are abusing the law itself. Not because they care, or did any investigating...its because they feel these kids are to young to be in their front yard w/ out their mother being out there with them. That's not abuse!! It's ridiculous and so is your comment.


Again..abuse of the system and people just making things up...like you...is abuse.

Originally posted by Legion2024
I would never and do not ever allow my children to play untended out side playing in the front yard or the park. EVER If my children want to play I escort them to the skate park or the playground and I stay until they are finished and want to go home I will even escort the other children on my way home as well, I feel i am a responsible parent who cares for the safety of my children 100% .

Not only that I am aware that pedos and child abductions happen in the streets parks and even your own front yard if you are not out side watching what is going and something bad happens you will NEVER forgive your self.


I am a proud house husband and care for the safety of my children. And would never leave them untended.

Are you saying that all children these days shouldn't be allowed to play unsupervised? You made a flat out statement but never mentioned ages or other variables.

Once my daughter was mature enough, she ran all over the neighborhood with her friends. We even have a nice local park across the street just for our small neighborhood. It runs the entire length of 2 streets and borders back yards. We all donate to keep it up. I think the neighborhood makes a difference also. We have one of those neighborhoods that the children get brought in by the van full for Holloween.

I used to think that I was an over protective parent. Obviously things are getting out of hand these days. Children need free spirited play. Otherwise they are locked up in their houses getting fat playing video games etc. Can't every one here remember the days of playing in the woods? Going to the candy store for the first time with your friends? The imagination that took place as you ran down the sidewalk wearing your grandmas old fashioned dress and high heels? Heck one time I would have made Scarlett Ohara proud. I ran down the street wearing curtains imagining them to be a ball gown. Let children be children!

Tracy i am going to post something that i have never made public before in any context,

My sister was the same kids out the front playing, she would get up and check on them as well, it took less then 20secs and my nephew was taken. Tracy i am not going in to full detail but yes hes beautiful life was taken from us all at 14yo.

for 6months my sister repeated over and over "If only i had spent the time to watch over them"

Sadly Tracy my sister took her own life as well.

I am sorry for what I typed Tracy I shouldn't have.

To the above 4 to 14 I have 4 children as for other variables kids are kids.

reply to post by elouina



Great reply. And that's just it...even if people do not allow their children the freedom...age appropriate they should not abuse the CPS system being nosy and that's it. No proof...no time given to investigate...and I'm speaking of the examples listed.

I think a lot would argue pedofiles, kidnappers ect. Well, I believe you must trust that the class's you got your children on defense and all the talks you've had along with school and stranger danger...ect...you have got to trust that hopefully this time when stepping off the curb..your child remembers lessons learned. After all...they can only use the tools you've given them.

When my youngest daughter was 11yrs old...she went down to the neighbors house...3 houses down to get something for a costume. 10 mins went bye and still no Sam. I didn't have a panic feeling to go outside but I had that feeling to go outside. As I hit the street, I see a guy sitting all the way across to the passengers window talking w/ my daughter as she's backing up. A neighbor was riding towards me to check the situation out as his wife and thier neighbors stood out in their drive-ways.

When my eyes connected to the guys on the bike I screamed get his plate!! He did a u-turn and the guy jammed it home. To make a long story short...because the cops wouldn't put a BOLO..( he was taking pics of Sam as she was backing up and trying to ask her questions) they didn't catch the man in the red pick-up truck until a year later when they cornered him on a property and he ended up killing himself.

Again...kids are only as good as the tools you give them to live. You cannot be up thier ass 24/7 and I don't care how " up their ass " you say you are. because of the tools I gave my daughter and the program my neighborhood had...all was well that day.

Again..thanks for the reply..excellent points made

Originally posted by Legion2024
I would never and do not ever allow my children to play untended out side playing in the front yard or the park. EVER If my children want to play I escort them to the skate park or the playground and I stay until they are finished and want to go home I will even escort the other children on my way home as well, I feel i am a responsible parent who cares for the safety of my children 100% .

Not only that I am aware that pedos and child abductions happen in the streets parks and even your own front yard if you are not out side watching what is going and something bad happens you will NEVER forgive your self.


I am a proud house husband and care for the safety of my children. And would never leave them untended.

I have often wondered why children today are so void of strength and character. Your post kinda opened my eyes. Growing up we would play until the street lights came on in the neighborhood. We would drink from the hose and we grew up strong and happy. We were allowed to be kids.



Don't get me wrong---- would I let my 6 year old play in the park alone? NO . And parents wonder why there thirty year old still lives in the basement.

Sub don't get me wrong I don't stop my kids doing what kids do best, in fact I'm right beside them having fun as well. broken bones splinters stuck in trees and yes on one occasion i was stuck in one as well and yes all the kids in the neighborhood were laughing at me. "I wasn't stuck but they thought i was" and I'm sticking to that. and yes drinking out of the hose is just the best after a day playing.

Just because i supervise my children does not mean i stop them from being kids. They call me the biggest kid and my wife often comments my kids are supervising me.

My own mother was playing at the park as a child [she was nine yrs of age], there was another little girl there with her father and he was pushing them both on the swing. Thing is, he kept pushing my mother until she went the entire what--180-- the swing stopped mid-air and down she came on the bar [holding the swings]. The man took his own daughter and left my mother laying there. The garbage men found my mother some time later and the ambulance was called. It took surgery [metal plates] and body casts for ten months to heal. She had metal plates in one leg all of her life.

(obviously she was not my mother yet--lol)

My mother had pain in her legs her entire life, but worked two jobs and raised 4 kids alone. I asked her if she knew who that man was and if he were still alive, if she ever saw him.. it was a very small town, and she answered yes. But she would never tell me who he was.. I think she knew that I would hurt him and end up getting myself in trouble.

Now I know that not all men who take their children to the park are bad guys.. of course, but not all are good guys either.

Arm your kids well, but know they are still unarmed in most cases against full grown evil. And though we can't be there 24/7 (usually), even if we were, as humans we get distracted and things can happen. But I agree that there is abuse in the system and anyone can report for any reason..even a disgruntled nieghbor/friend has the ability to ruin lives.

reply to post by tracehd1


Hey tracehd1,

I was one of those sickly children never allowed out my mothers eye sight.....never allowed to get dirty.....never allowed to play with kids (because all considered a bad influence) I never had a real childhood.....I would never do that to my kids.

As I said on another post, my kids are fit, they are very healthy, they never get sick, if you feed them right and let them grow up natural....they'll be ok.....people forget that children very small use to have huge responsabilities back in the day......and unfortunately today many kids are being handled with gloves.

reply to post by tracehd1


We have a similar situation in the UK with Social Services.

We are living in an age where there is apparently some kind of text book to raising your own children, and if you don't conform to those rules you are automatically deemed to be an irresponsible parent.

The UK Social Services in many areas are under immense pressure because of the number of cases each worker deals with, but so many of them are completely pointless, created because the parent doesn't meet the textbook requirements of a trainee just out of training with a hundred factors on a list to work from.

This is why real cases are often overlooked. They justify their existence and job through meddling in peoples lives where it's not wanted or required, and then genuine cases are completely ignored until a death occurs.

Of course, these same people have no idea of the poverty line either. Poverty is increasing, and in many countries entire neighborhoods of children should be under the care of the state if they go by their own textbooks. But they're not, because they focus on cases where someone reports something.

These nosey "professionals" could walk into any house on any street and probably find several indicators that their own training and textbook model tells them should be investigated, but they have cases handed to them by women like this - and that's what they focus on. Once you're in the sights of these do-gooder's you're a suspect to be analyzed and monitored.

I have no doubt that there are a lot of well-meaning people working in these services. But it's interesting to note that (here in the UK at least) they have such a high turnover of staff a social worker seems to only last a couple of years before they get out. I suspect that 90% of the time that's because they realize that their own training is useless when it comes to assessing the parenting of others. No parent fits a textbook model.

And yes, I have had experience of this in the UK. My sister took her kids and fled from a violent partner, and then for ten years she had to fight to get her kids back from the system - a system where one of the children was handed over to an abuser too.

Other members of the family had to be "vetted" by the system to see her kids too, suggesting that everyone was guilty of something (even my mother!).

It's a f'up system, wherever you are, created by ignoramuses who think every child should be raised to some idealistic impression of what childhood is.

I also want to comment that we live in a time of 24 hour news, and reports of kids being harmed might seem like some kind of pandemic, but it's not.

Yes, parents are always going to fear for their children, and that is inevitably going to result in some parents wrapping their kids up in bubble wrap and locking them in a padded room for their own safety. But I think it's sensible to consider how many kids there are in the world at any given time, and how often there is a real incident.

The chances of your children being harmed by another person are negligible. I know that doesn't make parents feel better, but I think some common sense is needed and people need to stop treating every single stranger on the planet as a potential pedo.

A balance is needed between being responsible and allowing your child to have experiences.

I grew up with freedom, I made mistakes, but I survived quite easily. I had friends who were not so lucky and even as a teen one of my friends was so restricted and monitored he never had the chance to make any mistakes - and he started making them all when he was 18 instead, only worse.

personaly the currant version of child protection services needs to be scrapped. all that i normally see is families broken up for no good reason (heck most of the time fraudulent claims from outside people and parents in a divorce). yet at the same time they can apparently never do anything in real abuse situations due to weird rules.

in the case in the OP, what should have happened is maybe someone watch for a few weeks and only do anything IF a real hazardous thing happens. but as i said the system is screwed up, i imagine that cps doesn't have the TIME or INCLINATION to do something like that. they seem to prefer just crashing in at the slightest hint of an issue totally destroying the family. i sometimes wonder if that is the real purpose of cps, to destroy good families so that the government can then send them to people who will program said kids in the way that the government wishes ie: no real moral/family values values.

sadly i know adults who had been brought up in an orphanage. they actually have to be TAUGHT how to care for a child of their own. just shows a family is always best. cps should ONLY remove a child that is is REAL DANGER, not just storm in because someone said so without a proper investigation. in a situation where the complainant lied then that complainant should be tossed in jail for several years for interfering with a family. in this case i hope she takes the complainant for everything she has plus a couple mill from the police. maybe that would teach people to mind their own business, and the police from overstepping their bounds.