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Cops Burst Into This Mother’s Bedroom After They Find Her Child Cold, Alone And Screaming In The Front Yard
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Cops Burst Into This Mother’s Bedroom After They Find Her Child Cold, Alone And Screaming In The Front Yard

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The term “terrible twos” has been used to describe the rapid shifts in a child’s mood and behaviors — and the difficulty of dealing with them. One minute they might be clinging to you, and the next he or she is running in the opposite direction without looking back.

While these changes are a normal part of child development (two-year-olds undergo major motor, intellectual, social, and emotional changes), they can be very challenging to deal with.

Mother and TikTok user @mustangashley9 got to experience it firsthand. In one of her recent videos, she described the time when her youngest kid decided to “explore” the world on his own. In the middle of the night.

In her now-viral TikTok video, this woman described the craziest thing that has happened to her as a mom

Image credits: mustangashley9

And it all started on a seemingly usual night, after she put her kids to bed

Her sleep was suddenly interrupted by police officers

Image credits: Nothing Ahead (not the actual photo)

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They informed the mother that they had found her 2-year-old outside

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Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)

Of course, it doesn’t mean that your own baby is going to wreak havoc during this period of their lives. No two kids are the same. “Some parents receive much harder assignments than others,” Perri Klass, M.D. and the co-author of Quirky Kids, said.

But “if you have a child with a more challenging temperament, the truth is that you may have less fun parenting on a day-to-day basis for some of your child’s life.”

It’s perfectly understandable that the woman behind this video, you, or anyone else who has a difficult-to-manage-kid feels frustrated that they demand more attention than all the other little ones you see on the playground. Or to be upset that your parenting is being unfairly judged by strangers and family alike.

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The woman is still processing the scary experience

@mustangashley9Horror story of the year! Childproof your life people cause toddlers are savage♬ original sound – Mustangashley9

Science agrees that moms and dads have different “workloads.” Take research by Harvard University psychologist Jerome Kagan, Ph.D., for instance.

Kagan discovered that 40% of babies have a calm disposition (they’re not overly ruffled by stimuli like light or noise), and years later, these kids remain chill. However, about 15% to 20% of babies are born with a more “reactive” temperament, and they’re what people might politely call a “handful.”

During Kagan’s study, these babies recoiled from lights and noise and were hard to soothe. His findings also suggest that an infant’s temperament at birth is a good predictor of a child’s behavior in adolescence.

But keep in mind that if you have a “difficult” baby, that doesn’t necessarily mean they and you are destined for hard times. Whether nature or nurture plays a bigger role in personality and development is one of the oldest debates in psychology.

Hopefully, the creator of this TikTok will find peace in the future as well. The concern you see in her face as she recalls the story is a clear sign that she’s a caring parent.

But people have been saying that it’s not her fault, highlighting that toddlers are true escape artists

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x-lima-bean-x avatar
Kiwii Stone
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never got out of the house but I did go downstairs, set up the fireplace and accidentally set fire to myself at 18 months. I got the matches down from the mantelpiece which was about a meter high. So regardless of how out of reach things are (like door handles), where there's a will, there's a way. It doesn't mean you're a bad parent, you just have a determined child!

momincombatboots03 avatar
Madre_Dr4gnZFly
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never underestimate the little ones! When my middle grandson was about 2 years old, he wasn't very big. He was kinda skinny (I called him "Spider Monkey" because he was a serious climber & all over the place!) and very determined! He stacked 2 12pk of Pepsi next to the front door so he could reach the lock to "go outside and play"! We lived in a cul de sac so he could literally go around the block without crossing the street. Luckily someone spotted him before he got far & the police woke us up, with the little guy in tow!

sfgragan avatar
Anon822209
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This kind of thing isn't all that uncommon. Had an acquaintance tell me about the time her 3yo walked to her MIL's house across the street at 3am. She didn't know he was gone until MIL called. And that is why my anxious self put a chain lock on my front door. Not to keep folks out. To keep my boy in.

ajones_1 avatar
A Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's scary. But yeah little kids are like masters of escape and climbing. Since they're not weighed down with weight/gravity like adults are they can climb anywhere with a lot of ease. I remember doing such as a young kid to find hidden snacks. Hide your stuff well in lock boxes and use child-proof locks (combo locks, don't use keys). Especially flammable dangerous stuff!

joannchamberlain avatar
DumYum
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And guns. My best friend almost shot herself at about 2/3 years old when she found her uncle’s gun. She distinctly remembers pointing it at her face trying to push the trigger. Luckily, when it went off the bullet hit the ceiling mounding and not her head.

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smi avatar
S Mi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very drunk, teenaged SMi was stumbling towards home in the very early parts of the morning to see the neighbour's three year old riding their tricycle down the sidewalk wearing only underwear. Welp, can't leave him out here. I leaned on the doorbell until my groggy neighbor answered, pointed behind me to the child, nearly falling over myself. Neighbor's eyes get wide, he thanks me and takes his son back inside.

jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe time for a gate on his door or on the stairs if you live in a 2-storey house. But no, you are not a bad parent.

jskorch87 avatar
jaysko
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great point/idea, and I think she does because I believe she said she had to go downstairs to get to the front door

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hlmorgan avatar
Big Chungus
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother used to sleep walk really bad as a kid. He one time did make it outside but was able to wake up and realize what happened. It is scary and things happen. All you can do is prepare after so it doesn't happen again.

teresacline avatar
Cold Contagious
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My son would sleepwalk from the time he was a young child to up in his teens. We had to install high locks on the doors and thankfully he never went outside but it was always scary just the same. Especially when he slept over at his friend's houses. We would let them know about it, but it's never the same as being at home. He no longer does it as an adult now that any of us are aware of.

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libstak avatar
Libstak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I spent news years eve when I was 3 yrs old at a police station about 30kms from home. I was being babysat by my 13 year old brother and playing with the neighbour, another 3 year in the driveway on our tricycles. He decided to push me real fast out the driveway and a few houses down, I fell over and cried. Next thing I knew a policewoman was trying to help me but I couldn't speak English at the time so she couldn't get me to tell her where I lived. Poor brother cried for hours looking for me before my parents finally involved the police and discovered I had been moved to a safe police station with appropriate temp care facilities for infants. No one was blamed, it was just a series of misfortunate circumstances.

jbsavestheworld avatar
Jenny Barnes
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happened in my home town. A 2-3 year old child decided during the night that he wanted to go see grandma who lived across town. He got on his little shoes and off he went to grandmas. Of course he got lost and was wandering all night. Luckily this was in the summer and not in the middle of a MN winter. But he was picked up by a local police officer after several calls to the police. It took most of the morning to get him back to his parents as he was so far from home and the child was too little to know his full name.

alimagrog avatar
AR
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my son was 2, I went to pee in the bathroom right next to the living room. Within seconds it grew quiet and he wouldn’t answer me. I finished as fast as I could and stepped the single foot into the living room to see the front door wide open. The front door that had a handle lock and a dead bolt, both engaged at the time. The little goober was running down the sidewalk in his diaper. We bought a door chain that day.

shylabouche_1 avatar
Shyla Bouche
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother ran away when he was five. We lived in a one-road trailer park off the highway. My dad was a cop at the time. Another cop was doing his rounds, saw my brother standing on the side of the highway. He stopped to see what was going on. My brother told him that he'd run away. The cop pointed out that my brother was just standing there. Exasperated, my brother said, "I'm not allowed to cross the street by myself now, am I?"

taranw avatar
Okiedokie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah. This stuff happens & it is absolutely horrifying. Definitely teaches you not to close your bedroom door or forgo childproof locks. My son has autism & we moved into a house with enormous, sliding glass doors that were hard to childproof considering his age [8, & loved puzzles, childproof lock is just another wonderful puzzle]. He got out & we ended up installing cacophonous door alarms with a volume that would wake the dead. Gotta do what you gotta do.

miriam-renken avatar
MiriPanda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How did he get out and how did the police get in without waking anyone up? Unlocked doors?

suuspuusje avatar
Susie Elle
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My guess is the family didn't have childproof locks and the kid opened the door, walked out, maybe panicked and didn't know what to do or maybe couldn't get the door open a 2nd time, then the police was able to enter the house because child left the door unlocked.

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spaggie1 avatar
Brenda Spagnola-Wilson
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My 14mo grandson UNLOCKED AND OPENED the front door while DIL was in the bathroom. She rushed out to see him in front of the next building with one of the maintenance people (who recognized him) walkinghimhome. The door was locked with a deadbolt but he somehow unlocked it. This happened today. Toddlers are curious and smarter than we realize.

androgynylunacy avatar
Androgyny Lunacy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, she's lucky. The police should come if your child is in an ambulance and have the right to invade your privacy. When it comes to your kids, you wouldn't want that? The police probably did knock and no one answered so they came in. My kids got outside, cops were called and there was CPS... and lingering. And my kids are autistic and just learned to unlock the door. It isn't like they had to be in an ambulance. Usually when the police come, CPS hangs around. She must live somewhere special.

emilymrangel avatar
over it already
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly why we've had that hotel-style flip lock on the top of the front door since my oldest (now 16) was about 2 1/2. Went & got one as soon as I saw tippy toes trying to flip the deadbolt open. Scary story!

silverskycloud avatar
SilverSkyCloud
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my son did this and ended up on the beach at about 6:30am, we live about 1o minutes walking at the longest, the first thing the cops did was accuse us for negligence because our child could get the key, which was up high so he had to climb up to get it, when we explained this they asked "why was he able to climb on anything in the first place?"

lynnmbiehl avatar
LeavingLaLaLand
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poor mom. Something similar happened to me too, except from the opposite end. I was the police officer. I was working midnight shift, right before shift ends my partner and I see this toddler running across a field headed straight for the road right in front of us. My partner was driving and sped up so we could reach him before he hit the street, I bailed out of the car just in time to grab him up. Kid was happy as could be but was too young to tell us his address. We ended up taking him back to the station till we could find his parents. Turned out the little butt was a true escape artist and had done this before. Parents had multiple locks on the door but he had figured out how to open them.

ttorrest avatar
TTorrest Author
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One night, I was in my office working when I heard my next door neighbor yelling "Helloooo" and coming through the rear sliders to my house. I was like, ummm. that's weird we don't really have that kind of relationship wtf. But when I went out, he was standing there with my 2-year-old son, who apparently walked down the stairs from his bedroom, out of the house, down a flight of deck stairs, across the lawn to next door, and up the back stairs to "go say hi" to my neighbors who were lounging on their deck. I had NO CLUE he'd left the house until that (very embarrassing) moment. #MomOfTheYear

catwoman408 avatar
Tina Hugh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was on a police ride along and saw a situation a little like this. The toddler was found wandering around an apartment building around 2 am. The neighbors were caring for her—one had even gone out to buy diapers. We got there and the cops knocked on every door looking for her parents. The mother was super groggy from sleep—she had no idea the girl had escaped. Basically the whole building got involved in getting the girl back to her family. Pandas are always saying how bad humans are, so remember things like this are normal and common. Neighbors being caring and cops helping. That’s everyday stuff and it is good

the_true_opifex avatar
Katie Lutesinger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was that age I ran away at the shops and was found on a completely different floor. Another time I got out of the house and was found all the way down the street, playing right next to the railroad tracks. I tried to do a runner at the airport in Israel, while surrounded by armed security guards. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Was my mother inattentive? Nope, I was just incredibly fast. Attempts at putting me on a kiddie leash resulted in me sitting down and refusing to move until it was removed. Given that I haven't really changed so far as reckless stupidity goes, it's pretty astonishing that I'm still alive to tell the tale.

imbriuminarian avatar
Bunzilla
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think part of the reason why the police snuck in was because they were also potentially worried the family might have been murdered or something, and there was still a criminal there inside. Traumatic for the parents. Maybe something like a deadbolt would help, out of the reach of the kid. Lucky the kid was okay. Reminds me of that case where the toddler froze solid in a snowbank outside during the night, yet they were able to thaw her out. Little kids are resilient.

ivyruonakoski avatar
Ivy la Sangrienta
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why I have a second lock (needing a key) and a chain up top.

lilysiuta avatar
Lily Siuta
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Get top door locks for external doors and basement, and baby gate for stairs, man. And maybe a sensor alarm for front door that goes off if someone crosses the line to turn on ( nothing for police, just alarm)

shelbyjackson avatar
Shelby Jackson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my oldest was about 3 I was sick and had him in bed with me. I was out cold but he was sleeping when I fell asleep. This wee one got up and managed to lock himself in the (thankfully fenced in) back yard with no coat or socks or shoes. Thankfully one of our wonderful neighbors saw him and wrapped him in a coat. Knocked on our front door. I felt like such a sh*ty parent. He was ok but still. I felt awful that I was out cold asleep.

libby6 avatar
Stargazer66
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was hanging out with my sister one Saturday at her house and as we were sitting in the living room, we watched her 2-3 year old turn an empty clothes basket upside down, slide to the front door, climb up on the basket and attempt to reach up to unlock the front door. Her mom called to her to get down. My niece responded with "Don't worry about me guys" lol. We both ran to her to scoop her up and take the clothes basket away. Toddlers are wiley little escape artists. Fortunately she never tried to go outside at night when everyone else was sleeping.

carag avatar
Cara G
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sister and I were friends with a trio of sisters when we were young and something similar happened to them. The youngest was about 3 and went missing, nowhere to be found. The police were called and the entire neighborhood was out looking for her for several hours. Hours into the search, their father opened a closet door in the house and there she was curled up on the floor, sleeping soundly. Never heard a thing.

sky_thunder1384 avatar
Shadow
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother slept on a mattress on the floor for the first two years of his life because of me. I soon as I learned how to walk to started climbing out of my crib, never made out of the house though.

2picklesinabun avatar
2picklesinabun
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kids are SO sneaky. Alarms and high up locks are a good start but things happen. Any parent or person who knows parents, knows this. Your reaction was probably all the police needed to know to realize it wasn't done on purpose.

katmin avatar
Kat Min
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think, everybody handled the situation pretty well. It is really unfortunate, that noone woke up but I''m sure, they'll secure their doors better, now, that they knwo their child is prone to sleepwalking and nightterrors.

edavellaneda avatar
El MasChingon
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

get a deadbolt lock that can only be open with a key that's what we did when my two years old learned to open doors

barbara_maloney avatar
Barbara Maloney
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can do everything right and s**t still happens. You are a good mom and thank you for posting, this is real life.

marneederider40 avatar
Marnie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How on earth does a two year old get out of the crib and outside?

olivia_331 avatar
Via Hawk
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Twice when I was a pre-teen I followed dogs or deer into the woods and managed to get lost in a completely different area from my neighborhood with no way to contact home

deeg avatar
DeeG
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Baby proof locks on all doors and gates will solve that problem

mpandgp79 avatar
MalP
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup, eldest kid would sleep walk. Got up to pee & heard her going out the front door. Got an alarm the next day. Scary stuff! Deep breaths and high locks or alarm.

david2074 avatar
David
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my oldest grandson was quite little he went through a phase of 'escaping' from the apartment a few times. My daughter even added an extra lock near the top of the door. He figured out how to pile things up in front of the door until he could reach that lock. He stopped doing it after a while but for a time it was kind of scary.

wendym_2 avatar
Wendy M
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was about eight years old and a sleep walker. I ended up in the garage that connected to the house. I was dreaming that the xmas lights were on at the house over the road. I was standing there looking at the lights when the cold woke me up and I screamed blue murder. My nan came after me as she had heard me getting up. Then there was the time I tried to walk off the back of the boat in the middle of the pacific ocean. My best friends mum felt the boat rock and came out and stopped me.

cassiewilliams avatar
Cassie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have four kids. It was the youngest who sleepwalked out of the house and it was a complete surprise to us, but we were awake at the time and gently brought him right back in to his bed. We installed a high lock out of his reach on the door the next day.

dande060912 avatar
April Stephens
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know someone who lives in what she claims to be a very safe neighborhood, so she is not fazed by the fact that her three toddlers go outside unattended without her knowing sometimes. She is fazed by CPS repeatedly visiting her, though, enough to watch the children more carefully, but not enough to install a $2 flip lock high up on the door. I don't understand it. In this tik tok story, I don't think the mom is a "bad parent" for this happening one time. But if she doesn't take further action to try to prevent it from happening again, I do think there is a problem. Yeah, it's *statistically unlikely* that the kid would be kidnapped playing outside alone, but all sorts of accidents and crimes are possible, and a CPS investigation is likely!

deann_coyne avatar
Deann Coyne
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Get a couple of dead bolt chains my husband brother slept walked all the time they would find him in the yard not your fault !!!

atribe1973 avatar
Sammie 19
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the reason why I have several locks on my front door. So when my grandkids sleep over I can be 100% certain they can't get out when I'm sleeping. I dislike babysitting them at their home because my daughter doesn't have any safety locks on her front door which meant that the one and only time I babysat there the middle one aged 6 ran off. As I was in the middle of changing his 18 month old sister's diaper I couldn't run after him so I had to send his 8 year old older brother to fetch him. Their apartment is on the main road in our small town. Imagine my horror when the eldest brought him back and told me that his brother had crossed the road because he thought his parents were eating at the pizza restaurant opposite their apartment. My daughter and her partner were at a different restaurant. I've not babysat for them in their own home since that day. Plus they have an open plan kitchen and living room which means no doors to lock to keep them out of the fridge/freezer and pantry..

boredpanda_99 avatar
SirWriteALot
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did the cops sneak i? I mean ... if even the dog doesn't react this is mighty weird.

madamjoiedumort avatar
madamjoiedumort
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So glad I didn't ruin my life with kids because they'd be taking me in for murder.

x-lima-bean-x avatar
Kiwii Stone
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never got out of the house but I did go downstairs, set up the fireplace and accidentally set fire to myself at 18 months. I got the matches down from the mantelpiece which was about a meter high. So regardless of how out of reach things are (like door handles), where there's a will, there's a way. It doesn't mean you're a bad parent, you just have a determined child!

momincombatboots03 avatar
Madre_Dr4gnZFly
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never underestimate the little ones! When my middle grandson was about 2 years old, he wasn't very big. He was kinda skinny (I called him "Spider Monkey" because he was a serious climber & all over the place!) and very determined! He stacked 2 12pk of Pepsi next to the front door so he could reach the lock to "go outside and play"! We lived in a cul de sac so he could literally go around the block without crossing the street. Luckily someone spotted him before he got far & the police woke us up, with the little guy in tow!

sfgragan avatar
Anon822209
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This kind of thing isn't all that uncommon. Had an acquaintance tell me about the time her 3yo walked to her MIL's house across the street at 3am. She didn't know he was gone until MIL called. And that is why my anxious self put a chain lock on my front door. Not to keep folks out. To keep my boy in.

ajones_1 avatar
A Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's scary. But yeah little kids are like masters of escape and climbing. Since they're not weighed down with weight/gravity like adults are they can climb anywhere with a lot of ease. I remember doing such as a young kid to find hidden snacks. Hide your stuff well in lock boxes and use child-proof locks (combo locks, don't use keys). Especially flammable dangerous stuff!

joannchamberlain avatar
DumYum
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And guns. My best friend almost shot herself at about 2/3 years old when she found her uncle’s gun. She distinctly remembers pointing it at her face trying to push the trigger. Luckily, when it went off the bullet hit the ceiling mounding and not her head.

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smi avatar
S Mi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very drunk, teenaged SMi was stumbling towards home in the very early parts of the morning to see the neighbour's three year old riding their tricycle down the sidewalk wearing only underwear. Welp, can't leave him out here. I leaned on the doorbell until my groggy neighbor answered, pointed behind me to the child, nearly falling over myself. Neighbor's eyes get wide, he thanks me and takes his son back inside.

jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe time for a gate on his door or on the stairs if you live in a 2-storey house. But no, you are not a bad parent.

jskorch87 avatar
jaysko
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great point/idea, and I think she does because I believe she said she had to go downstairs to get to the front door

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hlmorgan avatar
Big Chungus
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother used to sleep walk really bad as a kid. He one time did make it outside but was able to wake up and realize what happened. It is scary and things happen. All you can do is prepare after so it doesn't happen again.

teresacline avatar
Cold Contagious
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My son would sleepwalk from the time he was a young child to up in his teens. We had to install high locks on the doors and thankfully he never went outside but it was always scary just the same. Especially when he slept over at his friend's houses. We would let them know about it, but it's never the same as being at home. He no longer does it as an adult now that any of us are aware of.

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libstak avatar
Libstak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I spent news years eve when I was 3 yrs old at a police station about 30kms from home. I was being babysat by my 13 year old brother and playing with the neighbour, another 3 year in the driveway on our tricycles. He decided to push me real fast out the driveway and a few houses down, I fell over and cried. Next thing I knew a policewoman was trying to help me but I couldn't speak English at the time so she couldn't get me to tell her where I lived. Poor brother cried for hours looking for me before my parents finally involved the police and discovered I had been moved to a safe police station with appropriate temp care facilities for infants. No one was blamed, it was just a series of misfortunate circumstances.

jbsavestheworld avatar
Jenny Barnes
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happened in my home town. A 2-3 year old child decided during the night that he wanted to go see grandma who lived across town. He got on his little shoes and off he went to grandmas. Of course he got lost and was wandering all night. Luckily this was in the summer and not in the middle of a MN winter. But he was picked up by a local police officer after several calls to the police. It took most of the morning to get him back to his parents as he was so far from home and the child was too little to know his full name.

alimagrog avatar
AR
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my son was 2, I went to pee in the bathroom right next to the living room. Within seconds it grew quiet and he wouldn’t answer me. I finished as fast as I could and stepped the single foot into the living room to see the front door wide open. The front door that had a handle lock and a dead bolt, both engaged at the time. The little goober was running down the sidewalk in his diaper. We bought a door chain that day.

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Shyla Bouche
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother ran away when he was five. We lived in a one-road trailer park off the highway. My dad was a cop at the time. Another cop was doing his rounds, saw my brother standing on the side of the highway. He stopped to see what was going on. My brother told him that he'd run away. The cop pointed out that my brother was just standing there. Exasperated, my brother said, "I'm not allowed to cross the street by myself now, am I?"

taranw avatar
Okiedokie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah. This stuff happens & it is absolutely horrifying. Definitely teaches you not to close your bedroom door or forgo childproof locks. My son has autism & we moved into a house with enormous, sliding glass doors that were hard to childproof considering his age [8, & loved puzzles, childproof lock is just another wonderful puzzle]. He got out & we ended up installing cacophonous door alarms with a volume that would wake the dead. Gotta do what you gotta do.

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MiriPanda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How did he get out and how did the police get in without waking anyone up? Unlocked doors?

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Susie Elle
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My guess is the family didn't have childproof locks and the kid opened the door, walked out, maybe panicked and didn't know what to do or maybe couldn't get the door open a 2nd time, then the police was able to enter the house because child left the door unlocked.

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Brenda Spagnola-Wilson
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My 14mo grandson UNLOCKED AND OPENED the front door while DIL was in the bathroom. She rushed out to see him in front of the next building with one of the maintenance people (who recognized him) walkinghimhome. The door was locked with a deadbolt but he somehow unlocked it. This happened today. Toddlers are curious and smarter than we realize.

androgynylunacy avatar
Androgyny Lunacy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, she's lucky. The police should come if your child is in an ambulance and have the right to invade your privacy. When it comes to your kids, you wouldn't want that? The police probably did knock and no one answered so they came in. My kids got outside, cops were called and there was CPS... and lingering. And my kids are autistic and just learned to unlock the door. It isn't like they had to be in an ambulance. Usually when the police come, CPS hangs around. She must live somewhere special.

emilymrangel avatar
over it already
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly why we've had that hotel-style flip lock on the top of the front door since my oldest (now 16) was about 2 1/2. Went & got one as soon as I saw tippy toes trying to flip the deadbolt open. Scary story!

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SilverSkyCloud
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my son did this and ended up on the beach at about 6:30am, we live about 1o minutes walking at the longest, the first thing the cops did was accuse us for negligence because our child could get the key, which was up high so he had to climb up to get it, when we explained this they asked "why was he able to climb on anything in the first place?"

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LeavingLaLaLand
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poor mom. Something similar happened to me too, except from the opposite end. I was the police officer. I was working midnight shift, right before shift ends my partner and I see this toddler running across a field headed straight for the road right in front of us. My partner was driving and sped up so we could reach him before he hit the street, I bailed out of the car just in time to grab him up. Kid was happy as could be but was too young to tell us his address. We ended up taking him back to the station till we could find his parents. Turned out the little butt was a true escape artist and had done this before. Parents had multiple locks on the door but he had figured out how to open them.

ttorrest avatar
TTorrest Author
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One night, I was in my office working when I heard my next door neighbor yelling "Helloooo" and coming through the rear sliders to my house. I was like, ummm. that's weird we don't really have that kind of relationship wtf. But when I went out, he was standing there with my 2-year-old son, who apparently walked down the stairs from his bedroom, out of the house, down a flight of deck stairs, across the lawn to next door, and up the back stairs to "go say hi" to my neighbors who were lounging on their deck. I had NO CLUE he'd left the house until that (very embarrassing) moment. #MomOfTheYear

catwoman408 avatar
Tina Hugh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was on a police ride along and saw a situation a little like this. The toddler was found wandering around an apartment building around 2 am. The neighbors were caring for her—one had even gone out to buy diapers. We got there and the cops knocked on every door looking for her parents. The mother was super groggy from sleep—she had no idea the girl had escaped. Basically the whole building got involved in getting the girl back to her family. Pandas are always saying how bad humans are, so remember things like this are normal and common. Neighbors being caring and cops helping. That’s everyday stuff and it is good

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Katie Lutesinger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was that age I ran away at the shops and was found on a completely different floor. Another time I got out of the house and was found all the way down the street, playing right next to the railroad tracks. I tried to do a runner at the airport in Israel, while surrounded by armed security guards. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Was my mother inattentive? Nope, I was just incredibly fast. Attempts at putting me on a kiddie leash resulted in me sitting down and refusing to move until it was removed. Given that I haven't really changed so far as reckless stupidity goes, it's pretty astonishing that I'm still alive to tell the tale.

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Bunzilla
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think part of the reason why the police snuck in was because they were also potentially worried the family might have been murdered or something, and there was still a criminal there inside. Traumatic for the parents. Maybe something like a deadbolt would help, out of the reach of the kid. Lucky the kid was okay. Reminds me of that case where the toddler froze solid in a snowbank outside during the night, yet they were able to thaw her out. Little kids are resilient.

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Ivy la Sangrienta
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why I have a second lock (needing a key) and a chain up top.

lilysiuta avatar
Lily Siuta
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Get top door locks for external doors and basement, and baby gate for stairs, man. And maybe a sensor alarm for front door that goes off if someone crosses the line to turn on ( nothing for police, just alarm)

shelbyjackson avatar
Shelby Jackson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my oldest was about 3 I was sick and had him in bed with me. I was out cold but he was sleeping when I fell asleep. This wee one got up and managed to lock himself in the (thankfully fenced in) back yard with no coat or socks or shoes. Thankfully one of our wonderful neighbors saw him and wrapped him in a coat. Knocked on our front door. I felt like such a sh*ty parent. He was ok but still. I felt awful that I was out cold asleep.

libby6 avatar
Stargazer66
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was hanging out with my sister one Saturday at her house and as we were sitting in the living room, we watched her 2-3 year old turn an empty clothes basket upside down, slide to the front door, climb up on the basket and attempt to reach up to unlock the front door. Her mom called to her to get down. My niece responded with "Don't worry about me guys" lol. We both ran to her to scoop her up and take the clothes basket away. Toddlers are wiley little escape artists. Fortunately she never tried to go outside at night when everyone else was sleeping.

carag avatar
Cara G
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sister and I were friends with a trio of sisters when we were young and something similar happened to them. The youngest was about 3 and went missing, nowhere to be found. The police were called and the entire neighborhood was out looking for her for several hours. Hours into the search, their father opened a closet door in the house and there she was curled up on the floor, sleeping soundly. Never heard a thing.

sky_thunder1384 avatar
Shadow
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother slept on a mattress on the floor for the first two years of his life because of me. I soon as I learned how to walk to started climbing out of my crib, never made out of the house though.

2picklesinabun avatar
2picklesinabun
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kids are SO sneaky. Alarms and high up locks are a good start but things happen. Any parent or person who knows parents, knows this. Your reaction was probably all the police needed to know to realize it wasn't done on purpose.

katmin avatar
Kat Min
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think, everybody handled the situation pretty well. It is really unfortunate, that noone woke up but I''m sure, they'll secure their doors better, now, that they knwo their child is prone to sleepwalking and nightterrors.

edavellaneda avatar
El MasChingon
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

get a deadbolt lock that can only be open with a key that's what we did when my two years old learned to open doors

barbara_maloney avatar
Barbara Maloney
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can do everything right and s**t still happens. You are a good mom and thank you for posting, this is real life.

marneederider40 avatar
Marnie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How on earth does a two year old get out of the crib and outside?

olivia_331 avatar
Via Hawk
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Twice when I was a pre-teen I followed dogs or deer into the woods and managed to get lost in a completely different area from my neighborhood with no way to contact home

deeg avatar
DeeG
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Baby proof locks on all doors and gates will solve that problem

mpandgp79 avatar
MalP
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup, eldest kid would sleep walk. Got up to pee & heard her going out the front door. Got an alarm the next day. Scary stuff! Deep breaths and high locks or alarm.

david2074 avatar
David
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my oldest grandson was quite little he went through a phase of 'escaping' from the apartment a few times. My daughter even added an extra lock near the top of the door. He figured out how to pile things up in front of the door until he could reach that lock. He stopped doing it after a while but for a time it was kind of scary.

wendym_2 avatar
Wendy M
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was about eight years old and a sleep walker. I ended up in the garage that connected to the house. I was dreaming that the xmas lights were on at the house over the road. I was standing there looking at the lights when the cold woke me up and I screamed blue murder. My nan came after me as she had heard me getting up. Then there was the time I tried to walk off the back of the boat in the middle of the pacific ocean. My best friends mum felt the boat rock and came out and stopped me.

cassiewilliams avatar
Cassie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have four kids. It was the youngest who sleepwalked out of the house and it was a complete surprise to us, but we were awake at the time and gently brought him right back in to his bed. We installed a high lock out of his reach on the door the next day.

dande060912 avatar
April Stephens
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know someone who lives in what she claims to be a very safe neighborhood, so she is not fazed by the fact that her three toddlers go outside unattended without her knowing sometimes. She is fazed by CPS repeatedly visiting her, though, enough to watch the children more carefully, but not enough to install a $2 flip lock high up on the door. I don't understand it. In this tik tok story, I don't think the mom is a "bad parent" for this happening one time. But if she doesn't take further action to try to prevent it from happening again, I do think there is a problem. Yeah, it's *statistically unlikely* that the kid would be kidnapped playing outside alone, but all sorts of accidents and crimes are possible, and a CPS investigation is likely!

deann_coyne avatar
Deann Coyne
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Get a couple of dead bolt chains my husband brother slept walked all the time they would find him in the yard not your fault !!!

atribe1973 avatar
Sammie 19
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the reason why I have several locks on my front door. So when my grandkids sleep over I can be 100% certain they can't get out when I'm sleeping. I dislike babysitting them at their home because my daughter doesn't have any safety locks on her front door which meant that the one and only time I babysat there the middle one aged 6 ran off. As I was in the middle of changing his 18 month old sister's diaper I couldn't run after him so I had to send his 8 year old older brother to fetch him. Their apartment is on the main road in our small town. Imagine my horror when the eldest brought him back and told me that his brother had crossed the road because he thought his parents were eating at the pizza restaurant opposite their apartment. My daughter and her partner were at a different restaurant. I've not babysat for them in their own home since that day. Plus they have an open plan kitchen and living room which means no doors to lock to keep them out of the fridge/freezer and pantry..

boredpanda_99 avatar
SirWriteALot
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did the cops sneak i? I mean ... if even the dog doesn't react this is mighty weird.

madamjoiedumort avatar
madamjoiedumort
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So glad I didn't ruin my life with kids because they'd be taking me in for murder.

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