A man helped a lost toddler find her parents, police say. He was smeared online as a predator...

[waves]

A man trying to help a lost toddler find her parents was misidentified as a kidnapper on social media over the weekend, according to police in Lakeland, Fla., prompting him to leave town in fear for his safety and the safety of his family.

A man helped a lost toddler find her parents, police say. He was smeared online as a predator and fled town.

 

[Cearbhall]

Sounds like the parents weren't watching their 2-year-old and are looking for someone to blame. The initial confusion and punch is understandable, but they smeared him after they received the explanation from him, witnesses, and the police! Their daughter very well could have been killed by a car if it weren't for that man.

And the man has the grace to not press charges.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Ugh, it's in my town. My friend was talking about this one Facebook the other day. One woman on her FB post keeps saying how it seems the guy was creepy, but not seeing how - he was acting reasonable here. One article I read said the friends he was with at the game was police officers who were off the clock hanging out, so he has a lot of credibility and backing.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

I guess next time someone sees a 2 year old being neglect. Maybe we should walk away.

 

[JCFantasy23]

I guess next time someone sees a 2 year old being neglect. Maybe we should walk away.

Sadly he is probably thinking that right now.

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

And the man has the grace to not press charges.

Which is a pity - because the usual crowd of Facebook vigilantes could do with some harsh lessons in how the law works. I would have sued the lot for defamation.

 

[dgiharris]

I guess next time someone sees a 2 year old being neglect. Maybe we should walk away.

No good deed goes unpunished.

I don't know why, but I just remembered something crazy that happened back in the 80s in my city.

An armored car was driving down the highway in the afternoon, but the security guards did not properly close the rear door. THe back door swung wide open and 4 bags of money fell out.

A good Samaritan recovered the 4 bags, total amount of money was around $500k and he brought the bags to the police the following day.

One of the bags was ripped and so the seal was rendered a moot point. That bag had $78k marked on it, but when it was turned in, it was missing $8k.

The person who turned in the bag stated that the bag had ripped open on the highway and that money flew out, but he recovered as much as he could, the rest blew away in the wind.

It was very windy that week, we often had dust storms and such...

Now, you'd think the powers that be would be happy to have recovered the $500k minus $8k right?

Wrong

Police got a search warrant and searched the guy's house. He had $2k wrapped in rubber bands in his house. He argued that it was his money....

The man was charged with felony theft and he eventually accepted a plea bargain for some misdemeanor lesser charge.

No good deed goes unpunished...

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

No good deed goes unpunished.

I don't know why, but I just remembered something crazy that happened back in the 80s in my city.

An armored car was driving down the highway in the afternoon, but the security guards did not properly close the rear door. THe back door swung wide open and 4 bags of money fell out.

A good Samaritan recovered the 4 bags, total amount of money was around $500k and he brought the bags to the police the following day.

One of the bags was ripped and so the seal was rendered a moot point. That bag had $78k marked on it, but when it was turned in, it was missing $8k.

The person who turned in the bag stated that the bag had ripped open on the highway and that money flew out, but he recovered as much as he could, the rest blew away in the wind.

It was very windy that week, we often had dust storms and such...

Now, you'd think the powers that be would be happy to have recovered the $500k minus $8k right?

Wrong

Police got a search warrant and searched the guy's house. He had $2k wrapped in rubber bands in his house. He argued that it was his money....

The man was charged with felony theft and he eventually accepted a plea bargain for some misdemeanor lesser charge.

No good deed goes unpunished...

Yes it's always better to keep walking. Then nothing would have happen. Thanks for the lesson.

 

[dgiharris]

Yes it's always better to keep walking. Then nothing would have happen. Thanks for the lesson.

The lesson I have learned is to pick my moments when I will be a Good Samaritan.

Obviously when it comes to helping a child, I would feel compelled to. But in the case of the government or a big corporation, I don't really feel the need to get involved if I sense at all it could blow back on me.

 

[Dave-W]

. The initial confusion and punch is understandable, but they smeared him after they received the explanation from him, witnesses, and the police! Their daughter very well could have been killed by a car if it weren't for that man.

It wasn't just one punch. The dad continually beat him.

he ended up being attacked by the child's father, who admitted to punching him repeatedly, according to ABC affiliate WFTS.​

And even after police and other bystanders told that dad that the guy was trying to help the girl find her parents, he still insisted the guy was a predator.

"When I got there, I just swung on him," the father told WFTS. He acknowledged that he really didn't know whether the man was looking to kidnap his daughter but he said he doesn't regret assaulting him.

"You don't pick somebody's kid up in that direction, towards the parking lot, whether you were going towards the parking lot or not," the toddler's father said.

The good Samaritan, who police identified as a father and a local businessman, was also targeted in a social media smear campaign, according to WLS. The station reported that the toddler's family posted the man's name, photo and place of employment online, referring to him as a child predator.

The man has reportedly opted against pressing charges against members of the family.​

Good Samaritan targeted, beaten after helping lost toddler