"hero" student finds toddler wandering the streets

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 01:23AM

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 01:55AM

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

gavdolfini · 21-03-2014 02:01AM

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 02:04AM

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 02:04AM

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 02:05AM

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 02:06AM

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 02:07AM

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 02:09AM

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 02:12AM

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 02:34AM

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 03:13AM

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 03:38AM

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 08:00AM

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 08:18AM

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 08:33AM

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.

crazygeryy · 21-03-2014 08:37AM

jamesbondings wrote: »

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

Because of All the horror movies I've seen if i saw a two yr old walking the road at 2am in the morning i would have **** myself.but yes anyone would have done the same.

Chinasea · 21-03-2014 08:50AM

The child looks quite tall for a 2 year old. Looked like he would be well capable of opening doors.

efb · 21-03-2014 08:53AM

Piliger wrote: »

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

Is it easy mind them from your vantage point?

mrsbyrne · 21-03-2014 09:00AM

Piliger wrote: »

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

...and here we go with the Perfect in Every Way Parents Association

zindicato · 21-03-2014 09:19AM

same thing happened to my wife years ago when we were living in monkstown , she was going into work about 6 am then she called me back after 10 minutes saying she found a toddler walking towards the road in her pyjamas and barefoot it was winter time when this happened, so i told her to ask the garage in the corner first as they are in the corner from our estate and 90% of the time parents would drop by in there to get something before heading home may it be last minute , milk, sweets and such and ring the gards if nobody really knows her. When she went in there the attendant recognized the kid as the daughter of the couple who lived a few minutes away, she asked the attendant if she should call the police, the attendant said no as the couple are TROUBLE and we could be in deep Sh*t, so she brought her back to her house, front door was open , knocked for more than 5 minutes before the dad came down the stairs didnt say a word, took the kid inside and slammed the door in her face.

Few weeks after we found out that the kid was taken away together with her brother and sister as both parents were arrested for selling drugs.

cletus van damme · 21-03-2014 09:33AM

Piliger wrote: »

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

jaysus....just jaysus.:rolleyes:

Piliger wrote: »

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

I'm kinda thinking you don't have kids.
most parants will tell you that kids do mad stuff that you'd never even think of until they do it.

if the girl forgot to lock the front door - it hardly makes her a bad mother.
People can forget things accidentially. i've left my back door unlocked on occasion through forgetfulness.

so get down off your moral high horse.

doolox · 21-03-2014 09:49AM

This would make me stop in my tracks if confronted with a 2yr old at 2am in the street. I'd say a lot of people would keep on going about their business as most people would be in cars or taxis at that time of night. Kid very lucky that student was there and on foot at the right time and knew what to do.

barone · 21-03-2014 09:59AM

People think of the consequences if the person who found him wasnt so saintly.. door left open..parents asleep..be hours before anyone notices..

Glad that student found him

Hitchens · 21-03-2014 10:02AM

The young student hero is from Kilkenny, so nothing surprising about him taking the initiative and charging to the rescue of the toddler

Well done James!

endacl · 21-03-2014 10:04AM

Let a bus merge from a stop this morning. Everybody else was scooting ahead. I'm a feckin' hero. Where's my article?!? Yesterday, I held a door open for a woman with a pram. One more act of civic heroism and I'm in with a shout for freedom of the city!

PM me with your address if you'd like an autograph.

"hero" student finds toddler wandering the streets

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