Hell for a day

MikenJulie · 05-15-2006

This girl gave me my first grey hairs this weekend.

It was Saturday, late afternoon, we're over at the neighbors for a drink, kids everywhere, lots of guests, first official BBQ of the season for our friends next door.

I'm 1/2 way to drunkland, trying to avoid the intense conversing with those fresh in the mind since all I can do is lean, drool, and pretty much slurrrrrrr every word. Kids are playing, we're on the patio, then I notice, no Emily, where did she go........

I go over to the swings, look around, beside the neighbors house, gone. I ask Julie is she's seen her, nada. We look down the slop behind the house, now we start to panic, we can't see her anywhere, and yelling her name gets nothing.

Julie sprints out the driveway, she isn't there thank God. It's a 50km/h zone and ppl run 100km/h through here, many complaints to the city, not even a sidewalk for an evening stroll.

She isn't playing behind the garage

Not in the sandbox

Not in behind the house

No sign in the backyard

Other side, no Emily

I'm thinking, she might be down the slope, I scramble up and down, nothing.

I run into my house, my mother is resting on the couch, she never came inside, now my mom, who has high blood pressure to begin with, along with a heart flutter/murmer, is shitting bricks like us. The whole scream-fest Julie and I were going though, and only the other children and the neighbors that were throwing the party helped out in the search, I remember clawing up the bank and yelling, and all I can hear are the guests carrying on with the partying and laughing.

Well, no Emily yet, the two worst options I have yet to address, abduction (far fetched yes, but you still think about it), or she's indeed been hit by one of the fast-moving cars/trucks, rigs, and lay in the ditch in the distance somewhere. At this point, the thought enters my mind, of my baby girl is gone, for good, dead.
I run though the neighbors yards, look at averyone carrying on, not concerned at all, and for a split second I contimplated a quick detour to the left and snap all their care-free necks, but instead I head down the driveway as Julie yells "WE HAVE HER, THANK GOD WE HAVE HER!!!!"

Emily walked just around the corner from our view and went into the neighbors house, closed the door behind her. TreeHouse was on TV for a few of the kids, she heard the music I guess. She was inside all the time we were in absolute hell for about 3 minutes.

We leave the party, all freaked out, I'm still no better for nerves and adrenaline, still insanely angry that so many ppl didn't care, so I decide to head back over and "thank" averyone. Before I get to the gate, I see everyone carrying on, having a good time, I have a "rational" moment.... Regardless how little they did, it doesn't change the fact no one else was responsible for our kids, we f-cked up, plain and simple. I carried on to the garage and beat the shit out of my garage door, and my truck a wee bit unfortunately.

I can't blame anyone but ourselves for the few years just freshly stroked off our lifespan, we indeed let her out of our site for a second, but that's all it takes. I'll never understand how ppl can ignore screaming parents looking for a missing 1 year old, and just carry on partying. WTF is that about.

My perspective on losing a child will never be the same. Of course we sympathize and offer condolence, but those 3 minutes, I have difficulty describing it, along with the concious thought of scanning the road in front of my house for blood stains and debris to try to pin-point where my girl was creamed by a speeder.

My prayers for all of you parents that have indeed lost your children.

Loree · 05-15-2006

OMG, I feel for you.
Thank God all turned out well.
This happened to me at a department store many years ago and my daughter was hiding under the rack of clothes.
There are no words to describe the feeling for those few short minutes that seem to last hours.
Did your neighbors know what was going on and chose to ignore the panic or did they just not know what was happening?
I am glad all turned out well.

ryshkus · 05-15-2006

I'm so very sorry you went through this. I can feel your anger, sadness, happiness etc. I can.

Similar thing happend to me last year at our friends house. We couldn't find our youngest son. I was a mess. Because I wasn't all that familiar with the house and fields surrounding, I was even more worked up.

There were tons of people, and nobody helped. We ended up finding him at the end of the driveway in a fisher price jeep with an older child. The driveway was long and curved so you couldn't see the end from the house. I was so upset with us, with the parents of the other child for letting him go down the entire driveway, and everyone else for just carrying on like nothing was wrong.

MikenJulie · 05-15-2006

Our neighbors helped, the kids did also, the guests did nothing, and yes they did know 100% we were looking for a 1 year old child, there was no confusing that I guarantee.

Man I could still use a drink right now.

Loree · 05-15-2006

you deserve a drink right now

TAPPY · 05-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikenJulie

Our neighbors helped, the kids did also, the guests did nothing, and yes they did know 100% we were looking for a 1 year old child, there was no confusing that I guarantee.

Man I could still use a drink right now.

I could use a drink just reading this thread.

My heart skipped a beat...I think we all have been in your shoes at one time or another...there is no way to describe the sheer fear that you feel.

Shame on those other people for not helping you, I think I would feel pissed at them for a long time. You know who your friends are when things like this happen.

stevo137 · 05-15-2006

Wow! That story gave me goosebumps! I am so glad to hear that she is ok! I can't imagine what those 3 minutes must have been like. I'll bet your heart rate is still elevated.
I can believe how cold some people are to not even help look for her.
Shameful...

Westernstargal · 05-15-2006

OMG....people can be so cruel!!!! I know EXACTLY how you feel.....even more so.
It was March of 1989, in Virginia Beach, Va. my son Nathaniel (3 years old at the time) was in our fenced in backyard playing. After about 30 minutes of not hearing him playing with our neighboors children....I looked out the back door.....NO NATHANIEL!!!! So, I walk over next door and asked Marla is she would send Nathaniel home when Will and He were done playing. And she said that he was not there. At that point, I went into panic mode since there were no other kids out playing that morning. Down the street, is a fenced railroad yard.
I got to the yard and ask the employees if they have seen him, and they say no....Now I am in extreme panic! No one has seen my son, My only neighbor with kids, has not seen him.....and I don't live in the best part of town. I call 911. The police come out, take a report...description of him and what he was wearing.
7 hours later I receive a call from the Shannondoah Virginia police department, stating they found a boy who claims he is 3 years old, knows his full name, address and home phone number and talks way too much...not to mention he fits the missing persons apb on the computer. Now, my son ( who at the age of 8 months was talking in complete sentences, and by the age of 1 1/2 was writing and reading, IQ 179) gets on the phone with me, tells me what happened, and that the "man" who took him at gun point was caught by the police and he was letting him out of the car at some local school. When the police asked my son, and the man why he released him at the school...they both stated that he talked to much. Needless to say, my son nearly talked the poor officers ears off. When they returned him to me in the middle of the night......they asked, "Are you sure he is only 3......? He sure acts and speaks more maturely than any other kids we have seen!!!"

Today, My son is 19, Grauduated High School and College as Valadictorian, with Honors.....and has chosen to be a Youth Pastor. Higher forces at work here.......I think so!

stevo137 · 05-15-2006

Westernstargal,
That is an amazing story and well told. It appears that your son truly has a "higher calling" and no weapon formed against him shall prosper...

playabum17 · 05-15-2006

My heart dropped when I was reading your story. I had to think everything was okay, but I could feel your panic. thank God everything is okay!

It's kind of strange that you posted this today because my coworker called me after he went to lunch and let me know that he was taking the afternoon off, his two boys never made it to school this morning. He was on the way to the police station when he called. I am praying that it turns out exactly like your story, I'm hoping hey just decided to skip school or something. Anyway, I'd appreciate everyone keeping Scott in his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sorry to steal your thread Mike.

Westernstargal · 05-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by playabum17

My heart dropped when I was reading your story. I had to think everything was okay, but I could feel your panic. thank God everything is okay!

It's kind of strange that you posted this today because my coworker called me after he went to lunch and let me know that he was taking the afternoon off, his two boys never made it to school this morning. He was on the way to the police station when he called. I am praying that it turns out exactly like your story, I'm hoping hey just decided to skip school or something. Anyway, I'd appreciate everyone keeping Scott in his family in your thoughts and prayers.

They are in my thoughts and prayers......

NorthMinnesota · 05-15-2006

I am soooo sorry!!! The panic and fear of a missing child are horrendous. Thoughts and prayers are with you all.

**Anna** · 05-15-2006

My mom always tells me about the time I disappeared for like 2 hours when I was about 3 or 4. They looked everywhere - neighbors, down by the creek etc. Eventually they found me in my stroller in the garage, with a blanket over me, fast asleep. I've always kind of smiled about that story, but now that I have a daughter of my own, things have changed. MikenJulie - I'm soooo glad you found your little girl.

Jan&Chas · 05-15-2006

I went through a similar experience many years ago when my oldest son was about 3 years old and we were visiting family in Milwaukee. We were all outside drinking beer and grilling chicken. All of a sudden we noticed he wasn't around with the other kids. We were everywhere in the neighborhood looking for him for blocks, probably 15 minutes or more. We were about 3 blocks away (right by the water) and someone came out of their house and they had Aaron. They saw him wondering alone and took him their house! They saw us outside and brought him out to us asking if he belonged to us! That was a lesson to be learned! So, I truly know how you feel. It sure could have been a totally different ending. He could have ended up in the river or kidnapped.

Rissask · 05-15-2006

That is really scary Mike.

Glad she was found safe and sound.
We were at a backyard BBQ a few years ago when something similar happened. Two of the kids, both aged 3, wandered out of the yard and weren't found for about half an hour after they went missing.

The older kids had been left in charge and they were all inside watching TV; the two 3 year olds wandered off without being noticed. Everyone was panicking and everyone was looking for them- about 12 -14 adults all together. We finally found them about 5 blocks away, holding hands and strolling down the sidewalk. I still remember the one mom screaming at her son right after she was reunited with him, she had been so worried.

Now both those sets of parents have a 'one parents must ALWAYS remain sober' rule.

05-15-2006	#1 (permalink)
MikenJulie life=playa Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 809	Hell for a day This girl gave me my first grey hairs this weekend. It was Saturday, late afternoon, we're over at the neighbors for a drink, kids everywhere, lots of guests, first official BBQ of the season for our friends next door. I'm 1/2 way to drunkland, trying to avoid the intense conversing with those fresh in the mind since all I can do is lean, drool, and pretty much slurrrrrrr every word. Kids are playing, we're on the patio, then I notice, no Emily, where did she go........ I go over to the swings, look around, beside the neighbors house, gone. I ask Julie is she's seen her, nada. We look down the slop behind the house, now we start to panic, we can't see her anywhere, and yelling her name gets nothing. Julie sprints out the driveway, she isn't there thank God. It's a 50km/h zone and ppl run 100km/h through here, many complaints to the city, not even a sidewalk for an evening stroll. She isn't playing behind the garage Not in the sandbox Not in behind the house No sign in the backyard Other side, no Emily I'm thinking, she might be down the slope, I scramble up and down, nothing. I run into my house, my mother is resting on the couch, she never came inside, now my mom, who has high blood pressure to begin with, along with a heart flutter/murmer, is shitting bricks like us. The whole scream-fest Julie and I were going though, and only the other children and the neighbors that were throwing the party helped out in the search, I remember clawing up the bank and yelling, and all I can hear are the guests carrying on with the partying and laughing. Well, no Emily yet, the two worst options I have yet to address, abduction (far fetched yes, but you still think about it), or she's indeed been hit by one of the fast-moving cars/trucks, rigs, and lay in the ditch in the distance somewhere. At this point, the thought enters my mind, of my baby girl is gone, for good, dead. I run though the neighbors yards, look at averyone carrying on, not concerned at all, and for a split second I contimplated a quick detour to the left and snap all their care-free necks, but instead I head down the driveway as Julie yells "WE HAVE HER, THANK GOD WE HAVE HER!!!!" Emily walked just around the corner from our view and went into the neighbors house, closed the door behind her. TreeHouse was on TV for a few of the kids, she heard the music I guess. She was inside all the time we were in absolute hell for about 3 minutes. We leave the party, all freaked out, I'm still no better for nerves and adrenaline, still insanely angry that so many ppl didn't care, so I decide to head back over and "thank" averyone. Before I get to the gate, I see everyone carrying on, having a good time, I have a "rational" moment.... Regardless how little they did, it doesn't change the fact no one else was responsible for our kids, we f-cked up, plain and simple. I carried on to the garage and beat the shit out of my garage door, and my truck a wee bit unfortunately. I can't blame anyone but ourselves for the few years just freshly stroked off our lifespan, we indeed let her out of our site for a second, but that's all it takes. I'll never understand how ppl can ignore screaming parents looking for a missing 1 year old, and just carry on partying. WTF is that about. My perspective on losing a child will never be the same. Of course we sympathize and offer condolence, but those 3 minutes, I have difficulty describing it, along with the concious thought of scanning the road in front of my house for blood stains and debris to try to pin-point where my girl was creamed by a speeder. My prayers for all of you parents that have indeed lost your children. __________________ . Sept '99 Omni Cancun Sept '01 Barcelo Beach Sept '03 Barcelo Beach Sept '05 Barcelo Beach Oct '06 Barcelo Colonial Sept '07 Barcelo Colonial Mar '08 Decameron Los Cocos in Rincon de Guayabitos Sept 25 Oct 12/08 Luna Blue, RPDC, Merida & Barcelo Colonial. April 4-11/09, Barcelo Palace July 24-Aug 15/09- Condo Flamingo & Casa del Mar!! March 26- Apr 9/11 Rio Vallarta July 18-Aug 7/11 Casa del Mar Last edited by MikenJulie; 05-15-2006 at 11:48 AM..

05-15-2006	#8 (permalink)
Westernstargal life=playa Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Martin's Mill, Texas Posts: 606	Thank god for miracles... OMG....people can be so cruel!!!! I know EXACTLY how you feel.....even more so. It was March of 1989, in Virginia Beach, Va. my son Nathaniel (3 years old at the time) was in our fenced in backyard playing. After about 30 minutes of not hearing him playing with our neighboors children....I looked out the back door.....NO NATHANIEL!!!! So, I walk over next door and asked Marla is she would send Nathaniel home when Will and He were done playing. And she said that he was not there. At that point, I went into panic mode since there were no other kids out playing that morning. Down the street, is a fenced railroad yard. I got to the yard and ask the employees if they have seen him, and they say no....Now I am in extreme panic! No one has seen my son, My only neighbor with kids, has not seen him.....and I don't live in the best part of town. I call 911. The police come out, take a report...description of him and what he was wearing. 7 hours later I receive a call from the Shannondoah Virginia police department, stating they found a boy who claims he is 3 years old, knows his full name, address and home phone number and talks way too much...not to mention he fits the missing persons apb on the computer. Now, my son ( who at the age of 8 months was talking in complete sentences, and by the age of 1 1/2 was writing and reading, IQ 179) gets on the phone with me, tells me what happened, and that the "man" who took him at gun point was caught by the police and he was letting him out of the car at some local school. When the police asked my son, and the man why he released him at the school...they both stated that he talked to much. Needless to say, my son nearly talked the poor officers ears off. When they returned him to me in the middle of the night......they asked, "Are you sure he is only 3......? He sure acts and speaks more maturely than any other kids we have seen!!!" Today, My son is 19, Grauduated High School and College as Valadictorian, with Honors.....and has chosen to be a Youth Pastor. Higher forces at work here.......I think so! __________________ Worry is a complete cycle of inefficient thought revolving about a pivot of fear.... Last edited by Westernstargal; 05-15-2006 at 12:55 PM..

05-15-2006	#2 (permalink)
Loree añejo Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,491	OMG, I feel for you. Thank God all turned out well. This happened to me at a department store many years ago and my daughter was hiding under the rack of clothes. There are no words to describe the feeling for those few short minutes that seem to last hours. Did your neighbors know what was going on and chose to ignore the panic or did they just not know what was happening? I am glad all turned out well.

05-15-2006	#3 (permalink)
ryshkus beachaholic Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 312	I'm so very sorry you went through this. I can feel your anger, sadness, happiness etc. I can. Similar thing happend to me last year at our friends house. We couldn't find our youngest son. I was a mess. Because I wasn't all that familiar with the house and fields surrounding, I was even more worked up. There were tons of people, and nobody helped. We ended up finding him at the end of the driveway in a fisher price jeep with an older child. The driveway was long and curved so you couldn't see the end from the house. I was so upset with us, with the parents of the other child for letting him go down the entire driveway, and everyone else for just carrying on like nothing was wrong.

05-15-2006	#4 (permalink)
MikenJulie life=playa Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 809	Our neighbors helped, the kids did also, the guests did nothing, and yes they did know 100% we were looking for a 1 year old child, there was no confusing that I guarantee. Man I could still use a drink right now.

05-15-2006	#5 (permalink)
Loree añejo Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,491	you deserve a drink right now

05-15-2006	#7 (permalink)
stevo137 life=playa Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Near Chicago Posts: 805	Wow! That story gave me goosebumps! I am so glad to hear that she is ok! I can't imagine what those 3 minutes must have been like. I'll bet your heart rate is still elevated. I can believe how cold some people are to not even help look for her. Shameful...

05-15-2006	#9 (permalink)
stevo137 life=playa Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Near Chicago Posts: 805	Westernstargal, That is an amazing story and well told. It appears that your son truly has a "higher calling" and no weapon formed against him shall prosper...

05-15-2006	#10 (permalink)
playabum17 naughtiest chica Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Kansas, land of Ahs Posts: 16,486	My heart dropped when I was reading your story. I had to think everything was okay, but I could feel your panic. thank God everything is okay! It's kind of strange that you posted this today because my coworker called me after he went to lunch and let me know that he was taking the afternoon off, his two boys never made it to school this morning. He was on the way to the police station when he called. I am praying that it turns out exactly like your story, I'm hoping hey just decided to skip school or something. Anyway, I'd appreciate everyone keeping Scott in his family in your thoughts and prayers. Sorry to steal your thread Mike.

05-15-2006	#12 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,606	I am soooo sorry!!! The panic and fear of a missing child are horrendous. Thoughts and prayers are with you all.

05-15-2006	#13 (permalink)
Anna top babe admin Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: after 10 wonderful years in Playa, now back in Sweden Posts: 3,718	My mom always tells me about the time I disappeared for like 2 hours when I was about 3 or 4. They looked everywhere - neighbors, down by the creek etc. Eventually they found me in my stroller in the garage, with a blanket over me, fast asleep. I've always kind of smiled about that story, but now that I have a daughter of my own, things have changed. MikenJulie - I'm soooo glad you found your little girl.

05-15-2006	#14 (permalink)
Jan&Chas añejo Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin Posts: 1,762	I went through a similar experience many years ago when my oldest son was about 3 years old and we were visiting family in Milwaukee. We were all outside drinking beer and grilling chicken. All of a sudden we noticed he wasn't around with the other kids. We were everywhere in the neighborhood looking for him for blocks, probably 15 minutes or more. We were about 3 blocks away (right by the water) and someone came out of their house and they had Aaron. They saw him wondering alone and took him their house! They saw us outside and brought him out to us asking if he belonged to us! That was a lesson to be learned! So, I truly know how you feel. It sure could have been a totally different ending. He could have ended up in the river or kidnapped.

register to remove these adverts

05-15-2006	#15 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,569	That is really scary Mike. Glad she was found safe and sound. We were at a backyard BBQ a few years ago when something similar happened. Two of the kids, both aged 3, wandered out of the yard and weren't found for about half an hour after they went missing. The older kids had been left in charge and they were all inside watching TV; the two 3 year olds wandered off without being noticed. Everyone was panicking and everyone was looking for them- about 12 -14 adults all together. We finally found them about 5 blocks away, holding hands and strolling down the sidewalk. I still remember the one mom screaming at her son right after she was reunited with him, she had been so worried. Now both those sets of parents have a 'one parents must ALWAYS remain sober' rule.