Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Urgent help

91 replies

PrincessSakura · 05/01/2025 00:07

Young person has knocked at my home needing directions, as it’s late there are no buses or trains running.
Would you offer to drive them home?

I’m wondering if we can get a name and some details of how they got here etc and reporting to 101 but I don’t want to scare them and risk them being in danger/left out in the cold all night.

Help!

OP posts:
Hyperquiet · 05/01/2025 00:21

Give then something warm to wear

RosesAndHellebores · 05/01/2025 00:21

Blanket, hot drink and tell them you are calling the police for assistance and the police will help them get home. If they disappear as you go to call, then you know they are up to no good.

user1492757084 · 05/01/2025 00:22

Make them a hot drink and some toast to have on the porch while they await their lift from their parent.

BeforeIforget · 05/01/2025 00:23

Have you not seen the film The strangers?! I wouldn’t be answering the door to anyone this time of night.

user1492757084 · 05/01/2025 00:25

I would also ring the local police and give them all the details -your address, the person's name and what you are intending to do.

Falafelolive · 05/01/2025 00:26

If they're on their own and 15-16 I would take them home, if it's not too far. I'd invite them in also, if my DP was there too. It's too cold to be waiting outside.
I found a girl aged about 15 walking along a very remote dark country road in the small hours once, in inappropriate clothing for the weather. I stopped for her and picked her up - she told me her boyfriend had dumped her there from his car after an argument. I took her back to get home which was around five miles away.
If that was my child I would hope someone would be kind to them (I appreciate you are being).

NewYearSameOldSameOld · 05/01/2025 00:27

Not that little shit Mizzy is it?

Tahlbias · 05/01/2025 00:28

Following

Original poster
PrincessSakura · 05/01/2025 00:31

Ok, we’ve got some info, I won’t go into it but getting everything sorted and contacting the police to help.

OP posts:
mummy3456 · 05/01/2025 00:32

Bit sad to leave a 15yo on the porch. Your DH is home. Call the police and let them sort it, but let the poor bugger in. Just the front room and check you've loched the back door.

rockingbird · 05/01/2025 00:32

Goodness me, that is worrying!! They have knocked on your door which is most definitely a cry for help. I hope it works out ok. It's cold and very late to be out at that age.. assuming they have no phone battery or signal I would be inclined to let them in and call for help - parents/police.

Original poster
PrincessSakura · 05/01/2025 00:37

We haven’t left them outside, they are safe warm and dry!

OP posts:
Randomontheinternet25 · 05/01/2025 00:39

Hope you all get sorted soon it's pretty late for everyone .

Redwinedaze · 05/01/2025 00:43

Well done for helping @PrincessSakura @Falafelolive i would also have done the same.

Falafelolive · 05/01/2025 00:44

Well done for helping them

Rachel1509 · 05/01/2025 00:54

You’ve done the right thing - in case of emergency ask mumsnet for advice

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 05/01/2025 01:01

Glad you are helping them. I'd offer to charge their phone if you have the same charger. I'd offer to ring parents to pick up / organise taxi.

Saphire123 · 05/01/2025 01:04

PrincessSakura · 05/01/2025 00:37

We haven’t left them outside, they are safe warm and dry!

You have not turned your back on them as many would, you sound great.
I hope if it was my kid in trouble, they would find someone like you.x

FiveTreeHill · 05/01/2025 01:14

A 15/16yo knocking on a strangers door to ask for directions is either a massive cry for help or a distraction technique.

catphone · 05/01/2025 01:20

The police will probably take them back home in my experience, even if they say that their parents have been emotionally abusing them, the police usually just recommend a parenting course or say that parents are stressed

Original poster
PrincessSakura · 05/01/2025 01:42

They are speaking with the police now.
We can’t do anymore than we have and I feel absolutely awful for them, no child should be in this position.

OP posts:
AngelicKaty · 05/01/2025 01:44

Great job @PrincessSakura 🤗

ChicLilacSeal · 05/01/2025 02:45

PrincessSakura · 05/01/2025 01:42

They are speaking with the police now.
We can’t do anymore than we have and I feel absolutely awful for them, no child should be in this position.

Awwww, that's so awful. Poor child. There are far too many children who have bad childhood. It's really heartbreaking. Have you given them a nice hot drink?

ShalalaIa · 05/01/2025 03:11

Everyone is worried about their own safety, but to have a child knock at your door is more worrying, and you have a man wirh you so you are safer than the child IMO. Imagine if this was the child messaging here and saying they were alone outside with no means to get home, we would all be saying find a friendly looking house and knock on the door wouldn't we?
@PrincessSakura thank you for helping them

Mudflaps · 05/01/2025 05:34

Many years ago my father was up late watching telly when there was a knock on the kitchen window, considering we lived in a very rural area he got a fright to say the least, it was mid winter, snowing and extremely cold and you'd certainly not be expecting a visitor at that time.
It was a young woman aged in her early twenties, she was soaked, crying and later we realised bruised but my father still got my mother out of bed before he answered the door. It turned out her boyfriend had thrown her out of his car after an argument about him drinking and driving while on the way home after a night out, she'd walked about 4 miles looking for a house with a light on, there were very few houses in the area. My mother got dry clothes for her and she used their phone (pre mobile phones) to call her mother, when she put my father on the phone to explain where we lived it turned out the girls mother and my father had gone to school together (rural Ireland, very typical). My fathers take on it all was -"its a good job there was a Clint Eastwood film on or I would have been in bed".