Black babysitter questioned by cops

AirPo · Oct 12, 2018

The beat goes on.

Black babysitter questioned by cops - CNN Video

dgiharris · Oct 12, 2018

To be fair, once some "concerned citizen" calls the cops for suspected kidnapping the cops do have a duty to intervene and ask questions.

It's just hilarious (not in a ha-ha way) that this woman would see the Black man with the white kids at Walmart and Subway and then "get suspicious". You know, because when you abduct children, you take them to public places like the in store Subway at Walmart.

Mr Lewis explained to the officer that he is the kids’ babysitter — that he’d taken them to eat dinner at the Subway in Walmart and then stopped to get some gas — which is when the woman, who had been following them, approached.

The woman asked Mr Lewis if she could speak to the girl, to see if she knew who he was — and he refused, Mr Lewis told the police officer. That’s when she called the cops and then followed Mr Lewis all the way home, he said.

Quite frankly, if some random stranger approached me and asked to talk to 2 children I was baby sitting I'd tell them to take a flying leap into the nearest lake...

Not to derail this thread, you know what, i won't. All I will say is that this narrative the media pushes about every thing being all doom and gloom is part of the problem. Everyone is terrified to go out in public or even let their kids play in public all because of this false narrative that things are so much more dangerous now than ever and it is is patently absurd.

Phil 1:21 · Oct 12, 2018

I can't blame the police for responding as they did. I suspect half of their jobs these days is covering their tails. But what I can't understand is the lady who called them. Does she not realize that there are black parents with white children and white parents with black children? It's not 1934 anymore.

If I were the babysitter I'd have probably called 911 myself and reported some crazy white lady stalking me. After this was all over I'd have asked to pose for a photo with the officers, shook their hands, and thanked them for their service.

Dave-W · Oct 12, 2018

dgiharris said:
Quite frankly, if some random stranger approached me and asked to talk to 2 children I was baby sitting I'd tell them to take a flying leap into the nearest lake...

Me too.

Handmaid for Jesus · Oct 12, 2018

Dave-W said:
Me too.

Me three. But the cops responded correctly imho.

Willie T · Oct 12, 2018

My BIL had the police called on him at a grocery store because one of his kids pulled loose from his mother's hand and darted out into traffic. My BIL gave him one swat on the butt right there, and it almost cost him some time in jail.

Dave-W · Oct 12, 2018

Handmaid for Jesus said:
Me three. But the cops responded correctly imho.

Yeah. They had to respond, and did it well.

JCFantasy23 · Oct 12, 2018

dgiharris said:
Quite frankly, if some random stranger approached me and asked to talk to 2 children I was baby sitting I'd tell them to take a flying leap into the nearest lake...

Agreed. This isn't on the cops - they did the right thing by asking questions when any kidnapping call comes in - but it's on the fault of the bizarre woman following them around assuming he's a kidnapper.

Handmaid for Jesus · Oct 12, 2018

I just wonder how ridiculous she must feel.She should get a ticket for false alarm.

rambot · Oct 12, 2018

While I agree this was not a cop issue and totally "the caller" issue, I fail to see how telling strangers to take a flying leap actually does anything to make society better. The woman felt uncomfortable and instead of talking to ANYONE she called the cops.
Why not just let the stranger talk to your kids? You are right there, it's not like they aren't safe. I fail to see how blocking people out of your life is going to create connection and trust between people....

Don't know if you've seen the meme of a mom whose two children were freaking out and another mom (without kids) picked up the younger one and consoled him as the mom and other one got around the store just getting the essentials. That had a TREMENDOUS impact on that mom and she wants to pay it forward. The comments section was filled with "if someone touches my kid" kinda stuff. And I just don't get it. But I'm also the kinda dad who would offer to take a crying baby on a plane. I love babies and am pretty good at getting them to shut their pie holes and eye holes

The world is a better place when we trust that strangers aren't out to get us and we let people help us and, whoa, maybe even become a tiny bit vulnerable now and then.

JCFantasy23 · Oct 12, 2018

rambot said:
Why not just let the stranger talk to your kids? You are right there, it's not like they aren't safe. I fail to see how blocking people out of your life is going to create connection and trust between people....

I can't agree. If a stranger came up to me wanting to interrogate my kids (or kids I'm babysitting) about who I am and if they're with me willingly, I'd find it insulting, would worry it would upset the kids or make them nervous, wouldn't find it any her business, and would probably just find it downright creepy. You don't know her mental state or who you're giving permission to with these kinds of requests.

mina · Oct 12, 2018

The cops were doing their job and they did it well. I agree with the poster upthread that said if a lady was stalking me with children entrusted to my care and trying to get them to talk to her and ask them weird questions I would either call 911 or alert the store security/management.

rambot · Oct 12, 2018

JCFantasy23 said:
I can't agree. If a stranger came up to me wanting to interrogate my kids (or kids I'm babysitting) about who I am and if they're with me willingly, I'd find it insulting, would worry it would upset the kids or make them nervous, wouldn't find it any her business, and would probably just find it downright creepy. You don't know her mental state or who you're giving permission to with these kinds of requests.

So to be clear, if there was stalking involved that is a different story.

If someone came up to my kids and started talking to them, I wouldn't care.

EVERY TIME I leave my house or go shopping I don't know the mental state of the people around me. Why let your paranoia get the better of you? I mean, is the US chalk FULL of child predators who come up, ask to speak to your children and then grab one and run away? How often does that happen in the continental US?
Is it REALLY worth your concern?
What could be the trade off if you engaged in a positive conversation with someone?
Would it upset the kids? I'd wager they would respond to it in ALMOST the exact same manner as you did. If you freaked out, guaranteed your kids would freak out. If you were unflappable, your kids would be more unflappable. Not to say it wouldn't warrant another conversation if things don't go smoothe. But how can you expect to be a Christian light if you aren't even willing to talk to a stranger in public?

Is this a cultural thing?

Would you think most Americans would react this way? Up here in Canada I've had numerous strangers come up to my kids in stores (my boy had angelic blonde curly hair that got a LOT of attention) and talk to them and it was totally fine. I've never had someone question whether they were my children or not BUT even if they did, I wouldn't let it bother me.

Ancient of Days · Oct 12, 2018

Emotional word- BLACK. Does the color of the persons skin matter? How is that in any way shape or form relevant???

rambot · Oct 12, 2018

p.s. So then I saw the quote:

Mr Lewis explained to the officer that he is the kids’ babysitter — that he’d taken them to eat dinner at the Subway in Walmart and then stopped to get some gas — which is when the woman, who had been following them, approached.

The woman asked Mr Lewis if she could speak to the girl, to see if she knew who he was — and he refused, Mr Lewis told the police officer. That’s when she called the cops and then followed Mr Lewis all the way home, he said.

1) The bolded is crazy.
2) I have only once been shopping with kids who "really didn't look like me" and no one questioned me.
3) Why don't they publish the name of this woman? I think people like this need a bit of a realignment in their thinking.
4) I made most of my comments without seeing these bolded quotes. While I would incredulously probably answer this woman, I'd probably start a discussion with her about how ridiculous her behaviour is and how she's really not paying close attention and is probably blinded by....I dunno....something.

Emotional word- BLACK. Does the color of the persons skin matter? How is that in any way shape or form relevant???

Why did the woman approach the guy? STRICTLY because he was black. Strictly. Had he been white she wouldn't have approached.

You are right. Black is an emotional word. Ridiculously sensitive, hypervigilant closet racists need to chill out and recognize that people of different colours sometimes [gasp]....ASSOCIATE WITH EACH OTHER! Maybe then this woman wouldn't have been following some dude needlessly around hte store.
And wouldn't she pick up in body language what the situation is?

Willie T · Oct 12, 2018

rambot said:
And wouldn't she pick up in body language what the situation is?

And, right there is the whole story in a nutshell. She didn't WANT to pick up on anything positive.

rambot · Oct 12, 2018

Willie T said:
And, right there is the whole story in a nutshell. She didn't WANT to pick up on anything positive.

To be fair, there are people with mental health issues (or FASD/AS) who cannot pick up on body language.

JCFantasy23 · Oct 12, 2018

rambot said:
Would you think most Americans would react this way? Up here in Canada I've had numerous strangers come up to my kids in stores (my boy had angelic blonde curly hair that got a LOT of attention) and talk to them and it was totally fine. I've never had someone question whether they were my children or not BUT even if they did, I wouldn't let it bother me.

Having a stranger make a comment is one thing, and is fine, especially cute little jokes or making a random comment. But this was insulting to the guy and somewhat creepy:
"Corey Lewis said the woman stopped him outside a Walmart in Cobb County on Sunday and demanded to speak to the kids to check if they were OK."

A stranger demanding to speak to the kids? Checking if they are okay? It's bizarre and it's not her right to talk to the kids she doesn't even know.

rambot · Oct 12, 2018

It's bizaare. And I would ask the kids. And then lay claim that she needs some psychiatric help and I'd go get the pickles that were asked of me.

Rion · Oct 12, 2018

I am disappointed that this didn’t end up like the Lindsay Lohan situation.

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