21 Answers

Make the call............

Call now.

Jenn This sounds so awful expecially as the child has Down's Syndrome. Maybe she is known to Famliy Services already and if so they should be checking on her and also what about her schooling. She would presumably be at a special needs school and they should know her family background etc. Yes I would be inclined to call the Family Services - it is also worrying why she does not want to go home?

Call family services, it" might" bring the parents to their senses.

I agree with all replies.

Why wait a minute longer a childs life could be in danger.

I agree with dopey. This is very sad. Before you make a call to Child Services you might talk to the parents of this child and tell them your concern and also tell them that you will have to call child services if the child is not beeing taken care off. That might be a wakeup call for them and they might keep her from roaming unsupervised. 

911 works.

Get on the phone Jenn.her own folks have obviously lost interest in her.

Those parents are not watching that child! Really would any of you allow a 7 year old to wander near dogs or sit in the road? No, you would not! Call Family Services before it is too late! Please.

Absolutely make the call! If you are concerned with repercussions from the neighbors ask that your name not be given to the family or ask other neighbors to make the call too.

Call now, don't be sorry later.........

I'd make the call. What those parents are doing is absolutely wrong...and I believe there is a strong possibility that their conduct is actually illegal.

When a child is in an kind of danger and the parents don't care, it is a reason to call Family Services on behalf of the children. Safety first! I know the struggle you're going through. I had to do that with the next door neighbors son when the Nanny locked him outside the house one night. He came to my door and I called the police. The police came and found the Nanny drunk and still drinking Vodka. Family Services made the Nanny leave all the parents could say to me was, "Why did you call the police, gee thanks, now Family Services is in our lives!". I know I did the right thing for the child. It's a tough call to make but make the call. You just might be saving a child's life.

Have the parents refused to take care of the child when someone has called to alert them to their daughter's whereabouts?  

Hi Jenn This must be real hard call for you! first of all do you know the parents to talk to! if you do then have a word and tell a white lie by saying everyone is concerned and are going to call the child help line and if that dosnt work then call them yourselve I am syaing this as My son works with downs and he said they are very difficult children but exstreamly loving and freindly I am worried that this child is neither of these 2nd if you dont know them and are unaproachable then by all means make the call! this must be upsetting for you as it would be for me! try and talk to the child but dont look into there eyes as this for them is off putting my heart goes out to on this jenn let us know how you get on! xx

Call!

Calling Family Services, would not be my first reaction.  I would be running over to their house, knocking on their door and then it would go something like this....Hello, hello, do you know that "Suzie" has wandered into the neighbor's yard, where the dogs are?  Do you know that "Suzie" is sitting in the middle of the road?  (You mention that the parents are napping or watching TV while the child is unattended...is that fact or neighborhood speculation or how do you know that?)  As you know, Family Services wants ALL of those details.

The parents will react, one way or another....they'll be panic stricken and run outside to the rescue or they'll be unconcerned.  That would determine what I do next.  If this is ongoing and you have spoken to them before, then and only then, would I make the phone call.

Ducky

Jenn, thanks for the additional info. Based on that, I would make the call. Hopefully, everyone who has witnessed this, will also come forward. I see that as neglect, on the part of the parents and yes, Family Services should know about it! They will decide on a course of action and you are better "safe than sorry". Good luck, Jenn.

Call child services, dont give your name, or phone no, call from public phone, if you must. If you have word with the parents, and nothing happens, regarding the  child, then you could be first person, blamed for calling Family Services.There are bad people out there, any thing could happen her.

I work in this type of service, and yes I would want to be informed so the matter may be investigated further, perhaps the parents need assistance, but certainly the child's safety is paramount and requires immediate action

This sounds like wilful neglect. If something happens to her then they are relived of responsibility. I would take pictures  so it would not just be deniable accusations. Sad that they dont seem to care ,parents lack something these days ,compassion . Good luck