Parents Wake Up!
“I would like to make a comment on a situation that happened last week. Everyone who lives in the Diana Park area knows what a problem the speeding traffic is, but this problem is even worse than that.
We observed a little boy, about 3-4 years old, walking in the middle of the street. We stopped our car and took him to the sidewalk and noticed there was no one with him at all. He didn’t know where he lived and no one was around to ask.
There is a well-known gardener who lives on Diana Avenue, so we took the boy to his house, and he said he would make sure he was returned home and that he had seen the boy out by himself before.
We were so upset not only bcause of the dangerous speeding cars, but to think that the parent(s) were not aware of where he was. I wish I had thought to take him to the police station. This little boy is going to get hit by a car or kidnapped before his parent(s) realize he’s even gone.
Parents like these don’t deserve children!”
RED PHONE
Caller, thanks for helping out this child and probably preventing a tragedy. A child left alone to roam a neighborhood is considered child neglect. Residents of Santa Clara County can report child abuse or neglect 24 hours a day, any day of the year. Callers may have to leave a message if calling during some non-business hours. In Morgan Hill and Gilroy, the number to call is (408) 683-0601.
The mission of the county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services is to protect children from abuse and neglect, promote their healthy development and provide services to families which preserve and strengthen their ability to care for their children. The department is responsible for prevention, intervention, advocacy and public education related to the protection of children and their need for consistency in their care and nurturing.
The public will show compassion and save the lives of children suspected of being victims of abuse by reporting the suspected crime to those considered “mandated reporters.”
According to the law, mandated reporters are police departments, sheriff’s departments, county probation departments if designated by the county to receive mandated reports, or the county welfare department. It does not include a school district or security department. Any of those agencies should accept a report of suspected child abuse or neglect whether offered by a mandated reporter or another person, or referral by another agency. When an agency takes a report about a case of suspected child abuse or neglect in which that agency lacks jurisdiction, the agency shall immediately refer the case by telephone, fax or electronic transmission to an agency with proper jurisdiction.
“Neglect” means the negligent treatment or the maltreatment of a child by a person responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child’s health or welfare. The term includes both acts and omissions on the part of the responsible person.
“Severe neglect” means the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of a child to protect the child from severe malnutrition or medically diagnosed nonorganic failure to thrive. “Severe neglect” also means those situations of neglect where any person having the care or custody of a child willfully causes or permits the person or health of the child to be placed in a situation such that his or her person or health is endangered, as proscribed by section 11165.3, including the intentional failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter or medical care.
“General neglect” means the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of a child to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision where no physical injury to the child has occurred.
Parents – watch your kids no matter what age they are! Know where they are, what they are doing and who they are with. Generally speaking, responsible parents raise responsible children. Give the children a good solid base to grow from. They are our future.
Contact us at (408) 779-4106, ext. 206, or e-mail re******@*************es.com. Remember to leave a name and phone number when you call or e-mail. The Red Phone will not publish this information and will only use it for verification purposes.
