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Post by aljack on Jul 14, 2014 17:47:56 GMT
I went out to get my mail from our community box today and step out my door to see a lady laying on the ground who I don't recognize and mail everywhere. Another neighbor was walking her dog who came upon her first. She was talking to her and I asked if everything was okay. I asked a few questions to neighbor such as did she fall, can she stand, I tried asking the lady on the ground but her speech was slurred and not coherent. Neighbor did not know but did note that woman was driving a car and had kids in it parked a house away. Super hot day here so she asked the lady if she could get her kids and asked me to call 911. I went in to my house to grab phone and call.
Came out to see neighbor getting a baby and toddler out of the car. Baby has no diaper and is very quiet. Toddler is in diaper only, screaming and crying and very hot.
I was on phone with 911 and responder repeatedly asking if we need ambulance so I asked the lady again and she says no. Short of the story, neighbor and I get diaper out of trunk for baby, I grabbed some water for the lady and the toddler and neighbor asks lady if she has a husband she can call. Lady says yes and gives her the number. Neighbor calls husband and leaves a message and he calls back in two minutes when police show. Neighbor is on the phone with husband explaining why she called and where we are while police are talking to lady on ground. I am holding the baby and the toddler is with Mom.
Husband comes out and he seems very unsteady. Police ask some questions such as is she on medication, health condition, etc. husband says no, she drank last night. Police ask husband where he lives. He tells them and police say walk your wife home. Man tries to get her up and she is stumbling So police officer helps assist her home. I am carrying baby behind. We get to their home, inside, and I hand baby over to Dad after he takes his wife upstairs to bedroom. One officer took info from us and then said they may call CPS but he is not sure yet. I estimate the family moved in two weeks ago about four houses away from me?
Incredibly sad and also frustrated because she was driving around with these kids! I am so worried about those kids. What a terrible way to meet your new neighbor. I can't help but fret. What if she had left those kids in their car seats and passed out somewhere?
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scrappert
Prolific Pea
RefuPea #2956
Posts: 7,960
Location: Milwaukee, WI area
Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
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Post by scrappert on Jul 14, 2014 17:54:09 GMT
Oh my! That is a terrible story. But glad to hear that at least the kids were ok now and that you and the neighbor stepped in to help. Maybe with knowing you two are there and the police help, this will be the last time she does this... Fingers crossed!  |
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Post by *christine* on Jul 14, 2014 17:57:33 GMT
Wow! You definitely did the right thing by calling the police. I would think they would have to report to CPS. You can't just leave your kids in a car and pass out on someone's lawn and have anyone think it's ok for the kids to be in your care. Scary.
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Judy26
Pearl Clutcher
MOTFY Bitchy Nursemaid
Posts: 2,971 
Location: NW PA
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Post by Judy26 on Jul 14, 2014 17:59:01 GMT
Could you call CYS as a concerned neighbor just to make sure help is available for them?
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on Jul 14, 2014 18:02:03 GMT
but what if she was having a stroke and nobody took her to the hospital?
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Gravity
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,233
Jun 27, 2014 0:29:55 GMT
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Post by Gravity on Jul 14, 2014 18:04:01 GMT
I hope the police called CPS! The poor kids need someone looking out for their best interest. The husband doesn't seem to be playing with a full deck either if he let mom take the kids and leave in the car while in this condition. The situation could have ended in tragedy.
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Post by christine58 on Jul 14, 2014 18:09:58 GMT
Call CPS yourself..I wouldn't wait for the police too.
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Post by magentapea on Jul 14, 2014 18:19:23 GMT
Wow! You definitely did the right thing by calling the police. I would think they would have to report to CPS. You can't just leave your kids in a car and pass out on someone's lawn and have anyone think it's ok for the kids to be in your care. Scary. Yes, calling the police was the right thing to do. Let them decide if CPS needs to be involved. The sentence that I bolded above is where I disagree. So if it was a medical emergency -- something that has never happened before -- you think CPS should get involved? That is over the top IMO. Some women pass out when they are pregnant. You would call CPS and say what? The mom is pregnant, better take the kids in case she passes out again? The kids were ultimately not left in her care - her husband was home. |
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Post by aljack on Jul 14, 2014 18:25:28 GMT
Wow! You definitely did the right thing by calling the police. I would think they would have to report to CPS. You can't just leave your kids in a car and pass out on someone's lawn and have anyone think it's ok for the kids to be in your care. Scary. Yes, calling the police was the right thing to do. Let them decide if CPS needs to be involved. The sentence that I bolded above is where I disagree. So if it was a medical emergency -- something that has never happened before -- you think CPS should get involved? That is over the top IMO. Some women pass out when they are pregnant. You would call CPS and say what? The mom is pregnant, better take the kids in case she passes out again? The kids were ultimately not left in her care - her husband was home. Yes, one police officer said that because the father was home, they felt he was lucid enough to leave the children with him. |
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conchita
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,141
Jul 1, 2014 11:25:58 GMT
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Post by conchita on Jul 14, 2014 18:27:24 GMT
I don't think I'd be able to sleep if I didn't call CPS myself. I even might drop by to check on her and the kids.  |
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IPeaFreely
Full Member
Posts: 389
Location: Castle Frankenstein
Jun 26, 2014 8:32:27 GMT
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Post by IPeaFreely on Jul 14, 2014 18:31:20 GMT
The first thing I thought of was a stroke. Unless she has a medical condition that husband knows about, then she should have been taken by ambulance to the hospital immediately. I hope if someone finds me on the ground mumbling incoherently they'll get me to a hospital.
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Post by *christine* on Jul 14, 2014 18:37:24 GMT
Wow! You definitely did the right thing by calling the police. I would think they would have to report to CPS. You can't just leave your kids in a car and pass out on someone's lawn and have anyone think it's ok for the kids to be in your care. Scary. Yes, calling the police was the right thing to do. Let them decide if CPS needs to be involved. The sentence that I bolded above is where I disagree. So if it was a medical emergency -- something that has never happened before -- you think CPS should get involved? That is over the top IMO. Some women pass out when they are pregnant. You would call CPS and say what? The mom is pregnant, better take the kids in case she passes out again? The kids were ultimately not left in her care - her husband was home. Sorry - I agree if it were a medical condition, that would a different story and likely unpreventable, but the OP indicated the Husband of the passed out woman was hungover/maybe still drunk from the night before. In that case, I think the police should most definitely open a CPS investigation on the family. |
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,448
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Post by katybee on Jul 14, 2014 18:42:50 GMT
Wow! You definitely did the right thing by calling the police. I would think they would have to report to CPS. You can't just leave your kids in a car and pass out on someone's lawn and have anyone think it's ok for the kids to be in your care. Scary. Yes, calling the police was the right thing to do. Let them decide if CPS needs to be involved. The sentence that I bolded above is where I disagree. So if it was a medical emergency -- something that has never happened before -- you think CPS should get involved? That is over the top IMO. Some women pass out when they are pregnant. You would call CPS and say what? The mom is pregnant, better take the kids in case she passes out again? The kids were ultimately not left in her care - her husband was home. CPS should have been called. You can only go by what you KNOW. You know that a woman is passed out on the sidewalk, and she left 2 kids in the car... One not even in a diaper. It's up to CPS to try to figure the rest out. If there's nothing wrong in that household, the investigation will be dropped. It's way better to act and nothing be wrong than it not act and something be terribly wrong. |
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The Birdhouse Lady
Drama Llama
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
Posts: 7,345
Location: Alaska -The Last Frontier
Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Jul 14, 2014 18:43:37 GMT
So she was definitely drunk? I thought maybe she had a stroke. I hope she gets some help, obviously she needs it.
Hats off to you and the other neighbor that helped with the kids. I am sure that was a scary situation for all involved. I think that CPS needs to be called as well. Especially since she was driving her kids around in a car.
If you are brave (which I am not) maybe you could go over there this evening and see how she is doing. |
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Post by alibama on Jul 14, 2014 18:53:58 GMT
I can not imagine the cops would not turn that over to CPS!
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
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Post by freebird on Jul 14, 2014 19:03:18 GMT
I would assume the best of her until she proved me otherwise. She could have easily been very ill and not thinking straight. I too thought maybe a stroke? The cops came, let them decide if CPS needs to be called. Thanks for helping your neighbor.
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Post by magentapea on Jul 14, 2014 19:24:18 GMT
Yes, calling the police was the right thing to do. Let them decide if CPS needs to be involved. The sentence that I bolded above is where I disagree. So if it was a medical emergency -- something that has never happened before -- you think CPS should get involved? That is over the top IMO. Some women pass out when they are pregnant. You would call CPS and say what? The mom is pregnant, better take the kids in case she passes out again? The kids were ultimately not left in her care - her husband was home. Sorry - I agree if it were a medical condition, that would a different story and likely unpreventable, but the OP indicated the Husband of the passed out woman was hungover/maybe still drunk from the night before. In that case, I think the police should most definitely open a CPS investigation on the family. She did not indicate that the husband was hungover or drunk from the night before. What she said was he appeared unsteady. Gee, if I got a call that my DH passed out on the street, I think the shock and worry might make ME a little unsteady -- and FTR, I drink maybe twice a year and never to the point that I'm hungover. |
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Post by *christine* on Jul 14, 2014 19:27:10 GMT
Sorry - I don't know if I'm misreading, or miscommunicating....I thought the husband said the wife had been drinking the previous night and that he was offering that as his explanation as to why the wife might have passed out.
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Post by magentapea on Jul 14, 2014 19:28:57 GMT
Yes, calling the police was the right thing to do. Let them decide if CPS needs to be involved. The sentence that I bolded above is where I disagree. So if it was a medical emergency -- something that has never happened before -- you think CPS should get involved? That is over the top IMO. Some women pass out when they are pregnant. You would call CPS and say what? The mom is pregnant, better take the kids in case she passes out again? The kids were ultimately not left in her care - her husband was home. CPS should have been called. You can only go by what you KNOW. You know that a woman is passed out on the sidewalk, and she left 2 kids in the car... One not even in a diaper. It's up to CPS to try to figure the rest out. If there's nothing wrong in that household, the investigation will be dropped. It's way better to act and nothing be wrong than it not act and something be terribly wrong. Tell me where the neglect is. I just don't see it. She had the kids strapped in their car seats and stepped out to get the mail from the mailbox. She didn't leave them in the car to run into a store. And I don't think that not having a diaper on a baby is a crime, either. |
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luckyexwife
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,069
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Post by luckyexwife on Jul 14, 2014 19:38:38 GMT
I would make some cookies and go visit tonight. Introduce yourself, and see how she is feeling.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,276
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Post by iowgirl on Jul 14, 2014 19:39:09 GMT
I know someone who is a severe alcoholic. If they binge drink, later - even the next day they have episodes exactly like this. They are almost paralyzed, very slow speech and sometimes rapid eye movement. It's pretty sad and they are pretty far gone, as far as the alcoholism. Those poor kids. They need to be out of that home.
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Post by donna on Jul 14, 2014 19:44:47 GMT
I can't believe an ambulance was not called.
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Post by formerpea on Jul 14, 2014 19:54:52 GMT
I would make some cookies and go visit tonight. Introduce yourself, and see how she is feeling. YUP..... |
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Post by ChicagoKTS on Jul 14, 2014 19:57:23 GMT
I also can't believe an ambulance was not called. There are plenty of reasons why someone might pass out such as low blood sugar, dehydrated, so on and so on. I would certainly give the family the benefit of doubt especially since the police were there. They should be the ones to make the call to CPS if they feel it is warranted.
Having said this, I would also try to monitor the situation as best as possible for any suspicious behavior or indications that the children are in danger and report it at that time.
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flute4peace
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,757
Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Jul 14, 2014 20:13:11 GMT
I can't believe an ambulance was not called. This was my first thought, as well. Even if she refused transport, she and those babies should have been checked out by medical personnel at the scene. With all the news about children left in hot cars lately, I'm shocked that the police didn't involve EMS, if for nothing else than CYA.
CPS is, to me, secondary in this situation. I don't know how I feel about that, although I do think the police should have called if they felt it was necessary.
I do think knocking on the door this evening to make sure they're ok is a nice gesture.
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conchita
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,141
Jul 1, 2014 11:25:58 GMT
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Post by conchita on Jul 14, 2014 20:14:01 GMT
Sorry - I don't know if I'm misreading, or miscommunicating....I thought the husband said the wife had been drinking the previous night and that he was offering that as his explanation as to why the wife might have passed out. That was my understanding as well Christine. The neighbors were unsure of what was wrong with her until her husband explained she had been drinking the night before. She had to have been able to respond at one point and decline an ambulance or else the cops would (should) have called it in? |
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Post by marmargirl on Jul 14, 2014 20:16:30 GMT
Thank you for being a good neighbor!
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~Susan~
Pearl Clutcher
You need to check your boobs, mine tried to kill me!!!
Posts: 3,259
Jul 6, 2014 17:25:32 GMT
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Post by ~Susan~ on Jul 14, 2014 21:18:01 GMT
I would make some cookies and go visit tonight. Introduce yourself, and see how she is feeling. I think I would do this too. I would also keep an eye, just in case to see if anything out of the ordinary happens again. Also, I am glad that you and the other neighbour found her when you did. It could have gotten really ugly, really fast. |
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kiwipea
Shy Member
Posts: 33
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Post by kiwipea on Jul 14, 2014 21:34:07 GMT
What a way to meet a new neighbour! Just so you know, don't ask the 'patient' if they need an ambulance, many people will say no or I'll come right shortly. I'm surprised the police didn't ring for an ambulance though, maybe she is known to them but surely she should of been checked out for severe dehydration at least.
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Post by anonrefugee on Jul 14, 2014 21:34:51 GMT
That must have been scary! Hope the family gets help soon.
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