1/13 -1/23 case closed w/o findings of wrongdoing

[tia marie]

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=150748&catid=3

Fears for Somer Expressed

[Moondust]

So sad to hear this...:sad:


I'm sure Somer's mother is going to go through the rest of her life blaming herself for this so I'm not going to join in on the blaming game....my thoughts and prayers remain with her...:rose:

[Ladygator]

I was hoping an arrest was made.:sad:

[Justice4all]

:scared: From the link


The unidentified worker told the Department of Children and Families that Somer and her three siblings got lost at least once walking from Grove Park Elementary School and were found in woods with a stranger. The worker indicated that Somer's mother needed to pay more attention to the children's safety and get them into day care at the school.

I couldn't imagine why she would allow her children to walk home alone after they got lost and were found in the woods with a STRANGER.

Did she not have a neighbor that could walk home with the children?

[Debb]

People say that you shouldn't judge people because you don't know their situation and that they are punishing themself enough when tragedy strikes. I guess that is true. But, I think many people watch the news and see how children are regularly abducted, especially when unsupervised, and take it as a serious threat. They then take precautions to limit the risks their children are placed in. Then there are people who watch the news, see what is happening and then just blow it off. They do not take it seriously. They put their own needs before safety for their kids. Then when tragedy strikes, they act surprised. Until people are held accountable, then what is to make them change their ways.

I recently discovered that my 7 year-old nephew was being allowed to play outside unsupervised and even to approach vehicles who pulled into his driveway alone. His parents are divorced, so I have no control over his care when he is with his mother, but I was just sick about this. I explained safety measures to him and have arranged to try to intervene with some supervision, but his mother is a stubborn lady and safety precautions for her children are not a priorty for her. What do you do with people like that? DSS has been called for other reasons by her neighbors before but nothing has been substantiated. The kids don't have a chance when their parents aren't diligent. Even when parents are diligent, the kids can be abducted.

Can anyone give an reason is it okay to allow young children to be unsupervised on a public street? And not by other children.

[just42day97]

People say that you shouldn't judge people because you don't know their situation and that they are punishing themself enough when tragedy strikes. I guess that is true. But, I think many people watch the news and see how children are regularly abducted, especially when unsupervised, and take it as a serious threat. They then take precautions to limit the risks their children are placed in. Then there are people who watch the news, see what is happening and then just blow it off. They do not take it seriously. They put their own needs before safety for their kids. Then when tragedy strikes, they act surprised. Until people are held accountable, then what is to make them change their ways.

I recently discovered that my 7 year-old nephew was being allowed to play outside unsupervised and even to approach vehicles who pulled into his driveway alone. His parents are divorced, so I have no control over his care when he is with his mother, but I was just sick about this. I explained safety measures to him and have arranged to try to intervene with some supervision, but his mother is a stubborn lady and safety precautions for her children are not a priorty for her. What do you do with people like that? DSS has been called for other reasons by her neighbors before but nothing has been substantiated. The kids don't have a chance when their parents aren't diligent. Even when parents are diligent, the kids can be abducted.

Can anyone give an reason is it okay to allow young children to be unsupervised on a public street? And not by other children.

A friend of my Daughter, has 3 Children..they all go to different schools...The youngest, is 8 or 9...The school will not allow him to ride the bus because he lives within 2 miles from the school...Their house is about a mile from the school...Do I think it's safe that he walks to and from School? No..but my question is, what else can she do? She has to work..she is a single Mom..she can't afford a day care...So, what else can she do but let him walk? There is no after school program at the school..she has checked everything...to send him to daycare after school would cost her 50.00 per week...she simply can't afford that...I think it's a sad day in America when they tell small Children they can't ride the bus....

[Tracian]

From the OP link:


But a two-week probe by Children and Families concluded the allegation about the children getting lost and being found with a stranger had no basis. It also found Diena Thompson properly arranged for her children to be taken to and from school, about a mile away, and that it was acceptable for them to walk home when necessary. Day care was suggested to her as an option, but not required.


Kinda sick the way some want to find a reason to blame the victims' family.

[Debb]

I don't think it's a matter of blame. I would just like to protect the kids as much as possible. If everyone put that as a priorty, I think it would help.

[Tracian]

I don't think it's a matter of blame. I would just like to protect the kids as much as possible. If everyone put that as a priorty, I think it would help.


Diena has gotten land blasted quite a bit, especially at first.

I believe we all want to protect our children; but I also think that sometimes what happens is that we (collective) want to find 'fault' with someone so that we (collective) can feel like that would never happen to us (collective)

[birdwatch]

A friend of my Daughter, has 3 Children..they all go to different schools...The youngest, is 8 or 9...The school will not allow him to ride the bus because he lives within 2 miles from the school...Their house is about a mile from the school...Do I think it's safe that he walks to and from School? No..but my question is, what else can she do? She has to work..she is a single Mom..she can't afford a day care...So, what else can she do but let him walk? There is no after school program at the school..she has checked everything...to send him to daycare after school would cost her 50.00 per week...she simply can't afford that...I think it's a sad day in America when they tell small Children they can't ride the bus.... WOW - just wow. I would think that some citizens group would be up in arms about this. It sounds like this mom has been diligent in her efforts but she needs some help - along with other parents in this same predicament. What on earth is this school thinking? Do they not read the papers and know how what danger they are putting these kids in? I would start with providing the school with a list of all the registered SOs in the area - not that it matters - SOs drive around looking for vulnerable children. This just makes me sick!

[Justice4all]

From the OP link:





Kinda sick the way some want to find a reason to blame the victims' family.

Until we really know what happen to Somer, and until there is an arrest the only true victim is Somer. I'm not trying to blame Somer's mother I'm just simply wonder what went wrong.


MOO

[4Kids]

WOW - just wow. I would think that some citizens group would be up in arms about this. It sounds like this mom has been diligent in her efforts but she needs some help - along with other parents in this same predicament. What on earth is this school thinking? Do they not read the papers and know how what danger they are putting these kids in? I would start with providing the school with a list of all the registered SOs in the area - not that it matters - SOs drive around looking for vulnerable children. This just makes me sick!

Bird....this happens every day all over the country. Districts try to save money on transportation. Most schools have the two mile rule. Thousands upon thousands of kids walk to school, take the subway, the train and don't end up abducted. That being said...walking two miles to school IMO is crazy.

There is no help for it, Bird. With the exception of making sure that once a person who commmits a crime against a child is locked up forever and not simply 5 years. Sadly the crime must be committed first. Therefore, some innocent child pays the price. And therefore, so does some innocent family.
IMO

[Tracian]

Until we really know what happen to Somer, and until there is an arrest the only true victim is Somer. I'm not trying to blame Somer's mother I'm just simply wonder what went wrong.


MOO


What went wrong, IMO is that someone snatched a child right off the street. As much as many of us would like to think we can protect our children always, that is not true.

I know a couple years ago, my son was in an after school program, and I went to pick him up, somehow the school lost him. The 'teacher' thought I had already picked him up, (what happened was he had to find an open bathroom, and then found some friend of his at the upper play ground) Thank God it turned out to be okay, but for about 20mins I was about ready to tear that woman apart.

[Tracian]

Bird....this happens every day all over the country. Districts try to save money on transportation. Most schools have the two mile rule. Thousands upon thousands of kids walk to school, take the subway, the train and don't end up abducted. That being said...walking two miles to school IMO is crazy.

There is no help for it, Bird. With the exception of making sure that once a person who commmits a crime against a child is locked up forever and not simply 5 years. Sadly the crime must be committed first. Therefore, some innocent child pays the price. And therefore, so does some innocent family.
IMO


Excellent post 4Kids :thumbsup:

[5boxersmom]

Wonder who the stranger in the woods was? Hmmmm.

[Tracian]

Wonder who the stranger in the woods was? Hmmmm.


According to the article, that claim was unfounded. :shrug:

[Lynx]

My heart and prayers go out for this family.:sad:

[*Pia]

Until we really know what happen to Somer, and until there is an arrest the only true victim is Somer. I'm not trying to blame Somer's mother I'm just simply wonder what went wrong.


MOO

I disagree. Her mother and all her loved ones are also victims unless and/or until they prove they did something to this little girl. I think this blame going towards her mother is just plain cruel.

[Ice Cycle]

A friend of my Daughter, has 3 Children..they all go to different schools...The youngest, is 8 or 9...The school will not allow him to ride the bus because he lives within 2 miles from the school...Their house is about a mile from the school...Do I think it's safe that he walks to and from School? No..but my question is, what else can she do? She has to work..she is a single Mom..she can't afford a day care...So, what else can she do but let him walk? There is no after school program at the school..she has checked everything...to send him to daycare after school would cost her 50.00 per week...she simply can't afford that...I think it's a sad day in America when they tell small Children they can't ride the bus....

Oh it is ridiculous, 2 miles is too far to say they can not ride the bus, it would even be ridiculous for a block or two with a small child. The only other alternative I see she would have to pay someone to pick the child up and take them home but I would be raising cane over that. When my children were young their elementary school was only a a mile away and the bus picked them up but of course one of those years when young they were then bussed to a far away school (picked up at their school and taken back) which was also ridiculous for a 7 year old.

[5boxersmom]

A friend of my Daughter, has 3 Children..they all go to different schools...The youngest, is 8 or 9...The school will not allow him to ride the bus because he lives within 2 miles from the school...Their house is about a mile from the school...Do I think it's safe that he walks to and from School? No..but my question is, what else can she do? She has to work..she is a single Mom..she can't afford a day care...So, what else can she do but let him walk? There is no after school program at the school..she has checked everything...to send him to daycare after school would cost her 50.00 per week...she simply can't afford that...I think it's a sad day in America when they tell small Children they can't ride the bus....

Can she get another parent to pick him up? Maybe trade on the days she is off or babysit for the other parent a few hours on the weekend to trade for her picking him up if money is tight?

[*Pia]

It's all about saving $$ money $$.

Many people live away and apart from their families and have no one to turn to.

We don't have 'after care' here for our kids unless they're in the band or have something to do with sports.

There are hundreds of kids in thousands of towns across the USA where kids walk a mile home.

That in itself isn't the problem.

The problem is the world isn't safe enough for a child to skip ahead of her walking group without the chance getting snatched.

The problem is we have become so politically correct we allow the release back into society of sexual predators who hunt our children.

THAT is where we should put our efforts.Stoping THEM from roaming around.
... Not second guessing a mother's decisions who lost her daughter.

MOO

Great post!!!

[AmndaRcknwth]

First Coast News reporters named in a lawsuit.

I saved it in a sub-album:
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Somer%20Thompson/Vinson%20Lawsuit/

of Somer's regular album:
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Somer%20Thompson/

[jljayne]

<snip>

This world needs more grandma's.


Amen, Brother!

When I started the first grade, my parents had to work. But we were lucky. We lived with my grandparents, and my grandmother walked me to and from school every day. Unfortunately, not all children are so lucky.

[bluwaters]

Sommer's mom is on the Today show right now.

[AngelWings]

Sommer's mom is on the Today show right now.

I missed it..what happened????

[jljayne]

<snip>

There are hundreds of kids in thousands of towns across the USA where kids walk a mile home.

That in itself isn't the problem.

<snip>

I agree. Many cities and towns have so many kids and so many people and so many cars on the street that it's OK to walk a mile or two because one is never alone. But some towns are so small that a single kid might be the only living soul on a street. Then it isn't safe.

<snip>

The problem is the world isn't safe enough for a child to skip ahead of her walking group without the chance getting snatched.

<snip>

And furthermore, some kids don't even have a walking group to skip ahead of. Sometimes a town is so underpopulated that a kid is the only living soul on a street (as I mentioned above). We need more people in this country!

[moonlite]

First Coast News reporters named in a lawsuit.

I saved it in a sub-album:
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Somer%20Thompson/Vinson%20Lawsuit/

of Somer's regular album:
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Somer%20Thompson/


Greetings"

Thanks for the links. Now this is just my opinion but Mr. Vinson lawsuit seems frivolous. I mean Mr. Vinson put his company in a bad light by hiring his sex offender brother. My question is what does the man expect? I don't think anything was reported that was untrue?

Somer was murdered and her killer is still on the loose. I think it's interesting how Mr. Vinson has lawyered up.

Moonlite