This case flat out blows me away. It's such an extreme example of overreaction, overprotection of our kids, and over-the-top ridiculousness, I have a hard time believing it happened. But it did -- to Tammy Cooper, a stay-at-home mom who lives in La Porte, Texas.
According to Cooper she was sitting outside of her home in a lawn chair watching her children, ages 6 and 9, ride their motorized scooters in their cul-de-sac. The next she knew, police were there, handcuffing her, and taking her jail where she was forced to spend the night. Why? Because she was apparently endangering her children.
She told Click2Houston she was out there watching them the entire time, but police didn't want to hear it. Apparently they had received a call from a neighbor that the kids were out there unsupervised, and it was an orange jumpsuit for her.
The thing that kills me is that even if she was inside, there shouldn't have been a problem. These kids are 6 and 9, and they were in a cul de sac in front of their home. All children may not be old enough to handle such a situation, but some definitely are, and it should be a parent's right to decide if they are. My neighborhood is filled with children who do the exact same thing alone regularly.
And why take a neighbor's word over a mother's? Who knows what the neighbor's motives were. It's great when others look out for children, but parents shouldn't automatically be presumed guilty.
Eventually the charges against Cooper were dropped, thank goodness, but she says that's not good enough to make up for the humiliating and terrifying ordeal. She told the station, "My daughter had him (the police officer) around the leg saying, 'Please, please don't take my mom to jail. Please, she didn't do anything wrong.'" So she's suing the police department, and I hope she gets some justice.
I tend to be on the cautious side rather free-range side with my kids, but cases like this still make my blood boil. It's such a sad testament to how different our children's childhoods are from the carefree ones without strict boundaries and ever-fearful parents that most of us experienced.
Do you let your children play outside alone? How young is too young?
Image via alibree/Flickr
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Comments 266
My youngest boys are 8 and 5, and they play in OUR YARD alone all the time. They aren't allowed in the street, but we have a HUGE yard, so it's not necessary. This is freaking ridiculous!! Damn right, I WOULD SUE TOO!! Imagine those poor kids, seeing mom ARRESTED like that?!? Hell no!
I just have to say that KIDS walk home those ages UNSUPERVISED from school for blocks! But I guess then its ok?! I would have blown a nut for getting arrested for that!!
Great now its illegal for kids to play outside no wonder there is an epidemic with Heavy children cause there not allowed to go outside and run. We lived in the twin cities as kids we played outside all of the time. We rode our bikes every where, then when we moved we moved into the country and we still played outside as well. At age Nine your responsible enough to know right from wrong and what to do and not do. Unless the parents havent taught their children not to talk to strangers then i guess i would be worried.
I was outside playing with friends with no adult supervision at 7. and @Sleeping Beautee the mom was outside watching them from her porch. not all parents have to be right beside their kids to make sure they stay safe
They were probably riding IN THE STREET - that would warrant endangerment. Has this already been said?
WOW!! My 9yo is allowed to be outside alone, but only if he is in front of my apt.