"hero" student finds toddler wandering the streets

brianb10 · 20-03-2014 11:36pm #1

Looking at the breakingnews.ie facebook page that showed a picture of the student who rang the guards when he found a toddler walking on the street at 2am.

there are thousands of comments saying what a hero he is, guardian angel, what a guy etc etc

I mean, luckily enough he came across the kid before he had ran out onto the road but what else was he going to do? Leave him there and do nothing?

I don't think there is a single person in the country who wouldn't have stopped and rang the guards.

Has society gotten that bad that a completely normal reaction that 99.99999% of people would do is hailed as that of a hero?!!!

jamesbondings · 20-03-2014 11:38pm

I agree, dont get me wrong, he DID do the right thing but in that situation anyone would, wouldnt they??

Femme_Fatale · 20-03-2014 11:39pm

I don't know that it's meant literally - just "Thank fook the kid is safe."

dmc17 · 20-03-2014 11:41pm

I saved someone's life today....................... by not running them over at a zebra crossing.

purplecow1977 · 20-03-2014 11:41pm

How a child of that age leaves a house just like that is beyond me.

Common sense cannot be taken for granted in today's world!

BMJD · 20-03-2014 11:42pm

purplecow1977 wrote: »

How a child of that age leaves a house just like that is beyond me.

The door, handy yokes.

brianb10 · 20-03-2014 11:42pm

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I don't know that it's meant literally - just "Thank fook the kid is safe."

No, they mean it alright!!

Some of the comments:

what a hero
He deserves a medal
what a great guy, well brought up
his parents should be proud!

The Backwards Man · 20-03-2014 11:44pm

Unfortunately, there are all too many people who would just walk on by, and the 'hero' tag is becoming a lot more apt than it ever should.

Degag · 20-03-2014 11:45pm

"Hero" may be a bit OTT but I'd say you would be surprised at the amount of people who would drive on by. Credit where credit is due IMO

purplecow1977 · 20-03-2014 11:45pm

BMJD wrote: »

The door, handy yokes.

Don't most doors have a lock?
I lock mine as soon as I come in, but would always have it looked when darkness falls! How would a toddler reach the handle?

dmc17 · 20-03-2014 11:46pm

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Don't most doors have a lock?
I lock mine as soon as I come in, but would always have it looked when darkness falls! How would a toddler reach the handle?

A ladder, handy yokes.

Femme_Fatale · 20-03-2014 11:46pm

I think only a tiny minority wouldn't intervene if they saw a toddler wandering alone in the dead of night.

Vito Corleone · 20-03-2014 11:46pm

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Unfortunately, there are all too many people who would just walk on by,

Sounds like something I'd do to be honest.

anncoates · 20-03-2014 11:47pm

One has to marvel at the levels to which AH stoops for hyper-critical vantage of late.

mikom · 20-03-2014 11:47pm

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I think only a tiny minority wouldn't intervene if they saw a toddler wandering alone in the dead of night.

Midget travellers.............. damn their black hearts.

Odelay · 20-03-2014 11:48pm

brianb10 wrote: »

Looking at the breakingnews.ie facebook page that showed a picture of the student who rang the guards when he found a toddler walking on the street at 2am.

there are thousands of comments saying what a hero he is, guardian angel, what a guy etc etc

I mean, luckily enough he came across the kid before he had ran out onto the road but what else was he going to do? Leave him there and do nothing?

I don't think there is a single person in the country who wouldn't have stopped and rang the guards.

Has society gotten that bad that a completely normal reaction that 99.99999% of people would do is hailed as that of a hero?!!!

Do you honestly think he walked that far without someone else seeing him? A two year old? At least this guy stopped and called someone.

Femme_Fatale · 20-03-2014 11:48pm

Vito Corleone wrote: »

Sounds like something I'd do to be honest.

I find that hard to believe.

The Backwards Man · 20-03-2014 11:49pm

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I think only a tiny minority wouldn't intervene if they saw a toddler wandering alone in the dead of night.

I hope you're right being so optimistic FF, but I wouldn't put my house on it.

wp_rathead · 20-03-2014 11:50pm

Well the kid walked a mile from his house - chances are many people passed and didnt do anything

Also on Morning Ireland this morning was said he helped guards look for the parents

Not a "hero" in mythica Hercules sense but fair play to him

Femme_Fatale · 20-03-2014 11:51pm

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I hope you're right being so optimistic FF, but I wouldn't put my house on it.

But why? I just mean this in general, but sometimes I think there's cynicism out there for the sake of it. People aren't really that dreadful overall that a huge number of us would just ignore a tiny child out alone in the middle of the night.

William F · 20-03-2014 11:51pm

I found myself in similar circumstances a couple of years ago. i was walking out home from town in a rural area. Ahead were two small kids aged around four running a long the footpath. There was an old lady passing by on a bike and it turned out the kids had escaped from their childminder.

I thought the most responsible thing here would be for the lady to take control of the situation and yet instead she said ''there not my kids'' and cycled off. The two kids entered a field with horses.

By this time I had passed the old lady and kids and they just disappeared. I kept walking and ten minutes later the child minder drove past in a rush asking did I spot the kids. I told her what had happened and I take it it was the last time she ever minded kids again.

What a crazy situation. I couldn't believe the attitude of the old lady.

purplecow1977 · 20-03-2014 11:51pm

dmc17 wrote: »

A ladder, handy yokes.

Such a childish comment.
I don't think AH excuses it.

Butterface · 20-03-2014 11:52pm

How did they discover who he belonged to and where he lived?

20-03-2014 11:54pm

brianb10 wrote: »

what else was he going to do? Leave him there and do nothing?

What is he? A PSNI officer?

Chucken · 20-03-2014 11:54pm

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Don't most doors have a lock?
I lock mine as soon as I come in, but would always have it looked when darkness falls! How would a toddler reach the handle?

My 16 month old grandchild showed us how its done today :eek:
They watch everything. Opening a door at 2 and a half is easy.
All I can say is thank god the little fella is ok

The Backwards Man · 20-03-2014 11:57pm

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

But why? I just mean this in general, but sometimes I think there's cynicism out there for the sake of it. People aren't really that dreadful overall that a huge number of us would just ignore a tiny child out alone in the middle of the night.

It's not cynicism, it's world-weariness. The majority would intervene, I am pretty sure, but the minority that don't give a fcuk about anything or anybody other than themselves is a lot more sizable than it should be.

Dublin_Mom · 20-03-2014 11:57pm

To be honest, I do think this young guy deserves a lot of credit for taking control of the situation.

The sad reality is that a lot of men might be fearful of an accusation of how they came to be near the child in the first place, and would just walk on by. As a society we have become very phobic about men being near a child (usually when they are not related to the child)

So yes I think this young guy was brave to do the right thing.

dmc17 · 20-03-2014 11:58pm

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Don't most doors have a lock?
I lock mine as soon as I come in, but would always have it looked when darkness falls! How would a toddler reach the handle?

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Such a childish comment.
I don't think AH excuses it.

My sincerest apologies. To answer your question. Yes, most if not all modern doors would have a lock on them. It may be possible that someone left the door open or that the toddler climbed up on something to open this particular door.

Femme_Fatale · 20-03-2014 11:58pm

Dublin_Mom wrote: »

To be honest, I do think this young guy deserves a lot of credit for taking control of the situation.

The sad reality is that a lot of men might be fearful of an accusation of how they came to be near the child in the first place, and would just walk on by. As a society we have become very phobic about men being near a child (usually when they are not related to the child)

So yes I think this young guy was brave to do the right thing.

Actually that's a good point: the paedo hysteria thing is a warranted fear for guys having any dealings with children.

AndonHandon · 21-03-2014 12:03am

Anyone can be a hero, even it's just something like ensuring a stray child gets back home to let his parents know that the World hadn't ended.

Hooked · 21-03-2014 12:05am

Butterface wrote: »

How did they discover who he belonged to and where he lived?

Drove around the estate and found a house with a light on and door open, apparently...

mikom · 21-03-2014 12:08am

AndonHandon wrote: »

Anyone can be a hero, even it's just something like ensuring a stray child gets back home to let his parents know that the World hadn't ended.

Ah, the front door was wide open when the guards found the house....... so, I'd say the parent was a bit unawares as to the "world" either starting or ending.

According to gardaí, a door left open at the boy's house was what led investigating officers to the parent of the toddler who was completely unaware the toddler had left home.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/two-year-old-boy-who-climbed-from-cot-walked-mile-from-home-reunited-with-parents-625511.html

iguana · 21-03-2014 12:08am

wprathead wrote: »

Well the kid walked a mile from his house - chances are many people passed and didnt do anything

It was a housing estate at 2am and he was found shortly after he came to a main road. Chances are the guy who found him was the first person to come across him.

Samsgirl · 21-03-2014 12:16am

If it was my 2 year old that wandered off I would call that guy a hero.

castletownman · 21-03-2014 12:22am

A two year old walking almost a mile at 2 in the morning in just his nightie and holding his blanket?

They breed them hardy in Limerick :eek:

cuana · 21-03-2014 1:23am

Dublin_Mom wrote: »

To be honest, I do think this young guy deserves a lot of credit for taking control of the situation.

The sad reality is that a lot of men might be fearful of an accusation of how they came to be near the child in the first place, and would just walk on by. As a society we have become very phobic about men being near a child (usually when they are not related to the child)

So yes I think this young guy was brave to do the right thing.

Personally I think this applies to any situation if the child isn't known to you, I also found a little girl wandering the streets at 6am in the morning she was about 3 or so at the time. I didn't leave her out of my sight but before I approached her I was on the phone speaking to the local garda station. I waited with her until they arrived gave them my details but I found the whole experience unnerving! Poor girl was so cold I had nothing to wrap her up in and honestly I didn't even entertain the idea of putting her into the car I just kept her talking. I was just grateful she met me & not some opportunist that could have taken advantage of the situation. In fairness to the Gardai they were excellent and were there within a few minutes.

I will always wonder about that little girl namely because it struck me that she was fully clothed with shoes on her! She could barely string sentences together let alone dress herself! I thought it so strange that she wasn't wearing pj's of course all the Gardai could tell me was that she had returned home safely!

Piliger · 21-03-2014 1:55am

I hope the social services pay a call to those parents and put them on a watch list. Unbelievable behaviour.

gavdolfini · 21-03-2014 2:01am

William F wrote: »

I found myself in similar circumstances a couple of years ago. i was walking out home from town in a rural area. Ahead were two small kids aged around four running a long the footpath. There was an old lady passing by on a bike and it turned out the kids had escaped from their childminder.

I thought the most responsible thing here would be for the lady to take control of the situation and yet instead she said ''there not my kids'' and cycled off. The two kids entered a field with horses.

By this time I had passed the old lady and kids and they just disappeared. I kept walking and ten minutes later the child minder drove past in a rush asking did I spot the kids. I told her what had happened and I take it it was the last time she ever minded kids again.

What a crazy situation. I couldn't believe the attitude of the old lady.

Cant believe you both just carried on with your day!.

Lou.m · 21-03-2014 2:04am

brianb10 wrote: »

Looking at the breakingnews.ie facebook page that showed a picture of the student who rang the guards when he found a toddler walking on the street at 2am.

there are thousands of comments saying what a hero he is, guardian angel, what a guy etc etc

I mean, luckily enough he came across the kid before he had ran out onto the road but what else was he going to do? Leave him there and do nothing?

I don't think there is a single person in the country who wouldn't have stopped and rang the guards.

Has society gotten that bad that a completely normal reaction that 99.99999% of people would do is hailed as that of a hero?!!!

Maybe it is good to over praise a good deed to encourage others to act similarly. Perhaps you underestimate how many would think it was none of their business.

It is nice to be nice but yes I agree it should be seen as normal I know what you are saying.

It can be complicated to deal with lost children.

lynski · 21-03-2014 2:04am

Piliger wrote: »

I hope the social services pay a call to those parents and put them on a watch list. Unbelievable behaviour.

get a hold of yourself! they were not in any way negligent. children will be children and they will attempt all sorts. I have heard multiple variations on this story from people in the last few days.
They will surprise you with their abilities and frighten the life out of you.

Piliger · 21-03-2014 2:05am

lynski wrote: »

get a hold of yourself! they were not in any way negligent. children will be children and they will attempt all sorts. I have heard multiple variations on this story from people in the last few days.
They will surprise you with their abilities and frighten the life out of you.

Having brought up three children as a home parent I disagree. They should be held responsible for their duty of care.

mikom · 21-03-2014 2:06am

Piliger wrote: »

I hope the social services pay a call to those parents and put them on a watch list. Unbelievable behaviour.

Parent.

Gokei · 21-03-2014 2:07am

BMJD wrote: »

The door, handy yokes.

Is that what they're for?!? Fooks sake. No more climbing through windows for me.

celticcrash · 21-03-2014 2:09am

Vito Corleone wrote: »

Sounds like something I'd do to be honest.

Are you dead?
You would want to be mentally and emotionally dead inside to just walk on by. Maybe you are.

21-03-2014 2:12am

William F wrote: »

I found myself in similar circumstances a couple of years ago. i was walking out home from town in a rural area. Ahead were two small kids aged around four running a long the footpath. There was an old lady passing by on a bike and it turned out the kids had escaped from their childminder.

I thought the most responsible thing here would be for the lady to take control of the situation and yet instead she said ''there not my kids'' and cycled off. The two kids entered a field with horses.

By this time I had passed the old lady and kids and they just disappeared. I kept walking I couldn't believe the attitude of the old lady.

You couldn't believe the attitude of the old lady who did exactly what you did.
Nothing.

So glad nothing happened to those kids, or maybe you might actually feel a little bit bad about it???

foggy_lad · 21-03-2014 2:34am

I can't help hoping that this student feels they did nothing heroic and that any student or young person would have done exactly the same if confronted by a toddler out rambling the streets at 3am

Chucken · 21-03-2014 3:13am

foggy_lad wrote: »

I can't help hoping that this student feels they did nothing heroic and that any student or young person would have done exactly the same if confronted by a toddler out rambling the streets at 3am

So would an older person

wil · 21-03-2014 3:38am

Chucken wrote: »

My 16 month old grandchild showed us how its done today :eek:
They watch everything. Opening a door at 2 and a half is easy.
All I can say is thank god the little fella is ok

Qx - Are you smarter than a 2 yr old:D

CaraMay · 21-03-2014 8:00am

I'm not going to judge as I have a very active 2 year old but I am surprised there is no stair gate up. It would be very easy for a sleepy two year old to go head first down the stairs never mind walk out the door.

As for the guy who met him- fair play to him.

MarkR · 21-03-2014 8:18am

Seems the door was closed, and could not be opened from outside. Hadn't locked the inside however (not intentionally I would think, just forgotten) and so the kid was able to open the door from the inside.

As for the people who think that she should be investigated or punished somehow for this, I'm sure no one is being as hard on herself as she is right now. She knows how lucky she was to get the wee man back.

Legs.Eleven · 21-03-2014 8:33am

The guy did the right thing and he deserves his dues.

If I see a kid who is seemingly on their own (usually they've just ran ahead of their parents), I stall it just to see if the parents are about and I believe most people would keep a little eye out just to check.

"hero" student finds toddler wandering the streets

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