Child Forgotten at Chuck E Cheese

[dawbs]

I dunno, I've not forgotten little one yet, but I think of the inital forgetting as rather like the forgetting kids in a hot-car thing.

No, it shouldn't happen but sometimes, the human brain is a funny thing. WHich is why "tis is how we prevent it' is a gazillion times more useful than "oh, *judgement*, it could never happen to ME, I"m a good parent" (good parent =/= perfect parent)

My eyebrows are in my hairline, though, at not noticing until the NEXT morning.

[apple1]

I'm thinking that the family is following Duggarish child management, i.e. the (younger) birthday kid is being "raised" by older siblings, and not by the actual parent(s).

Not noticing until the NEXT DAY is what the largest red flag is.

[Lady]

I'm thinking that the family is following Duggarish child management, i.e. the (younger) birthday kid is being "raised" by older siblings, and not by the actual parent(s).

Not noticing until the NEXT DAY is what the largest red flag is.

Yes. I think it happens once to some parents. But they usually figure it out quickly and go back and get the kid. Not knowing all night is crazy.

I wonder what kind of effect this will have on the child. My sister was left in a restaurant (Mom thought Dad was taking her, Dad though Mom took her) for all of 20 minutes. For years she was terrified of being left somewhere, lost or abandoned. That was 20 minutes she watched cartoons in a bar, sipping a kiddy cocktail. I wonder what a night in a dark Chuck E Cheese would do.

[holierthanyou]

Wait a minute... you mean none of the Chuck E Cheez employees found her either? She was literally left alone in the building overnight??

[thoughtful]

Wait a minute... you mean none of the Chuck E Cheez employees found her either? She was literally left alone in the building overnight??

No, from what I've read:

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas ... 395824.php

An employee of the Chuck E. Cheese's at 3141 Silver Lake Village Drive in unincorporated Pearland called deputies about 10:50 p.m. after noticing the girl had been left behind, said Jeff Mink, an investigator at the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies arrived and could not locate the mother, and the child was taken into custody by Child Protective Services.

On Friday morning, the 32-year-old mother of 10 "realized she was missing her girl" and called 911.

[ShellyWelly]

I guess I could sort of see where a bleary-eyed, exhausted new parent could accidentally forget a child for a second. But someone with a shitload of kids? Nope, sorry. With that many kids, a headcount after leaving a public place should be standard routine. To not even notice one of your children missing for an entire evening is completely ridiculous.

[freejoytoo]

I can't believe she didn't notice until the next DAY. It's bad enough that she left her behind but how could she not realise for that long?

[Daisy4]

I can't believe they forgot her for a whole night!

My family once left me in a store in a city when we were on vacation. The six of us went into the store together, my dad left with one brother and my mom left with the other two. They both thought the other one had me. I freaked out and almost ran out of the store but the cashier told me they would come back. They saw each other down the street, realized I was missing and came right back.

Edited to fix autocorrect

[slickcat79]

And to leave her at a Chuck E. Cheese of all places :shock: You should be doing constant head counts in a place like that. With that many kids around at any given time, it would be easy for them to get separated. Also, even though they have a lot of measures in place to keep out the crazies, she could have just as easily been snatched by a pedophile. That would be exactly the type of place they like to operate.

[ladypuglover]

I guess I could sort of see where a bleary-eyed, exhausted new parent could accidentally forget a child for a second. But someone with a shitload of kids? Nope, sorry. With that many kids, a headcount after leaving a public place should be standard routine. To not even notice one of your children missing for an entire evening is completely ridiculous.

And that is why after being a horrible mother not once but twice we started doing the head count. To this day we do a head count and look at each face as we do it to make sure we have the right heads and 3 of my sons are grown adults. The oldest 2 keep saying, "Mom, we're grown ass adults and we have our own money and cars, quit counting us." Forgetting my son for a few seconds has haunted me for over 21 years. :(

[Hane]

And that is why after being a horrible mother not once but twice we started doing the head count. To this day we do a head count and look at each face as we do it to make sure we have the right heads and 3 of my sons are grown adults. The oldest 2 keep saying, "Mom, we're grown ass adults and we have our own money and cars, quit counting us." Forgetting my son for a few seconds has haunted me for over 21 years. :(

Time to forgive yourself, ladypuglover--your kids all have.

[ladypuglover]

Time to forgive yourself, ladypuglover--your kids all have.

I know, and they really have as Navy son keeps telling me that he would have never known if I hadn't told him but I still feel horrible. They do joke about it as a family joke but more to tease me out of it. Now they make sure I don't foget myself as I have done that but that's ok.

while I have forgotten myself or child I don't see how a mother could forget her child for over 24 hours. It's not like asking the toddler if daddy/mommy changed your diaper and Navy toddler saying yes while mom and dad are repainting the house and finding out that said toddler never was changed into a dry diaper. We are talking about not even seeing or talking to said child. How little do you have care for the child to notice that child isn't there?

[EmmieJ]

My mom forgot me, twice. Once, we were at our little neighborhood grade school and I was playing on the playground with another little kid. My mom, older brother, and the other kid's parent were in the school doing whatever. Then my mom and brother got in the car and began to drive home. The other mom comes around back to get her little kid and sees me and says, "oh no, your mom left without you." At which I burst into tears. LOL. The mom said "don't cry, we'll take you home" and we were just heading to the front parking lot when my mom and bro returned for me. Still, I felt abandoned :oops:

Another time, she didn't leave me, she just forgot that she was supposed to pick me up from soccer practice. Finally all the kids were picked up and I was all alone. Thank goodness, the school office was still open so I went in and called her, and she came to get me. I cried then too.

Where did the little girl stay overnight? Did Chuckie Cheese have no idea how to contact the party goers - I guess they paid cash and not by credit card. I don't care how many children you have, I would think at the very least, you'd do a head count and final tuck in for them at bedtime, certainly if they are only five years old.

[sassyNoz47]

It happens scary as it is!! Hasn't happened to me yet....I used to have nightmares about leaving a infant in a carrier on top of the car and driving off! No idea why cuz I never put a seat on top of the car but it was my constant night mare.

My cousin and I went out shopping one day she came and picked me up we drove to the next city and went to several little strip malls only really going into one store at the 3 we went to. It was about 2 hours after we left my house at the 3rd store we finally found what we wanted. She unlocked the car and started putting her stuff in the trunk while I put mine in the backseat.. I opened the door and found her newborn in his infant carseat! He was quiet and seemed to be asleep I started screaming I had no idea she had brought him. I thought he was gone..It was July...but thankgod a mild day for once. I have no idea how that baby ended up being ok but he was and my cousin was beside herself she never remembered taking him her dh had her other kids. Its been 15 yrs and she still cries when she thinks about that day.. but her memory is blank still she doesn't remember taking him and I sure hadn't heard him or looked back :( I think my cousin had gone so long on such little sleep her mind just wasn't with it! I'm living that life now my daughter sometimes goes 48 hours without sleeping and it really does mess with your head. I never have had a problem with memory loss but now I do during those days I haven't slept.

[Shirley MacLaine]

I got left several times - mostly because I was following behind or walking along with my parents, but would run off to look at something and they would just keep walking. I only remember being frightened about it once, when I realized I ended up lost at the ren faire. Of course, it was never for more than a couple hours before they found me.

[Tanaqui]

When I was about 10 my mother left me in the Container Store....and I'm her only child. It took her half an hour to realize I wasn't just sulking in the backseat. At least she said it was an accident.... :D

[QAF_Rocks]

On Friday morning, the 32-year-old mother of 10 "realized she was missing her girl" and called 911.

Holy cow. I know these people marry young, but I can't even imagine being 32 years old with ten children. If she keeps going at this rate, she'll catch up with the Duggars in no time. Michelle had eleven by the time she was 32, although (given the twins) only nine pregnancies.

[emmiedahl]

I forgot a child in the car once. We parked, walked into the fabric store, looked for a cart. Then I went to put the baby in the cart but WHERE IS THE FUCKING BABY????? In her carseat, napping of course. We ran back to the car. This incident took 2-3 minutes from start to finish but I was so shaken up we went home immediately, where I told my husband while bawling my eyes out. What if it had been hot or cold weather? What if I had forgotten her for a long time and she had woken up crying and alone? OMG, this upset me so much that I still check my car a few times before entering a store, I even sometimes call my husband to confirm that he indeed has three of the kids at home. I have serious mommy anxiety, but this definitely made it worse.

I cannot imagine forgetting a child that long! A little child like that, wouldn't the mother realize that she had not brushed her teeth or said evening prayers or been tucked in? Also, I do a head count before exiting the building and then again in the car whenever we leave an event like that. I know I have half as many children, but counting to ten does not take long. When we go to busy places the kids all wear the same bright color (except the teenager, but honestly he is old enough to stay with the group or call me if we are separated) and I constantly count. Last summer we went to a theme park with another family, with a total of 8 children. 5 of them under 5. As the only non-heights-lover, I spent a lot of the day alone with all the little ones, counting heads constantly.

[Koala]

And to leave her at a Chuck E. Cheese of all places :shock: You should be doing constant head counts in a place like that. With that many kids around at any given time, it would be easy for them to get separated. Also, even though they have a lot of measures in place to keep out the crazies, she could have just as easily been snatched by a pedophile. That would be exactly the type of place they like to operate.

I don't let my kids out of my sight at Chuck E. Cheese. Period.

[alphaeta08]

Holy cow. I know these people marry young, but I can't even imagine being 32 years old with ten children. If she keeps going at this rate, she'll catch up with the Duggars in no time. Michelle had eleven by the time she was 32, although (given the twins) only nine pregnancies.

I wondered about that, too! Even if this woman married at 18, that's still impressive pacing. I forget, have we confirmed this family as fundie or fundie lite, or is it just a random big family as far as we know?

[LilBit0318]

I forget, have we confirmed this family as fundie or fundie lite, or is it just a random big family as far as we know?

I sort of doubt she's fundie. What I've read says that she's a single mother, which would suggest she isn't.

[Constance Vigilance]

The article says the child is in the custody of CPS while the police decide whether to press charges. What a horrible, horrible end to your birthday.

Eight hours. Eight HOURS :shock:.

[Didi]

Wow... I can see driving away, I can even see getting home and then FLIPPING OUT! I cannot see not even noticing until the NEXT MORNING! Wow...

We have a close family friend whose 2 year old was asleep in the back seat, and she AND her 17 year old son forgot her was back there (it was one of those - they were going to the store and the 2 year old ran out as they were pulling away wanting to go with them (dad was home)) and when they came out of the store there were cops and stuff outside of her car and her poor baby was screaming inside. It has been 7 years and she still cries over it. :( She got charged and had to do probation or something.

There were several times my mom didn't know I wasn't home. but I don't THINK we have left anyone...well, maybe at church, but when you take 2 or 3 cars to church and 1/2 the time 1/2 the kids ride home with other people it happens... ;-) (never pre-cell phones... :))

[Didi]

"the little girl's mother, whose children range in age from two to 15"

So, if she is 32, and her oldest is 15 then my GUESS is she isn't fundy... and the name doesn't sound fundy to me :) Not that she couldn't be fundy and had her first at 17, but that's a lil' young even in fundydom :)

ETA - She noticed when getting the kids ready for school in the morning?? I could have understood the late night more if they WERE fundies because we always went late since we slept in the next day. If we went after 8pm it was dead and we could play lots and such. But, I agree that is odd if they had to get up the next day. (my siblings normal schedule growing up was in bed 11 - 12 and up 9 - 10 :) )

[Constance Vigilance]

Just thinking, if this lady has 10 kids, unless she's a millionaire they are surely sharing rooms. Did this kid happen to be one with a room to herself? Did she share with a younger sibling who would not notice/raise an alarm that she was missing? But then surely any kid younger than 5 needs to be put to bed, so an adult would be in the room to notice.

All quite weird. You need a lot of coincidences to not miss a child for eight hours.