Am i interfering unreasonably

[Amai]

A friend has left her husband to go to another country, and left the kids too. She left while the dad was away at work in another town and the kids 10 and 4 were in the house for a couple of days. A cleaner came in during the day and the land lord was close at hand but uninformed of the mothers decision to leave. The kids had to stay alone in the house at night for at least three nights which is how long the dad took to find out his wife had left. So as friends me and some others offered to take the kids when he went to work, today i found his kids had been sleeping alone again for two nights. I told him i would have them over and he agreed and I took them. Has he got his head screwed on right?

Children's Services need to be informed of this as a matter of urgency. Please do not delay hoping the situation will improve by itself. The fact that Dad has now knowingly left the children alone is worrying. Dad is clearly struggling to prioritise the children's needs and welfare. The 4 year old being unable to talk is also quite concerning unless there is an already known developmental delay. What's happening with their school attendance?

Op are you in the UK?

surely this isnt real

police and social services

Was also thinking, on reflection, this can't be real.

I hope this isn’t real because if it is then it’s a fucking scary place we live in if people really have done fuck all about this, and are asking if they should. I mean, really?

@Wooooooooaaaaaaaahhhhhhh Exactly my thoughts

If true...then wouldnt school have flagged up that the 10 year old had failed attend and no communication from parents?

You need to report this to SS. These children have been criminally neglected (in my non-legal opinion).

Has your friend been in touch to see how her DC are?

Are you sure the dm is gone abroad and that he hasn't murdered her or something. That sounds extreme but 8ts a very strange situation. Both parents are being totally neglectful.

So are the children with you and safe?!

Have you spoken to your 'friend' since this happened? Because if wife has upped and left kids to go to another country without saying anything about it and hubby is being secretive, then I'd be wondering if something more sinister was going on, like hubby had harmed the wife.

OP has been here since 2004 so unlikely to be a troll....

June: Are you sure the dm is gone abroad and that he hasn't murdered her or something. That sounds extreme but 8ts a very strange situation. Both parents are being totally neglectful.

I have to say I unfortunately know families where this has happened please call the police.
Geographically where are you (and I mean country/state/general area)

I really hope this isn't real, because I'm horrified that no one has called the police and social services if it is. These poor kids, and grown adults knowing and doing fuck all about it, other than ask the negligent father what help he would like.

Phone the police and social services. This is appalling.

I have to say I'm also wondering what's happened to the mother. This seems such an odd thing to do and the father's behaviour is bizarre. SS definitely.

june That’s exactly why I was asking about contact and if it was out of character......

What!? You need to phone SS now! Lots of things go on behind closed doors, leaving two children alone for days on end is not right! How are they cooking and having baths, do they switch on the heating? Poor children they need looking after properly full time.

Call the police not social services

Eh none of this makes sense. A 10 year old is more than capable of telling their Dad Mum isn't there. And how on earth did Dad not notice for 3 nights?

So the cleaner left them after knowing they were on their own?

If this is real, your friend is lying dead in a ditch somewhere. HTH.

I sincerely hope that the reason you haven’t been back is because you are now in contact with the police.

This is scary please ring the police OP.

This sounds like criminal neglect (by both the mother and the father). Since the children aren't in immediate danger I would call social services but the police are also a reasonable option. He isn't finding or asking for the help he needs to look after the kids. He can't be trusted with them without oversight and you can't do that.

ARe you in the UK? I'm surprised the cleaner didn't think something was up?