Child abuser caught - to the best of my ability

[Jackie]

VERY long story, short... I finished my shift at the Home Depot in Evergreen on Aug. 21 and was leaving the parking lot when I witnessed a man beating two children with a stick (or perhaps a cane). It was a piece of wood, no doubt. He shoved them into the back seat of his car, and then took a seat in the drivers seat. Seconds later, another boy came out of the store and headed for the back seat of the car. The beating ensued again and I could hear the children screaming and crying. I was parked at the back of the lot but I could see and hear everything. I charged his car and pulled up one space away from him in order to keep a "safe" distance. I said nothing while he screamed and cursed at the three kids in the back seat and he smacked the stick a couple more times on them.

When he backed his head out of the car and saw me watching him, he yelled at me "what the hell are you looking at, lady?" I stared him in the face and said that if he hit those kids one more time I would call the police. He told me that they were HIS kids and there was no law against spanking his own kids... (that was a LOT more than a spanking - but I didn't say a word. I just stared him down). Then he dared me again to call the police so I said "OK, I will". But because I was afraid of him, I took off back to the entry of the store to get help but then I saw him start his car and leave the parking lot - so I followed him. My "out-of-gas" light had came on a few miles back, but I followed him anyways for 8 - 10 miles before I really felt I should stop for gas. (I pulled into a gas station and called 911. By now I had about 20 pictures on my cell phone including his plate #.

I had 2 or 3 conversations with a deputy and I texted him all my photos. The Depot will be reviewing security camera tapes taken in the lot. I hope they nail this SOB. I wanted SOOO badly to smash him with my Jeep... but the kids...

He deserves to be punished and the kids deserve a better home.

[otisdog]

Good.
Jim

[Brad]

Good on you! I want to treat that guy the same way. There is no excuse for that. Jenn and I agreed to raise our son as a intelligent being. In other words talk to him when he did something wrong. Explain the consequences. Worked pretty well as he respects us and he is at CSU starting college.

[xaza]

It amazes me the way the world is today. When I was growing up my dad would make us go cut our own switch. It wasn't abuse it was discipline. Kids nowadays have no respect because the parents aren't allowed to discipline. Couple things to ask yourself, did you make it worse for the kids when the cops show up at the door and can't get him out of the house. Was this abuse or are you sensitive to physical discipline? Child services have ruined as many good homes as bad ones it has helped hence the need to be sure. There is a line between abuse and discipline and it is very grey. Good for you to stand up and do something when you thought it was needed. With the crazies in the world today, you took a huge risk to confront this guy.

[Jackie]

No Cliff. I am not at all sensitive to discipline. I was spanked as a child as were my brothers and sisters. Those kids were being abused. When I showed the pictures to a few of the store managers, they knew exactly who he was. They had suspected abuse for a long time because he is apparently in the store often and is always cruel to the kids. The "mother" and two of the kids were in the store yesterday. The woman looked like she had injury to her face. (It was scabbed over, so not a fresh wound).

[Chris]

Good for you Jackie.

I don't care to start debating discipline vs abuse and I'm not a fan of the overworked/underpaid Child Protection people either. I believe hitting teaches kids that physical altercations are acceptable and raises kids to fight. Not all kids that were beat become abusers but it's a repeating cycle that needs to end.

[dieseldoc]

Good for you Jackie.

I don't care to start debating discipline vs abuse and I'm not a fan of the overworked/underpaid Child Protection people either. I believe hitting teaches kids that physical altercations are acceptable and raises kids to fight. Not all kids that were beat become abusers but it's a repeating cycle that needs to end.


Cris I agree completely here.
the diffwerence being that abuse tends to leave marks on the body on arms legs faces, discipline leaves no marks and is generaly on the bum!

[xaza]

I don't care to start debating discipline vs abuse
Yeah it's a big grey area. I read through my earlier post again and it almost sounded like I was attacking Jackie, did not mean it that way and hope you didn't feel so.

[Chris]

Yeah it's a big grey area. I read through my earlier post again and it almost sounded like I was attacking Jackie, did not mean it that way and hope you didn't feel so.

Thanks for clarifying Cliff!

[The StRanger]

I'm my opinion the worst part of the spanking was the moments before..man that was hard time...I have tried the soft line with all the kids. 1st time is a warning, 2nd is your last shot, you get to stand with your toes, nose and chin on the wall. There are no more warning after that. If it got to the point that spanking happened they knew they screwed up big time. It wasn't so much the act itself, it was the waiting time.... I think with 4 kids Iv needed like 3 or 4 spanking ( boys just have to push )

[Jackie]

I don't feel attacked by any of your comments. I love my children unconditionally and have never felt the need to strike them. They never did anything bad enough to warrant a "spanking" or I would have given it to them. The hardest thing I ever did was to kick my eldest daughter to the curb with a few bags of her clothing, a couple blankets, a pillow and her car keys. I don't even remember what she did to make me so mad, but I needed to do it as I was soon to give birth to our second child and would not tolerate the behavior I was seeing from the elder daughter. The whole thing lasted about two hours. She acted all tough, took her stuff and left... That lasted about 2 hours and she drove back home. She asked to come in and asked if she could wash the dinner dishes. I agreed and asked her if she would like me to warm up some dinner for her. We both talked and cried the night away.

It was a daring move, but I know my kids. I knew she wouldn't like it out there without me and her dad.

She now has 8 years of college behind her, is a licensed RN, married to a wonderful man and we remain best buddies.

I didn't hurt her. I knocked some sense into her.

[96EXXLTinCO]

Kudos to you Jackie. While it's true CPS has ruined good homes, what choice do we have when we witness something like this, but to either do as you did, or smack him around a little and see how he likes it. Granted I would REALLY struggle with NOT choking him out on the spot, but really, what other option is there but to put faith in the system? If nothing else comes of it, hopefully he AT LEAST thinks twice before hitting one of those kids. Living in Georgetown now, we'll be doing some shopping at WalMart and your store once in a while, and believe me, I'll be on the lookout for this (Insert your own insulting name here, I got too many to decide from)