Couple arrested after children forced to dig ditches

Associate Press ^ | March 14, 2002 | A/P Staff

[scholar]

where the state can greatly overstep their bounds in the area of parenting.

No argument with you there. I never maimed or injured my children, but I had no problem with busting their butts. I am sure these days, I would be sitting in a jail. However, my kids grew up decent and honest, which is more than I can say for the permissive parents who were always making excuses for their little darlings.

[dcwusmc]

Uncle Bobby sounds like the kind of man EVERYONE could emulate! You are fortunate to have had him as family!

[gridlock]

I wasn't there or anything, but Uncle Bobby would have done better to brandish the rifle while keeping it pointed in a safe direction. The message will be recieved just the same. Remember, a gun is always loaded. Other than that, he sounds like a great guy and the perfect Uncle.

In the ditch digging case, there is not enough info to go on. I do not trust the state for a minute when they start accusing the parents, because an investigator can really pile on the charges. Not to say that that is the case here, there really isn't enough info in the article to say.

But I don't think digging ditches in the cold weather constitutes abuse. If it does, my parents have some explaining to do, and my grandparents would have been locked away for a thousand years!

[Junior]

No--under the circumstances you describe, I don't think you were a Bad Dad. However, look at the circumstances of this case. Did you ever deprive your children of food?

When I was about 12, my father was entertaining some guests. Just to be little jerks, my three brothers and I put on our most puppy-dog faces, dressed in our worst clothes, wandered out into the living room where all the guests were and asked my father meekly, "We've been good, can we eat today?"

My father, without batting an eye, looked me up and down and said, "you ain't been that good. Go to your room."

We didn't get punished for it, though I don't know why.

[MeekOneGOP]

ROFL!

[AppyPappy]

There is a cult that teaches to withhold food as punishment.

[MeekOneGOP]

fyi

[nothingnew]

Plus subfreezing weather could equal 31 degrees. Folks that's a down right balmy day where I live.

Got that right Boxsford...same where I live (in winter anyways)...It's -10 to 0 now every morning...then gets to 50+ as the day goes on...living in the mountains is always interesting.

FMCDH!

[HamiltonJay]

Something tells me these kids were subjected to more than just a harsh lesson... 3 kids at these ages JUST SAT AROUND MOTIONLESS while their parents were out???? They had to have been scared to death to behave in such a way, no 6 year old will sit still for 2 hours when hes at a movie, much less when his parents are out of the house.... Something sounds a bit off here, we'll see what happens.

[Lizavetta]

Come on, come on....where's the part about them being homeschooled?

That seems to be the only type of child abuse cases that get coverage these days.

[scholar]

...and asked my father meekly, "We've been good, can we eat today?"

LOL--however, I would wager that the guests knew you and your family well enough to recognize childish clowning when they saw it.

BTW you guys are lucky you didn't get your little butts kicked after the company went home. Thanks for a cute story.

[whoever]

..The youngsters, ages 6, 10, 11 and 12, have been returned to the custody of their parents..

This is the saddest part of the story. There are many folk who would give their entire fortune to have a child of their own. These have been abused, sadly. So sadly.

I pray for these dear children.

Thanks for the ping, MeeknMing.

[blackbag]

Social Services said
the digging was cruel and unusual.

[Boxsford]

THAT is one funny story! Your poor dad! I can only imagine what hell you gave him at 16! :^)

[riley1992]

however the authorities just don't wander into a home without reason.

I am making no judgement call on this case as far too much information is missing but 'authorities' can and will wander into a home on nothing more than an anonymously placed phone call.

[MistrX]

My parents forced me to shovel snow during bitterly cold Michigan winters before I could go sledding. Does this mean I was abused as a child?

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL! Dittos here. We lived in Spokane, Washington in the 60s.
In the winter of 68-69, I shoveled record snowfall in our driveway - the most snow in 60 years at the time.

[Deb]

Why were they returned to their parents if they were malnourished? Isn't that a bad thing?

[mamelukesabre]

I guess you were. If you didn't allow him to get plenty of water, you were endangering his life. Heat and hangovers are a deadly combination. Your lucky he didn't just flat out refuse. Then your authority would have been permanently compromised.

[scholar]

Why were they returned to their parents if they were malnourished?

Good point and I questioned that as well. I just go over the line when I think of abused children. As others here have pointed out to me, there seem to be a lot of missing information and I concur.