Stranger slaps crying toddler in a Walmart

[MorningStar]

I would be happy to hear the man's explanation after I was through beating him senseless.

[Mahone]

No disrespect but this kind of thought process angers me. How can you say the only "damage" to the child was a slight redness to the face. How could you even know of any psychological damage that might have occurred?

To say it could have been worse is true..but should this have happened in the first place? Seriously..NO ONE has the right to slap child like he did.

If that was first degree cruelty, how would you define second and third degee cruelty? By all means it was cruel and unnecessary, but I certainly wouldn't have said it was first degree.

My actual words were "the only -known- damage". We cannot prosecute people for what -might- of happened or what -could- have happened. That has a slight minority report fashion to it. In another article I read on the subject, the mother told the media her child seemed to have forgotten about what happened completely and was happily playing.

I did say there was no excuse for what he did, but in judging him you have to put the whole thing in perspective and not let your anger cloud and distort what actually happened, especially seeing as we only have one side of the story reported in the media. There has however been suggestions that the man has a mental illness from the mother of the child. I cannot just jump on the band wagon like most people do in these situations and verbally condemn him without 1. Knowing both sides of the story and 2. Trying to put myself into that persons shoes. Who knows what each of you might have done in exactly the same situation.

Edited September 7, 2009 by Mahone

[FlyingPurpleMonkey]

I am glad someone stepped in to control the child, since the mother obviously was unable to. There are bratty spoiled kids with gutless parents everywhere these days, makes me sick.

[Maxel]

I am glad someone stepped in to control the child, since the mother obviously was unable to. There are bratty spoiled kids with gutless parents everywhere these days, makes me sick.

Tell us how you really feel. I'm not quite grasping the point you're trying to make.

[Generally_Me]

Technically, slapping that young a child that many times could result in shaken baby syndrome.

[beefche]

I am glad someone stepped in to control the child, since the mother obviously was unable to. There are bratty spoiled kids with gutless parents everywhere these days, makes me sick.

I'm so glad you have insight and intuition to know why the child was crying. Obviously, you know more than any of us--there is absolutely no possible way that this child was hurt and crying. Or fussy and crying. Or that mom wasn't trying to control her child's screaming. I am so very glad there are people out there to smack a defenseless child silly to control her. Afterall, every single child of parents who smack their children 4-5 times in the face have perfect children. And there is no such thing as child abuse.

Thank you so much for pointing out my deficiencies. I'm off to Walmart to begin discinplining other people's children and know that in no way am I using any sort of child abuse. I'll be sure to let the police officers know. (/sarcasm)

[Maxel]

Beefche- FlyingPurpleMonkey has posted four times on this board; twice in the sports section, this comment and the one where he says the Christian Flying Saucers Church Thingy is pretty accurate.

I'm thinking 'troll'.

[ferretrunner]

One time, I had taken one of my 4 y/o cousins to a store. She had a habit of some pretty nasty temper tantrums. She wanted something, I said no, and she went into a full force tantrum. I stood there, crossed my arms, and said, "No dice. Whenever you're done, we can go." And just waited. The storm lasted what seemed like hours, but was only 5-10 minutes, then she stopped and looked up at me. It was so funny. Her next words were, "I'm still not getting the doll, am I?" "Nope." And she got up and walked out with me. It was so strange. She never really tried me again. Her parents had gone through a pretty messy divorce the year previous- the same time the tantrums really started. I'm happy to report she is quite the nice young lady today- she graduted high school last spring.

[FlyingPurpleMonkey]

I'm so glad you have insight and intuition to know why the child was crying. Obviously, you know more than any of us--there is absolutely no possible way that this child was hurt and crying. Or fussy and crying. Or that mom wasn't trying to control her child's screaming. I am so very glad there are people out there to smack a defenseless child silly to control her. Afterall, every single child of parents who smack their children 4-5 times in the face have perfect children. And there is no such thing as child abuse.

Thank you so much for pointing out my deficiencies. I'm off to Walmart to begin discinplining other people's children and know that in no way am I using any sort of child abuse. I'll be sure to let the police officers know. (/sarcasm)

"Thank you so much for pointing out my deficiencies."

You took my post pretty personal, you must be one of those people that can't control their children. Not my fault.

[FlyingPurpleMonkey]

Beefche- FlyingPurpleMonkey has posted four times on this board; twice in the sports section, this comment and the one where he says the Christian Flying Saucers Church Thingy is pretty accurate.

I'm thinking 'troll'.

So I've made 4 posts and I am labeled a "troll". Is this how I should expect to be treated when I enter an LDS meetinghouse?

Judging by your comment, you obvioulsy did not actually look at the "Echoes of Enoch" site I wished to disuss (but was subsequently removed) at any length. Seems you just clicked on the site made a snap judgment and clicked away. Good research technique.

[beefche]

"Thank you so much for pointing out my deficiencies."

You took my post pretty personal, you must be one of those people that can't control their children. Not my fault.

I "control" my children very well, thank you. But, I will tell you this, if a stranger attempts to "control" my child by slapping her in the face, I will take complete control of the stranger--there'll be 2 people arrested--one for abuse of a child and one for assault and battery of an adult with possible manslaughter charges.

[Maxel]

So I've made 4 posts and I am labeled a "troll". Is this how I should expect to be treated when I enter an LDS meetinghouse?

Apologies. The shoe fit at the time. It still does.

By the way, if you went to an LDS meetinghouse saying that the parents in their can't control their children because they are crying- you'll probably be met with some kurtness. Rudeness isn't a likeable characteristic.

Judging by your comment, you obvioulsy did not actually look at the "Echoes of Enoch" site I wished to disuss (but was subsequently removed) at any length. Seems you just clicked on the site made a snap judgment and clicked away. Good research technique.

If I was too judgmental, I apologize.

[MrsAri]

We live in an extremely angry society.

[Carl62]

What I'm kinda surprised to see is that the mom didn't report anything after the first threat. It's a wonder she didn't go up to a manager and tell him that they've got a loon in the store who's making physical threats on her kid. That may have prevented the big slap scene from happening. Oh and BTW, to collaborate with what some others have said already, if someone were to ever violently attack my 2 year old child like that, med or no med condition, they would have been k.o.'d to the ground, big time!

[prisonchaplain]

Carl, you gotta sympathize with the mom. She is a lady, and most ladies are not wired to get into physical altercations with men. Further, there are enough rude people in the world who would SAY something obnoxious like the man did...but for him to actually do such a thing...wow. What's she gonna say, "Hey store manager, that man over there just threatened to hit my child!"

"Excuse me sir, did you threaten to hit this woman's child."

"No sir, I just asked if she might control her child's crying, and she took it all personal."

Now where does she stand?

No, I wouldn't fault the victims in this incident. This is bizarre behavior, and the prosecutor probably went with first-degree, because anyone who would take it upon himself to hit a stranger's child is a public menace.

[Carl62]

Carl, you gotta sympathize with the mom. She is a lady, and most ladies are not wired to get into physical altercations with men. Further, there are enough rude people in the world who would SAY something obnoxious like the man did...but for him to actually do such a thing...wow. What's she gonna say, "Hey store manager, that man over there just threatened to hit my child!"

"Excuse me sir, did you threaten to hit this woman's child."

"No sir, I just asked if she might control her child's crying, and she took it all personal."

Now where does she stand?

No, I wouldn't fault the victims in this incident. This is bizarre behavior, and the prosecutor probably went with first-degree, because anyone who would take it upon himself to hit a stranger's child is a public menace.

If the scenario were to go down like that and the manager did absolutely nothing, taking the mans word over hers and then the slapping incident were to occur, not only could she easily end up getting that manager fired (which I would), but she could end up with a VERY sizable lawsuit against Wal-Mart!

Edited September 11, 2009 by Carl62