Home Alone for 19 Kids

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by article

Responding to a welfare complaint from a neighbor Monday, authorities were shocked when they entered a Kentucky home to find 19 children living in squalor with no parental supervision.

Deputies said the children, who ranged in age from 8 months to 14 years, were living in the Bowling Green home with no food or working air conditioner, according to a news release by the Warren County Sheriff's Office.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...ring-heat?lite

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What in THE hell on so many levels.

[knight_shadow]

How do you squeeze all those kids + all those animals into a 3 bedroom house? Ridiculous.

[AnchorAlum]

Who does this?

People who say that there should be a test for parenthood may be on to something.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlum

Who does this?

People who say that there should be a test for parenthood may be on to something.

Conscious people know that a parenthood test would be more biased and problematic than standardized tests like the SAT.

This year I got into a heated debate with people who proclaimed that parents are only doing what they have to do to survive and therefore should not be brought up on charges or have children removed from their homes. They argued that parents who have to work will have no choice but to leave children (most of whom cannot fend for themselves) unattended. The people I debated with posited that these parents are not to blame and helpful neighbors, family, and friends should offer to help rather than call 911 or CPS. While I see what those people are trying to say in terms of a community effort, I call complete bullshit. There are many instances where we need to hold people accountable rather than always coming to the rescue and making people believe that they can do whatever they choose because someone else will always pick up their slack.

[IndianaSigKap]

Some states have laws making it illegal for children under the age of 12 to be left unattended. If you're a mandated reporter, like a teacher or social worker, and you know there is a child being left unattended, then legally you must report.

[AnchorAlum]

Why do people who claim such things as Dr. Phil posted have kids in the first place?
You have kids, you feed them. Can't feed them, don't have them.

It ain't rocket science.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlum

Why do people who claim such things as Dr. Phil posted have kids in the first place?
You have kids, you feed them. Can't feed them, don't have them.

It ain't rocket science.

Why have them? Because unprotected sex is just way too convenient.

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Robinson told the AP that parents, Irving "Joe" Smith and Farah, left for Michigan on June 27 to tend to a family emergency and asked neighbors to check on the kids while they were gone.

Because having 19 kids and no food or utilities isn't a family emergency.

What were the neighbors supposed to check?

"Yup, still no power or food. It's all good."

[Kevin]

Hey, at least one of the kids was 14 and capable of watching the others. What's the issue here?

In all seriousness, this is unfortunately not all that uncommon with regards to children being abandoned by their parents for extended periods, requiring students to go to neighbors for food and necessities. I doubt it's new either. Common sense isn't common. I'm guessing drug dependency played a role here or this could have possibly been part of a poorly run human trafficking operation.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Hey, at least one of the kids was 14 and capable of watching the others. What's the issue here?

The issue is, there are 18 others. That's a tad much to put on a 14 year old.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by 33girl

The issue is, there are 18 others. That's a tad much to put on a 14 year old.

I was being facetious.

I thought "in all seriousness" would clarify that.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Why have them? Because unprotected sex is just way too convenient.

Or our schools failed in teaching proper reproductive health and family planning.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by agzg

Or our schools failed in teaching proper reproductive health and family planning.

You'd think after 19 kids, the 'ol trial and error approach might have yielded results?

Kind of amazing these folks didn't show up on CPS radar prior to this.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by agzg

Or our schools failed in teaching proper reproductive health and family planning.

Yes, 19 times within the same nuclear/blended family unit. But, yes...let's put it on the schools.

I'm still going to go with not wanting to put on a condom.

[PiKA2001]

That poor uterus...

Never mind, just read that the kids weren't all from one woman.