This is a total post and run but...

J&K10910

I have to vent to someone and I'm the only one home right now.  I've biitched about my crappy neighbor a ton here, and I just called the cops because she left a half hour ago and left her son (who is NO OLDER THAN 8) alone with her infant.  The infant has been screaming the whole time and the kid has the tv turned up so loudly I can hear it in my apartment, so it seems like he's not paying any attention to her.  Ugh. 

MeaghanandMichael

Every time you post on this I am just so sad about it. You definitely did the right thing by calling the cops. Did you say you thought it was a case of child neglect and get into details or did you just ask them to stop by?

SarahPLiz

Good move. Of course, she will just get mad at her son for making it so obvious and will probably not see the big picture, that he is not old enought for that responsibility.

crfische

That's so sad. Way to go for calling the cops!

shellydiane820

Thank goodness.

sucrets4

Good call.  Some people suck.Morning everyone!

FutureMrsDudley55

Whoa. Good call on the calling the cops!

J&K10910

Well I've called the cops a few times, and I know another neighbor has at least once.  Only once have they actually showed up.  So I told them that I'm pretty sure they're there alone have been for a half hour (now closer to 45 minutes) and that the infant is screaming bloody murder.  So I hope they come this time.  I talked to a social worker I know here who said CPS won't investigate unless there are at least a couple documented complaints via the police first, or else I'd just call them.  I don't even like kids, and it makes me so sad.

J&K10910

FI told me that they were leaving to go somewhere last night, and the "mom" and her son walked into the hallway, calling for the infant and patting their legs like you would to call a puppy to come to you.  They kept doing that until she crawled out of the apartment.  They made her crawl around in the hallway, during flu season no less.  When he told me that, my stomach turned.  Yes, it's good to encourage your infant to work on their crawling skills, IN YOUR HOME.  But she's a good crawler, and she can pull herself up on stuff, so I don't think it's like a new skill she's just acquired tthat she needs to practice.

FutureMrsDudley55

Definitely keep us posted on what happens. I hope the cops show up soon.

lyndausvi

that is so sad.

julezlee

That just turns my stomach. That's terrible that CPS doesn't come out with the cops whenever they are responding to a call involving children.

WildRumpus

Good for you! She sounds like freaking mother of the year

J&K10910

If anyone is still reading, the cops still haven't come and I've called three times.  I'm going to have FI call too when he gets home.  She's still not back.  UGH.I should have guessed they  might not come, they suck at responding, especially on weekends.  Given that it's Halloween, I'm sure this weekend is even worse.  They're stretched so thin.  It sucks.

SarahPLiz

Can you call CPS directly?

J&K10910

I said above that a social worker I know said they won't come until there have been at least a couple documented complaints with law enforcement.  I tried calling anyway and got voice mail.  I intend to go down to the government center on Monday to complain to law enforcement about my calls going unanswered.  I'm irritated.

banana468

Can you call CPS and say that you've called the cops 3 times and they aren't investigating the abuse/neglect that you see?Are you calling 911 or a direct line to the police?  My understanding is that at least 911 calls are documented.

stina93446

These people should NOT be in charge of any children! Good for callig the cops.

pinkypoo33

Do you think you should go knock on the door and see if the kids are okay?  I don't know if you want to get involved in that way or how worried you about the situation.

3plus2=5

Wow!  You'd think that being told that and 8 year old left alone with an infant would get them over there pretty fast.  Can you imagine the shiitstorm that would rain down on the PD if something happens to either one and it is found out that complaints were made and they did nothing about it?

leeshab1982

That is so awful.  Good job on stepping in and calling the cops.I am a teacher and have had to call CPS numerous times.  Each time, I've gotten a letter in the mail stating that there was not enough evidence to conduct an investigation.  In any case, calling CPS does start a paper trail on the child.  If you call CPS, it will be documented and hopefully if they see enough complaints pile up, they will go and investigate. 

bbyckes

Wow, this is terrible. Goodthat you called the cops.  Did they ever show?

MeaghanandMichael

I was thinking the exact same thing 3plus.Another thing that makes this so sad is that it is Halloween. That is supposed to be one of the most kid centered days. Poor little guys.

baby green bird

I am horrified that the police and cps have not responded to this. I just hope it doesn't take something really bad happening for them to finally take the situation seriously.

thesuninherhead

You have to call the child protective services in your area. Do it again and update them on this, if you haven't. Serious harm could come to these kids if this family doesn't have some sort of intervention.

thesuninherhead

By the way, your friend's advice isn't accurate. Most of the states use the same risk assessment tool we use here, and if the complaint is serious enough (eg. infant unsupervised) CPS will respond regardless of who reports. The more reports, the more likely the response, but CPS isn't going to just sit back when serious reports (such as unsupervised infants) are made. Infants are vulnerable and the risk assessment tools that CPS uses recognise that and create a higher risk level based on child age. In any case, for all you know, this family already has a long cps history. You need to call them and give them this information. They can't act to protect these vulnerable children if they don't have the information to do so.