"Home alone" cases and recommendations

Now the story in The Mail.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3393113/A-baby-seized-America-negligent-WPC-mother-insists-s-wrong.html

http://portugalresident.com/child-plunges-21-storeys-as-parents-leave-her-home-alone-to-go-to-lisbon-casino

Another story from Natasha Donn in the Portugal Press.

It would be interesting to see what happens with this.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/wealthy-couple-arrested-after-daughter-7418405

Apparently they could face up to 10 years in prison.

10yrs, not a lot then. Would've had a year to go if it happened in 07 eh? Scary.

http://portugalresident.com/death-plunge-child%E2%80%99s-gambling-%E2%80%9Cmillionaire%E2%80%9D-parents-released-from-jail-0

......"they believed their daughter was safe" sounds familiar.

This child was 5 years old. She was left 'asleep.' She apparently climbed over the railing on the balcony. Why was the door to the balcony unlocked especially as their apartment was high up in a multi storey apartment block? The McCanns (allegedly) left the patio door unlocked so Madeleine could get out if she woke up and wanted to find her parents. How could this 5 year old Chinese girl find her parents by having access to the balcony?

These parents were apparently 600 metres away in the Casino, were out for 3 hours and did not claim any checks.

The key difference in the cases is that the police have a body and it is clear how she died - as a direct result of the parents negligence.

Without Maddie's body, I think it is very unlikely that the McCanns will be charged - unless someone closely involved in what happened decides to tell the truth.

Antonia wrote: The key difference in the cases is that the police have a body and it is clear how she died - as a direct result of the parents negligence.

Methinks in the McC case, even if the body was found later and autopsied, they could  have insisted the abductor sedated her, and was disturbed by passersby left her and ran....?  Mitchell would have done the rest on the media front.

eta if she had other injuries, it would have been tougher.... but not impossible to explain.

Freedom wrote:http://portugalresident.com/death-plunge-child%E2%80%99s-gambling-%E2%80%9Cmillionaire%E2%80%9D-parents-released-from-jail-0

......"they believed their daughter was safe" sounds familiar.

Yep sounds very familiar, although it would be impossible to use the 'left unlocked in case of fire' excuse, as per mama McCann.

seen this on news before I left for work and couldn't post about it. Nearly choked on my porridge. Things have tightened up since we went to Benidorm and left the kids with the telephone number of Bar Britannica on the strip!!

Within the bounds of reasonable......... etc.

Putting this from Andrew here............




Andrew Today at 1:11 pm

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Whilst on the subject of abandonment, then will stick this news article here:

http://www.highland-news.co.uk/News/Model-mum-who-left-tragedy-toddler-without-proper-supervision-is-jailed-for-10-months-13052016.htm



A mother who admitted neglecting her two-year-old son who was found dead at a house in the Highlands has been jailed for ten months.

Amanda Hardie wept uncontrollably at Inverness Sheriff Court as she was sentenced on Friday morning.

The court heard that on the night her son Clyde Campbell died, Hardie had gone to work at a nightclub and slept at her boyfriend's house, leaving the toddler without adult supervision.



Clyde's body was found at their home in Raigmore, Inverness, the next afternoon on February 23, 2014.

Hardie earlier pleaded guilty to wilfully ill-treating, abandoning, neglecting and exposing her son to unnecessary suffering or injury in her flat in Mackintosh Road, Inverness between October 1, 2013 and February 23, 2014.
He died from a form of cot death and not the effects of the neglect, sheriff Gordon Fleetwood noted.

Police Scotland detective chief inspector Iain Smith said: "This harrowing case understandably shocked and saddened communities across the city of Inverness and wider Highlands.

"Amanda Hardie had a duty of care towards her children which she chose to ignore, not only on the night of Clyde's tragic death but on several other occasions.

"Officers and partners who dealt with the incident and carried out the subsequent investigation are to be commended for their efforts in bringing this sad case to a conclusion.

"The community of Raigmore are to be thanked for their assistance and strength shown throughout the investigation."

http://stv.tv/news/highlands-islands/1354001-mother-jailed-for-neglect-after-death-of-two-year-old-son/

Bit more about it on this link...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-36286050

Talking about abandonment (again), then will stick this article here....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3592641/Would-leave-10-month-old-home-Mother-causes-outrage-saying-pops-shop-baby-sleeping-surprising-number-women-agree.html

NSPCC issues warning over leaving children home alone

• 8 hours ago
              
  
  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36834807
       
Image copyright David Sacks
As schools break up for the holidays, a children's charity is urging parents to think carefully before leaving children home alone over the summer.
The NSPCC says last summer its helpline received 453 calls and emails from adults concerned about youngsters being left unattended during the holidays.
More than three-quarters - 366 - were serious enough for information to be passed to police or social services.
The law does not specify an age at which children can be left unattended.
However, laws in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland say children must not be neglected or abandoned "in a manner likely to cause [them] unnecessary suffering or injury to health".

The NSPCC says leaving children at home without adult supervision puts them at greater risk of accident or injury.
The charity offers the following advice for parents deciding whether it is appropriate to leave a child alone:

• Babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone
  
• Children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency and should not be left at home alone for a long period of time
  
• Children under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight
  
• Parents and carers can be prosecuted for neglect if it is judged that they placed a child at risk by leaving them alone at home
  
• A child should never be left at home alone if they do not feel comfortable with this, regardless of their age
  
• If a child has additional needs, these should be considered when leaving them at home alone or with an older sibling
  
• When leaving a younger child with an older sibling think about what may happen if they were to have a falling out - would they both be safe?
  

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Callers' concerns

One woman who called the NSPCC 24-hour helpline said: "I'm really worried about a young girl who's been in the house by herself for a whole day now.
"This has been going on for months but I felt as if I couldn't say anything as I'm related to them and I didn't want to compromise our relationship. But I just can't keep quiet anymore."
Another said: "I'm worried about some children who live nearby and are left alone all day. I feel sorry for the mum because she's working full-time. She used to have a babysitter for them but even she's stopped coming around.
"Sometimes I pop over to check up on the children but they don't always open the door to me even though I can hear them inside. I'm worried something dangerous could happen to them while their mum's at work. It makes me really sad."

---

Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC said: "Summer holidays can be a fun time for children but it's also when they are more likely to be left home alone as parents face increasing childcare pressures.
"Leaving your child home alone can be a difficult decision as children mature at different ages - there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
"But it could put them at greater risk of accident or injury. So I would urge parents to use their common sense when deciding if their child could cope.
"They should also ask them how they feel about being left alone and talk to them about what to do in an emergency. Parents are best placed to know what is right for their child so it vital there is flexibility for them to decide."
Image copyright alexx60
The NSPCC's warning comes as a survey by the Family and Childcare Trust finds that parents in Britain pay an average of £120 per child a week for holiday childcare.
The Trust's annual Holiday Childcare Survey also found there are not enough places to meet demand, with 88% of local authorities in England, 78% in Scotland and all in Wales reporting that they do not have enough holiday childcare places.
The NSPCC's 24-hour helpline offers adults advice and support if they have concerns about a child on 0808 800 5000 or by texting 88858. Its separate 24-hour ChildLine service provides a safe, confidential place for children to talk on 0800 1111.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36834807




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So this topic is back in the news with holidays starting.  This morning Piers Morgan has discussed this....

Janice Ward ‏@1JaniceWard  · 25m25 minutes ago  

@piersmorgan #childneglect. #McCann Congratulations on your stand against leaving kiddies alone. Well said. It IS 100% #neglect.









The question has to be WHY is there not a law stating a minimum age?  Surely anything below 10 is not acceptable at all??

I always thought that the minimum age was officially 12.

Has Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, got an opinion on the parents of Madeleine McCann.

Has this CEO ever publicly commented on it?

Does he agree that with this particular case then it was well within the bounds of reasonable parenting?

But with others similar then absolutely not.

Freedom wrote:I always thought that the minimum age was officially 12.

From the BBC article above....

The law does not specify an age at which children can be left unattended.

This is certainly the case ( or was at the time)in Scot's Law. A friend of mine left her 15 year old in charge of her 13 year old and a 14 year old friend while she went to a doctor appointment at 5pm. The 2 siblings fell out and had a screaming match in the garden during which the elder shouted that she would tell the mum when she came home. This was overheard by the neighbour who my friend had fallen out with years before who presumably phoned the police.
Upshot was my friend was told it wasn't advisable but certainly not against the law as it was a "grey area".  There was no set legal age limit.

What about a 3 year old looking after two 2 year old's............

I don't think that the McCanns ever claimed that was Madeleine's designated duty!

How relieved the three other couples who did the same thing (allegedly) must have been that one of their children wasn't taken.

After all, they were all at the mercy of the roaming paedo abductors, weren't they?

There`d be less of a problem if women with young children didn`t have to go out to work. Women these days are between a rock and a hard place - they need to work for the money but can`t have all the holidays off unless they have a kind relative to have the children.

Its always been a problem for women that need to work, not only holidays but before and after school as well.

That takes me back a few years, Mimi.

It was easy to find a full-time childminder but not one who would take children to and from school.