Abusive stupidity - couldn't believe what I saw

[HelloDenise]

Today I saw a family walking from an English Heritage attraction about teatime. They had a girl about 11 who was dressed in pyjamas and Crocs and who was crying. The man - I don't know if he is her father or mother's boyfriend - had stinging nettles in his hand and he kept slapping her with them. The woman and boy with them said and did nothing. I wish I'd said something now.

Some children endure hellish lives.

Is it somewhere there is CCTV? I would call the police frankly, IF you are sure of what you saw.

Well you should have said something. How could you ignore that and then come to mumsnet? Are you hoping to get a kicking so you feel less guilty?

I can check in the morning and report it if so.

Jesus that makes me feel sick, that poor girl. Please report it, someone needs to find her and protect her.

That's awful. I fell into stinging nettles as a child. Had to be picked up from school in the end, went home and sat in a cold bath. Awful.

Abusive stupidity? I find stupidity a very very odd word to use here. He’s not stupid. He’s abusive.

Never mind posting on Mumsnet, this needs calling into the police! That’s horrific abuse :(

I thought about that but they'd never be able to track them without CCTV. I'll do it though.

Oh that’s heartbreaking OP. I know it’s so hard to know what to do in the moment but please do report this. You’re doing the right thing reflecting on it and a phone call could make all the difference. That poor little girl…

I feel sick reading this. How can someone be so cruel to a child. Please report. I can't bear to think of that poor girl enduring that & probably worse.

He was doing this in public... imagine what he does at home with no one watching.

I've reported it online to the police and given a good description. Hopefully there'll be CCTV to find him.

It would be really lovely to know if you get any kind of positive response. That's so awful.

What’s also worrying is if the ‘mother’ and other kid seemed to not be reacting to this it’s obviously something that happens often ☹️ so so sad.

Glad to see you reported it in the end op.