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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have rung the police?

67 replies

indiewitch · 09/10/2010 22:55

Had an incident in the local park today, two older (probably about 10) boys tried to walk my two year old away from me. It's happened before and they're not trying to play with her, they're trying to lead her away. I just snapped. Shouted at them and they walked away and I rang the police. Have I over-reacted?

OP posts:
JoanHolloway · 09/10/2010 23:20

So, they've tried to take your toddler on a walk three times before? Whilst she's with a parent?

scottishmummy · 09/10/2010 23:25

perhaps lets not call James Bulger.not necessarily comparable

Original poster
indiewitch · 09/10/2010 23:25

I have name changed recently (for Halloween), I've been Indie... for a while though.
I don't have a problem with children wanting to play with my dd though, I mean, that's part of why we go to the play ground, so she can socialise. It's the way they were doing it, it wasn't trying to play.
And as for 'leading her to where', I wasn't about to hang around watching to see where they went.

OP posts:
Original poster
indiewitch · 09/10/2010 23:26

The first two times it was one of the boys and an older girl. Today same boy, another boy and older girl was other side of the playground.

OP posts:
peggotty · 09/10/2010 23:27

Sorry, but I'm a bit Hmm about this too. You're saying it's happened 3 times with the same boys, twice with your dh there, (who thinks you're overreacting), and the police weren't particularly helpful either?

Original poster
indiewitch · 09/10/2010 23:28

Police were fine, there isn't a lot they can do. And first two times, it was just disconcerting, today seemed more sinister somehow.

OP posts:
trippingthelightfandanjo · 09/10/2010 23:29

So the same 2 ten year olds have targetted your toddler on 3 separate occasions? If so, I would hope the police take you very seriously.

Have any other families in the area reported anything similar? Do you know these older children? It does all sound very strange.

booooooooooyhoo · 09/10/2010 23:30

wasn't james bulger taken from a shopping centre though?

i think it's quite reasonable to believe that in the space of however many years ago that was that something similar could happen again without the OP having to amke it up.

booooooooooyhoo · 09/10/2010 23:32

plus the fact that the JB case has been in the news recently (due to one of the boys identity being revealed/at risk) could have put ideas in these two lads' heads.

JoanHolloway · 09/10/2010 23:32

But, the same group of children have tried to walk your small daughter out of the playpark, in your presence, three times? That's right? How do the police know who they are to talk to their parents? Did the police come to the park? Did the kids stick around? Did the police know who they were from your description? What follow up is there going to be - did they say?

AliceInHerPartyDress · 09/10/2010 23:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
indiewitch · 09/10/2010 23:32

No I don't know them. Police did take it seriously, they took all my details and said they would visit the parents. Hubby says I was over-reacting to have called police, he thinks I should have shouted at them and left it as they walked away. He agrees their behaviour is dodgy and unnerving though.

OP posts:
booooooooooyhoo · 09/10/2010 23:33

were they known to the police? how do they know where to find teh parents?

scottishmummy · 09/10/2010 23:33

this is incomparable to James bulger.and comparisons arent helpful

random minors abducting child isnt same as allegedly local children in close proximity to child

Original poster
indiewitch · 09/10/2010 23:34

They stayed in the park, police arrived, spoke to me, spoke to them, came back to me and said they would talk to their parents.
I've no idea who they are, area too big to know all children.

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 09/10/2010 23:36

i ask where they were leading to to build a picture

leading to baby swings? the slide? to wooded area away from playground? where were they headed? same place each time.....if it was 3 times,were they just targetting your child? others?

MoralDefective · 09/10/2010 23:36

Very odd....all of it Hmm

AliceInHerPartyDress · 09/10/2010 23:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

booooooooooyhoo · 09/10/2010 23:38

SM that was the point i was making, it isn't the same, which is what i think other posters were trying to imply. as in OP was copycatting as a wind up.

Dione · 09/10/2010 23:40

YADNBU. At worst you have notified the police to a potential problem, at best you have averted a serious problem. I think you would have fretted about and regretted your decision had you not.

angelberry · 09/10/2010 23:41

This is odd. I can't decide if they're taking your child to play and you're a drama queen, or they're would-be child abductors and you've seriously underreacted twice.
You need to give us more details.

scottishmummy · 09/10/2010 23:43

why do you take dd to same park after all this

hmc · 09/10/2010 23:44

Oh come on SM - why should she avoid using the local park? Also 2 year old is under constant supervision.

BitOfFun · 09/10/2010 23:47

If the police have followed it up, I would have called them and found out what they did.

loopyloops · 09/10/2010 23:47

Well, I think you clearly did the right thing.

When you say it obviously wasn't to play, but to lead her away, where do you think they were leading her? Out of the park? What did they say when you told them off? What have you/DH said previously?

Sadly, things like JB mean that we have to be more vigilant as parents. You have done the right thing, don't worry.

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