Stranger Slaps Crying Child at Store

[HD MM]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20090902/us-stranger-slaps-toddler/images/b3154505-8dd8-43e5-80cb-c5d4244ec812.jpg

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Police say a 61-year-old man annoyed with a crying 2-year-old girl at a suburban Atlanta Walmart slapped the child several times after warning the toddler's mother to keep her quiet.

A police report says after the stranger hit the girl at least four times, he said:


"See, I told you I would shut her up."

Roger Stephens of Stone Mountain is charged with felony cruelty to children.

Authorities say the girl and her mother were shopping Monday when the toddler began crying. The police report says Stephens approached the mother and said,
"If you don't shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/03/roger-stephens-stranger-a_n_276167.html

[Salsadancer7]

...and then, I would be halled to jail for 2nd degree murder...and there wouldn't be a judge or jury that would convict me after beating the shit out of this guy for hitting my child. HOW does he not know that maybe the child was not feeling well, or maybe the child just hurt herself and the mother didn't realize.:mad:

I have said it before to all that know me....I run a pretty tight ship and I believe in spanking and punishment....but I, ME , MOI and my wife are the ONLY ONES allowed to lay a finger on my children. PERIOD...NO EXCEPTIONS!

[HDRoberts]

I have said it before to all that know me....I run a pretty tight ship and I believe in spanking and punishment....but I, ME , MOI and my wife are the ONLY ONES allowed to lay a finger on my children. PERIOD...NO EXCEPTIONS!

So long as you do. Sadly, I have been to far to many places where mom and/or dad believes their patronage gives their kids the right to cause whatever ruckus they want to.

Personally, when I hear "oh, he isn't hurting anyone" or "kids will be kids" I want to slap the parents. You're the one that decided to have kids. Why do I have to be forced to deal with the consequences?

[Salsadancer7]

So long as you do. Sadly, I have been to far to many places where mom and/or dad believes their patronage gives their kids the right to cause whatever ruckus they want to.

Personally, when I hear "oh, he isn't hurting anyone" or "kids will be kids" I want to slap the parents. You're the one that decided to have kids. Why do I have to be forced to deal with the consequences?

Again, EVERYTHING needs to be judged INDIVIDUALLY. It is one thing to let your kids run wild...I have stopped kids in a store when they would get out of hand....but it is COMPLETELY different to hit A TODDLER that was doing NOTHING but crying. BIG DIFFERENCE!

Yes, I decided to have kids...and when YOU have kids....you too will have to deal with the same thing. See, no two kids are alike....some a good kids, some need to be straighten out. But that is EITHER the parents responsibility early...or the cops responsibility later...not you.

[HDRoberts]

Again, EVERYTHING needs to be judged INDIVIDUALLY. It is one thing to let your kids run wild...I have stopped kids in a store when they would get out of hand....but it is COMPLETELY different to hit A TODDLER that was doing NOTHING but crying. BIG DIFFERENCE!

Yes, I decided to have kids...and when YOU have kids....you too will have to deal with the same thing. See, no two kids are alike....some a good kids, some need to be straighten out. But that is EITHER the parents responsibility early...or the cops responsibility later...not you.

I'm not planning on kids. This is a large reason. I don't want to deal with it.

I'm not saying what the guy did was right. I'm saying I'm tired of parents who drone on about how they are the only ones who can discipline their kids, and then DON'T discipline their kids.

[Salsadancer7]

I'm not planning on kids. This is a large reason. I don't want to deal with it.

I'm not saying what the guy did was right. I'm saying I'm tired of parents who drone on about how they are the only ones who can discipline their kids, and then DON'T discipline their kids.

Have you tried to discipline a 2 year old toddler? Not easy. And by the way, it will not be YOUR decision about having kids....it will be your wife. I have a few married friends that talked all this crap about "liking our life...get to do things where we don't have to bring little ones" and so on a so forth. Of the 5, 3 had kids...1 divorced and the other guy is about to give in.:free-happy-smileys-

[fallout2600]

...and then, I would be halled to jail for 2nd degree murder...and there wouldn't be a judge or jury that would convict me after beating the shit out of this guy for hitting my child. HOW does he not know that maybe the child was not feeling well, or maybe the child just hurt herself and the mother didn't realize.:mad:

I have said it before to all that know me....I run a pretty tight ship and I believe in spanking and punishment....but I, ME , MOI and my wife are the ONLY ONES allowed to lay a finger on my children. PERIOD...NO EXCEPTIONS!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thum bup:

[HDRoberts]

Have you tried to discipline a 2 year old toddler? Not easy. And by the way, it will not be YOUR decision about having kids....it will be your wife. I have a few married friends that talked all this crap about "liking our life...get to do things where we don't have to bring little ones" and so on a so forth. Of the 5, 3 had kids...1 divorced and the other guy is about to give in.:free-happy-smileys-

First, I'm not married now, and second, that's a topic for discussion BEFORE I pop the question.

[HDRoberts]

Oh, and if it's so hard to discipline a toddler, LEAVE THEM AT HOME (with a sitter, of course). Don't frag them literally kicking and screaming to places patronized by adults, like casual restaurants, PG and higher movies, the theater, and sometimes even the store.

[Madtown HD Junkie]

Some days I wish someone would try that to my kids..... unleashing rage on a person would feel good.

....wasn't msmith just in stone mountain? lol

[msmith198025]

Hd you make it sound so easy. If only It were.

On topic, I agree with salsa. If it were me, I would still be beating that man. Touch me, I can deal. Touch my wife or kid and one of us is going to get hurt badly. If not killed.

[msmith198025]

Some days I wish someone would try that to my kids..... unleashing rage on a person would feel good.

....wasn't msmith just in stone mountain? lol

Yes!!!! Lol, wasn't me

[HDRoberts]

Hd you make it sound so easy. If only It were.

I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying it was your decision, so YOU deal with the consequences, not you AND me. Sadly parents today want the single life and the parenting life combined.

As is I help pay for 30 free hours of baby-sitting in fall, winter, and spring. Go take care of business then. :026:

[msmith198025]

For that matter though, YOU could stay at home and let ME shop with my kid. Why should I be inconvenienced because of you? ;)

Fact is you never know when a fit will start. What should we do, hire a sitter everytime we need to go out? Not likely.

We just handle it the best we can. If she were to get out of control, then we will excuse ourselves and leave

[HDRoberts]

For that matter though, YOU could stay at home and let ME shop with my kid. Why should I be inconvenienced because of you? ;)

Fact is you never know when a fit will start. What should we do, hire a sitter everytime we need to go out? Not likely.

We just handle it the best we can. If she were to get out of control, then we will excuse ourselves and leave

I do stay home a lot. I go grocery shopping late so I can avoid kids. I go to the late movie so there are no young kids. I go to the theater on weeknights so there are fewer kids.

And as for the bolded part, many parents don't do that. They think it is better to let the kid have a tantrum for the next half hour than excuse themselves.

[msmith198025]

I do stay home a lot. I go grocery shopping late so I can avoid kids. I go to the late movie so there are no young kids. I go to the theater on weeknights so there are fewer kids.

.
That's good. If more single people did that it would be a lot easier on us parents
:D

[HDRoberts]

Doesn't stop many yahoos that think having a 2 year old out past 9PM is perfectly acceptable.

[msmith198025]

Doesn't stop many yahoos that think having a 2 year old out past 9PM is perfectly acceptable.

Cant speak for everyone, but I know very very few that would have a child that age up and out that late unless they were traveling and had no choice, in which case it is understandable.

[Madtown HD Junkie]

i'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying it was your decision, so you deal with the consequences, not you and me. sadly parents today want the single life and the parenting life combined.

as is i help pay for 30 free hours of baby-sitting in fall, winter, and spring. Go take care of business then. :026:

amen brother!!!!!

[msmith198025]

In any case, our thoughts on singles vs people with kids aside, do we all agree that this guy is totally 100 percent in the wrong? No one should ever lay their hands on another persons child. Right or wrong?

[HDRoberts]

In any case, our thoughts on singles vs people with kids aside, do we all agree that this guy is totally 100 percent in the wrong? No one should ever lay their hands on another persons child. Right or wrong?

Well, two exceptions if you ask me: 1) to save them from impending doom, and more controversially, 2) if they repeatedly began touching me, and a verbal request fails, I would think I could use mild force to push them away.

[HDRoberts]

Oh, and add to that "with the parent's permission."

[Skyhi]

Damn. That guys looks mean.

[msmith198025]

Well, two exceptions if you ask me: 1) to save them from impending doom, and more controversially, 2) if they repeatedly began touching me, and a verbal request fails, I would think I could use mild force to push them away.

Well, I meant in the way this man did. But good point.
In case number 2, I would tell the parents of said child. I would not touch them. I might lay my hands on the parents if that fails;)

[HDRoberts]

Well, I meant in the way this man did. But good point.
In case number 2, I would tell the parents of said child. I would not touch them. I might lay my hands on the parents if that fails;)

With kids over 4, a lot of times the parents are no where to be seen. They expect the rest of the world to take care of their kids.

But of course, an entirely other issue is the other reason I stay away from kids. They kid inaccurately describes what you did (since they have a limited vocabulary), and you are forever a pedophile. Guilty even if proven innocent. If I ever see a lost child, I;m walking the other way. Because surely the only way they could be lost is I;m trying to kidnap them.:augentreher:

[msmith198025]

Wow Hd, thats a pretty broad generalization of parents with kids.

You do realize there are good parents out there right? lol

Pretty sad to think that of kids in general too IMO.
Not all parents and children are out to get you.:)

I would hope that if my child were ever lost that a stranger would help them get back to me if they needed that help. At the least call the cops.

I do know others that are not sure how to act around children though, so you are not alone there. ( I do not mean that in a bad way, some people are just not comfortable around kids I mean)

[Skyhi]

With kids over 4, a lot of times the parents are no where to be seen. They expect the rest of the world to take care of their kids.

But of course, an entirely other issue is the other reason I stay away from kids. They kid inaccurately describes what you did (since they have a limited vocabulary), and you are forever a pedophile. Guilty even if proven innocent. If I ever see a lost child, I;m walking the other way. Because surely the only way they could be lost is I;m trying to kidnap them.:augentreher:

WTF?!?! That's pretty cold-hearted.

I hate kids too (except my own). Probably more than you, HDRob. If I see one that is lost or in trouble, though, I will show some compassion and help them....

[msmith198025]

WTF?!?! That's pretty cold-hearted.

I hate kids too (except my own). Probably more than you, HDRob. If I see one that is lost or in trouble, though, I will show some compassion and help them....
Yeah, I agree. A person in need is a person in need.

[Bear Paws]

I do stay home a lot. I go grocery shopping late so I can avoid kids. I go to the late movie so there are no young kids. I go to the theater on weeknights so there are fewer kids.

And as for the bolded part, many parents don't do that. They think it is better to let the kid have a tantrum for the next half hour than excuse themselves. Wow... You must have been one terrible kid to leave such a lasting impression on yourself to maybe not dislike but a least to avoid kids.

But I agree with you on the
I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying it was your decision, so YOU deal with the consequences, not you AND me. Sadly parents today want the single life and the parenting life combined.

As is I help pay for 30 free hours of baby-sitting in fall, winter, and spring. Go take care of business then.

[HDRoberts]

WTF?!?! That's pretty cold-hearted.

I hate kids too (except my own). Probably more than you, HDRob. If I see one that is lost or in trouble, though, I will show some compassion and help them....

I hope you enjoy being accused of being a pedophile. 'Cause that's what will happen. I'll let the police or security handle it. Or, heck, they seem to think women are incapable of pedophilia, so I'll point the issue out to a woman. But grab a little boy's hand and lead him anywhere, and you'll be talking to the cops yourself. That is the sad state of human affairs if you are male. I'm not saying it's good, I'm just calling it a fact.

Don't buy it?:
http://mensnewsdaily.com/archive/s/stix/2005/stix020105.htm
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45104

[msmith198025]

Thats what WILL happen? As simple as that? Wow

You know, that is never something that would occur to me as a possibility if I saw a lost child. I would simply help if I could.

[sniffin aroun]

If I ever see a lost child, I;m walking the other way. Because surely the only way they could be lost is I;m trying to kidnap them.:augentreher:

sorry. can't let this one go by without comment.
dude. even if it meant trouble with the police
(which I doubt would happen but in a very few cases),
I would rather be in trouble and keep a child safe and out
of harms way (extreme? maybe), than to do nothing and
to live like a "think only of yourself" type of person.
and I'll bet there are more people that think like me than you
believe.
I've been in this type of scenerio and the mother was very happy
someone was willing to help.
no trouble, no problem.
maybe things are different in certain parts of the country

[Skyhi]

I hope you enjoy being accused of being a pedophile. 'Cause that's what will happen. I'll let the police or security handle it. Or, heck, they seem to think women are incapable of pedophilia, so I'll point the issue out to a woman. But grab a little boy's hand and lead him anywhere, and you'll be talking to the cops yourself. That is the sad state of human affairs if you are male. I'm not saying it's good, I'm just calling it a fact.

Don't buy it?:
http://mensnewsdaily.com/archive/s/stix/2005/stix020105.htm
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45104

Notwithstanding these isolated incidents, I'll help a child if he or she needs it....It's the right thing to do.

[msmith198025]

Notwithstanding these isolated incidents, I'll help a child if he or she needs it....It's the right thing to do.

I would hope that most feel the same

[HD MM]

I wouldn't think twice about helping the lost tike out. Never even crossed my mind of the possibility to be labeled a "child predator" if I did something to help. Kind of a weird way to look at it if you ask me.

[Skyhi]

I wouldn't think twice about helping the lost tike out. Never even crossed my mind of the possibility to be labeled a "child predator" if I did something to help. Kind of a weird way to look at it if you ask me.

:thumbup::thumbup: I have helped a few "lost" kids while working in a grocery store and the thought of being labeled a predator never crossed my mind.

[Skyhi]

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/20723365/detail.html

Good thing this kid was wondering on the East side and not in HDRoberts' neighborhood on the West side. :) :)

[sniffin aroun]

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/20723365/detail.html

Good thing this kid was wondering on the East side and not in HDRoberts' neighborhood on the West side. :) :)

:lol-047:

[HDRoberts]

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/20723365/detail.html

Good thing this kid was wondering on the East side and not in HDRoberts' neighborhood on the West side. :) :)

Seems to me they did what I would do: call the police, and not intercept the kid.

It's different if you work somewhere and there is a lost kid. But if you have no other particular reason to be somewhere, you can be screwed. I have even read of some cities considering bans on single people being in public parks. I personally have experienced this just sitting on a bench in a public park. Some woman asked me what I was doing there (Um, it's a public park and it's a nice day, ma'am. Well, in reality, I was skipping out on some late Friday classes in college, and didn't want to get yelled at upon returning home too early from my mom). She didn't call the police, but I left rather than continuing to get the stink eye. That being's those "isolated incidents" home for me. I could easily see it happening if I actually had contact with a kid.

[sniffin aroun]

Seems to me they did what I would do: call the police, and not intercept the kid.

It's different if you work somewhere and there is a lost kid. But if you have no other particular reason to be somewhere, you can be screwed. I have even read of some cities considering bans on single people being in public parks. I personally have experienced this just sitting on a bench in a public park. Some woman asked me what I was doing there (Um, it's a public park and it's a nice day, ma'am. Well, in reality, I was skipping out on some late Friday classes in college, and didn't want to get yelled at upon returning home too early from my mom). She didn't call the police, but I left rather than continuing to get the stink eye. That being's those "isolated incidents" home for me. I could easily see it happening if I actually had contact with a kid.

sounds like you need to get a shave, change your clothes
and stop looking around like your'e trying to be a bad influence
on kids.
:lol-033:

kidding, of course HD.

And that is unfair about a law that restricts where single people can be.
but you know that. that aside, maybe that woman was feeling paranoid
that week. maybe she just went thru something that scared her.
maybe you have an intimidating appearance to some. maybe you
should smile more, who knows. :)
but I don't think we should ignore the dangers of the children
around us because we "could" get into trouble. the childrens safety is
more important than what might happen to us, no matter who they
belong to.

anyway, we (individually) act on what we think we should act on. Freedom and all that.

but remember that Sienfeld episode? the good samaritan law?
ya never know....