Posted on 01/07/2006 11:19:18 AM PST by SmithL
Most parents I know weren't shocked to hear that a San Ramon couple might leave their two boys, ages 5 and 10, home alone while they went to Las Vegas for five days.
They were shocked to hear that they might leave them alone for five hours.
If it's true they went off to ring in the New Year and left their kids to fend for themselves, it's outrageous. Ten years old? Home alone for five days? What were they thinking?
In the end, the boys spent one day alone before police discovered them and their grandmother brought them to Manteca with her. The parents, who say they thought grandma was caring for the boys, stayed in Las Vegas until Wednesday. On Friday, authorities charged their father, Jacob Calero, and stepmother, Michelle De La Vega, with two counts apiece of felony child endangerment.
On Thursday, the attorney for the father, Jacob Calero, told Chronicle reporter Henry K. Lee it was "not nearly as bad as it looks.''
. . . At that point, when he realized his sons would be left unsupervised for four more days, what should he have done? It is pretty simple.
Come home.
That's right, even if the hotel room is nonrefundable. Even if he managed to score tickets for that Cirque du Soleil show.
But Calero and De La Vega couldn't be bothered to come home until Wednesday.
And now Calero's lawyer is telling us it isn't as bad as it looks.
You know what? Maybe we shouldn't pre-judge. In fact, if the parents make a really compelling case, I am willing to consider letting them continue to have custody.
Of the puppies.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I wonder if they won in Vegas?
They're gonna need the money for their defense.
That's right. If they offend society, take away their parential rights immediately, and irrevocably.
Next we'll go after those who drag their children to fundamentalist churches for indoctrination! /sarc.
PS. What these parents did was stupid beyond belief. I just can't stand leftist news columnists telling us what to do.
Vegas is a family kind of place, I thought, but these parents obviously weren't swayed by that promotional campaign some time back.
The author forgot to mention that the younger sibling is AUTISTIC!
Incidentally, the couple has just been refused reduced bail. (Boo hoo.) Here's an update to this story: Judge Refuses To Reduce Bail For San Ramon Couple
Also: Grandparents Seek [full] Custody Of 'Home Alone' Children
I couldn't disagree with you more. The dad and stepmom who were newlyweds left their 9 year old son home alone to watch his autistic 5 year old brother. How is that "offensive" to society? Isn't that clearly neglect? I don't have any proof, but I bet this is not the first time these kids have been left alone.
Ooops. Missed that detail. I have an autistic son myself.
OTOH I have seen social services nazis destroy lives just because "well, we can't take chances, can we?"
On top of it, they had arranged for their new puppies to go stay with a dogsitter while they were away. Make sure the cute puppies are safe, but the hell with the kids. Sentence these two losers to about 10 years in a cage at the dog pound eating dog food, and give the cute puppies to the kids.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.