In yet another example of bad parenting meets absurdly strict laws (they should make a completely new category for this), A DC couple had left their toddlers waiting in their car for nearly an hour while they were off to some fancy wine-tasting event at RIS pictured above (hopefully they spit the stuff out and were not planning on driving back intoxicated). They were caught as they were returning to their car. According to the Washington Post, they have had their kids taken away from them.
Their actions were clearly on the irresponsible side, but they had also made some pathetic attempt at keeping the kids safe. They had strapped the kids in and the temperature was 35 degrees when they went back for the children (though an hour before, it had been below freezing). The parents (Christophe Daniel Lucas and Jennie Teresa Chang) had also kept an open mobile phone line to the toddlers, though how effective this was supposed to be when we’re talking about one 22 months old boy and one 2 and half year old little girl is very debatable. Particularly considering the fact that the girl was reportedly crying hysterically by the time they returned. Did the parents even monitor the said phone line? Were they coming back to the car after hearing her cry? The car engine was not running, and the kids were not wearing gloves and hats, so they were clearly going to feel very cold. Very bad parenting all around.
The punishment for being a bad parent? The kids were taken away, the parents were jailed for two nights and charged with two counts of attempted second degree cruelty to children, which could mean a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and/or up to a $10000 fine. Ouch.
Mind you, there are truly cruel and abusive parents out there who could do with 10 years in a cold, windowless cell. However, these two may not have been purposefully negligent, and had not caused any harm to the children. They were pretty selfish, but I would not call them “cruel”.
Does this one moment of selfishness and incompetence call for the loss of their two kids, who will doubtless be greatly hurt by being thrown into a foster home? Considering the laxness of the screening procedure for foster parents, and the number of child abuse and murder cases, are we even likely to get a more caring individual to mentor them? I think it is worth considering these questions.
Not cruel? Are you kidding me??? You go sit in a car at below freezing weather with no hat or gloves and strapped in so you can’t even move about to warm up. Then add to that these children are all alone, and the ones they look up to at that age for security abandoned them for their own wants and desires. These kids were terrified, as the one screaming child is evidence of. Ten years is not too harsh for these two idiots. They should not get their children back, either. Our society must start setting stiff punishments for those who put their children in physical or emotional danger. Otherwise, we will continue to see further detachment issues and problems with our youth both in public and in schools.
Nobody is saying it is not cruel, Alison. The goal should be rehabilitation so this sort of thing does not happen again, not breaking up families based on a single incident. But of course, this is ‘Murica, a christian nation: wrong doers should be punished, not rehabilitated.
It’s not cruel as the intention of the parents are not to enjoy the pain inflicted, it’s plain stupid and damaging potentially physically and obviously psychologically though… but can we prevent idiots to have kids?
Also, punishement on someone who acknowledge doing something wrong but doesn’t give a shit is justified but otherwise a smart person would advertize for education (and/or contraception in that case)…
It’s sad some people are this stupid and careless and I understand your anger but frankly your proposal to punish and throw the kids to the foster claws is rather not so thoughtful either…
How is this not cruel? Is society becoming that accepting? I hope they get 10 years and the kids get some parents that care!
“Absurdly strict laws”? What the fuck? It is NOT “absurdly strict” that you can not leave two small children in nearly freezing temperatures without proper clothing, without a heat source, so that you can go and fuck around with people for no good reason. How would you feel if someone locked you in a walk-in freezer with no food, nothing to drink, nothing to keep you warm, and no hat or gloves to wear for an hour so they could play a video game?
And how were they not “purposefully negligent”? They didn’t know that they strapped their children in a freezing cold vehicle with no way to get out or keep the car at a decent temperature?
You can’t be serious!! Two parents leave their children unattended for I don’t care how long, in the cold without proper winter gear. Your worried about the lack of foster care!! What evil planet are you from?Not one person was on the side of the black mother who left her children in the car to get a job. Why be on the side of these two morons who left their children in the cold to get drinks! I’m a parent and am always in need to escape sometimes but I don’t. I sit here not going out and take full responsibility of my child because that’s what I signed up for! These losers need to be in jail have their kids taken away and be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment! This is where the grey area of human compassion lies, just give enough fucks about everyday ppl. Not wholeheartedly care and have deep loving compassion for each helpless human being! Your probably the kind of person who helps dogs before you’ll help a human! Shameful!
Nobody is saying this in not cruel, Alison. The goal as a society should be to rehabilitate and educate, not rip apart families based on a single incident. I understand that here in ‘Murica, we have been conditioned to punish severely first, not fix the problem. It so easy to go for blood first rather than look at the evidence showing that harsher penalties do not in fact reduce crime.
The author said it was not cruel with this quote: “They were pretty selfish, but I would not call them “cruel”.” I grew up in foster care, so I know completely how the system works, but is sending them to foster care the lesser of two evils? It might not be. If the parents are going to treat their children like this in public, what are they doing behind closed doors? If they needed a drink so badly, they should’ve gotten a sitter and if they couldn’t for whatever reason, one of them should’ve stayed home with the kids. Welcome to parenthood; sometimes you don’t get to do what you want and your children have to come first. They should be punished for not caring for their children. They clearly showed that they are unable to care for them properly. It’s ridiculous to think otherwise. Note to the author -if you don’t think this is ‘that’ bad, please don’t have children.
That’s pretty irresponsible to publish names along with a story without all the facts.
if the information was accurate I would say it is a good article.