Stranger slaps toddler who refused to stop crying, GA police say

UPDATE: He's been denied bond. (Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!)

At a Wal-Mart in Georgia, a 61-year-old man is accused of repeatedly slapping a 2-year-old who wouldn't stop crying -- a child, by the way, whom he did not know. The guy had reportedly told Mom that he would shut the kid up if she couldn't.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!

Comments

[Jo Jo]

Hopefully the old man was in jaw-replacement surgery shortly thereafter.

[Jane]

I never understood the notion of hitting a child to get the child to stop crying. It seems counter productive to me.

[spicolli]

This guys ass would be so kicked....

[Tam]

This guy is an idiot.

I wouldn't have slapped the baby, I would have slapped the mom.

About two weeks ago I was in Wal-Mart to grab a couple of things (7 minutes worth)and the entire time I was there I could hear a kid screaming their ass off. You have no idea how bad I wanted to track that parent down and slap the crap out of them.

People were looking at each other like, "Shut that kid up, already".

They should be asked to leave by the store when they can't control their kids.

[Pat, Sues boy]

My son was being a brat in the line at the grcery store once. I could tell that those in line behind me were getting tired of it, as was I. When I reached down and swatted his butt, 3 or 4 people in line started applauding.

[CD]

I only had to ask my kids if they wanted to step out to the car! That would shut them up quickly!

[plombage]

Jane I agree with you. How is causing a child physical pain going to make them stop crying.

[EsqEB]

We can only hope that in the near future that man will be bed ridden, unable to control his bowles, and some nurse will keep slapping him until he learns to.

[aqua]

This is just a trained response. We slap our alarm clocks to shut them off. Maybe he was just looking for the off switch...

[Tam]

LOL, aqua.

[Patty PV]

I was on a plane one time where a woman allowed her toddler - just barely walking - to roam the aisles. (It was an overseas flight.) When we hit turbulence, the kid was in the kitchen, and I was afraid she might get hurt, so I called mom's attention to this. Mom proceeded to berate me for daring to speak to her of any need to control her child. I sweetly said, "Ma'am, your kid is 40 feet behind you. You can't even see her. I assume you're OK with whatever anyone on this plane chooses to do to your daughter." Fifteen people stood up and applauded, and Mom took the kid back to her seat, where - amazingly - the little darling stayed put, and behaved.

[ghost]

Disciplining a child who is in your control and custody is a normal thing. Child tantrums in a store are common. To do it to a complete stranger is stupid to the max. I can see no reason this guy thought he had a right to do this. Had it been my child this guy would still be picking up his teeth. He really needs to do time. Did you see his picture?? He looks like the type to try to get away with this. Mean.

[Jellybean]

Got that right. That dude looks so mean, he's almost a cartoon! It think his face really HAS frozen like that - those frown lines are deeply entrenched.

But two year olds cry. They throw tantrums and should be ignored when it happens, not hit by anyone. Sorry that it's annoying, but you and I were once annoying two year olds. If tantrums don't get them any attention, the kid will stop throwing them eventually. If the tantrum gets any kind of reaction - even if it's a negative one - expect to have a tantrum throwing adult someday.

Like this guy, when he hit the kid, he was throwing his own little tantrum. That's what happens. Now he can hangout in a cell with all the other adult tantrum throwers.

[mutt]

This is why I have dogs and not children. Squaling kids are everywhere here in the KC burbs and their shrill screams leave me ready to implode like Marvin, and KC cicero at a NRA rally.

[Tam]

If tantrums don't get them any attention, the kid will stop throwing them eventually. If the tantrum gets any kind of reaction - even if it's a negative one - expect to have a tantrum throwing adult someday.-Jellybean

Have never disagreed with you, until now.

It is absolute BS to ignore a screaming, banging head on floor, throwing things, toddler. However, if you choose to parent this way...do it in your own home. Not in public, so the rest of us who did make our children behave and remain mostly quiet in public, don't have to listen to it.

[jeano]

I totally agree, Tam. When my kids started fussing or fighting and were not taking the hints (ok, threats), I stopped what I was doing and took them out to the car. Usually that was enough. I was not going to subject the public to my lack of control of my child. AND I was not going to let my child hold me hostage to their whims.

[Brad]

He was trying out to play Walter Mathau's role in Grumpy Old Men 3.

[Johns]

Yes, kids throw tantrums and are loud, but parents have control of the situation every time. My mom simply left the cart in the store and took me home if I acted like this.

I don't think enough parents today are as embarassed as they should be of their kids' behavior. Not everyone thinks it's cute or it's just "kids being kids." It's loud and irritating for everyone around you. You may love your kids and be able to tolerate their tantrums, but other people just hear loud, obnoxious noise. Why parents can't see this, I don't know. The polite thing to do is remove the noise and commotion so others can shop, dine, etc. in a palatable environment. Some people just don't care if they're creating a nuisance for others.

[Tam]

Amen brother, Johns.

And jeano, exactly! It's like the whole damn place is being held hostage by this one screaming, obnoxious little person.

[Jellybean]

I think it's worse for the parent than for anyone else. There is nothing more grating than the sound of your own kid making a ruckus.
And I agree it's best done at home. I like the Love & Logic method of saying, "I hate seeing you so upset. You're gonna have to do that in your room so I don't see it".
But, it's going to happen in public. A toddler does not "behave and remain mostly quiet" without first throwing some fits to see what happens. And sometimes, you can just leave - but sometimes, you can't do a darned thing about it until later. Getting angry gives them power. You can never let a toddler get power over you.

My kids are older now. At six and eight, they're past the age where tantrums would be part of a normal learning curve. If one of them tossed a fit in public now, I'd just want a kindly stranger to block the security camera for me.

[Hmmm...]

He'll probably get slapped when he's in jail crying during an intimate momment with his new wife named Bubba.

[146]

OK, got my laugh in already and I think this is only the first article I've read this afternoon. Thanks to Mutt.

[Ashley]

You know what, I was a screaming two year old at one time in my life too. But I got my butt busted for it. No such thing as time-out or ignoring it at my house! That's whats wrong with most of America today. Parents have the parent role and kids have the kid role. I firmly believe that children should be seen and not heard. My parents raised me to behave in public!

[rtm]

amen

[Pat, Sues boy]

Mutt for president!

[JB n KC]

The way my luck has been running today, I'd swat my son for screaming in public and end up losing my rights and spending quality time in the slammer with Bertha and Shi Thead.

[suzanne karmin]

Parents should be able to control their kids.

However, sometimes you jsut can't get them to stop crying. Toddlers love to control their own situation, and temper tantrums in public are their way of doing it. It's just as annoying for the parent, but the best way to do it is to not give them any attention. that's what their craving anyway.

[Frank]

I wonder what he would do if you listen to music loudly with your windows down... technically, a kid crying isn't disturbing the peace, and neither is some quality music on public roads (depending on the time and surroundsing, of course).

[ufo1160]

A little swat on the butt never hurt any kid! But, big brother has his nose stuck in everybodys business these days, so best not to, @ least not in public! Mom or dad should take the kid to the nearest bathroom & have a serious talk with him/her. 2 yr. olds will understand what u're saying.
I, too, have been in a store where the child was having a fit, & I got eye contact with him & frowned @ him til he stopped. U can stare a kid down, even a 2yr old. They know when they're being bad.

[AG]

To those of you who think it is OK to hit your kids who make noise in public, do you think it should also be OK to hit adults who make noise in public?

Hitting adults in public is usually felony assault...

[gee]

I used corporal punishment on my kids when they were little a couple of times.

I have to admit, though--if "Grumpy Gramps" had slapped my 2 year-old daughter's face several times I'd be in jail for assault/murder/attempted murder depending on how quickly security got to me.

[Jellybean]

I don't believe anyone who says that they, or their kids never threw public tantrums as toddlers. Kids scream for what they want from birth - they have to be taught different, it's a natural part of the process. A
nd if the first response of the parent was to whack 'em - the toddler cried louder. If everytime it happened, Mom left the cart in the aisle and left the store - HA! The toddler just found a great way to MAKE Mom leave the store. If you just want to stop the crying, give them candy. They stop crying, others can shop in peace, and you will raise a rotten spoiled brat.

It just isn't that simple. You have to be both calm and creative.

I used to take mine out to the car, strap them into the 5-point harness, then I'd sit on the hood and read my book. When the kid was ready to chill out, we'd finish my shopping. But THAT solution doesn't work in the pouring rain or below zero weather... gotta be creative. Oh, but I did get nasty looks from people who could see my distressed kid in the car while I stayed comfortably outside. If the approval of others was my parenting goal, I guess I failed.

[Sicem]

OK... Some people posting in here I would say must be making up their stories...

Here's the thing... Different actions are needed for different kids... AND different situations...

Why was this kid crying ? Was it because they were wanting something off the shelf and Mom said no or Was the kid crying because they needed a diaper change ?

The reaction of the Mom SHOULD be different based on WHY the kid is crying...

Kid is being a brat because he wants something... Spank them...

Kid has a diaper rash and Mom is out of Diapers ? nothing you can do... Ignore the kid until you can get out of the store... Should the Mom finish shopping ??? YES, she has every right to be there with her crying child as anyone else... She needs to get some shopping done like anyone else... I would hate to hire a baby sitter every time I needed something from the store... I would go broke...

Anyone who says people "applauded" spanking or something being said... I doubt it... Anyone who has raised a child knows better... Kids are Kids...

[146]

Yea, I'm afraid if he came up and spanked/slap my kid, not only would I be suspended for 2 weeks from my job, I'd also have an attorney defending my assault charge. And, I would be paying his hospital bill!

[steve]

here's an idea...shut your kid up and if you can't don't take it in public. it's not everyone else in society's fault you have a kid.

[anon]

I hope that guy gets what he deserves. Just wish the story had reported what MOM did when her child was attacked.

When my kids were little and we went to the store, I'd tell them, "Good boys will get a treat and bad boys will get nothing." Of course, I had to define what "good" meant, but they learned real quick to behave.

[Nathan]

These comments are quite entertaining. I particularly love the duality of "It's okay for me to hit my kids, but when someone else does it, I'd hit them."

If you're okay hitting your kids when they are crying, what's the difference if a stranger does it?

Do you have some special way you hit your kids that makes it okay, but a stranger doesn't know your special hitting technique?

While I can appreciate all the people that use a single lifetime (usually their own) as the metric by which all people are compared, the fact is that if hitting people is wrong, you shouldn't hit your kids.

Children only see their mom and dad hitting them, and hurting them. I've watched parents hit their kids after their kids hit someone else. Tell me the logic in that.

But I guess I don't parent like this. I don't hit my child. It's a free country, so if you feel the need to inflict pain on your children, I hope that works well. I've not found a time when that was necessary.

[J Stein]

I agree with spicolli.

It's wrong to slap the kid. But sometimes you see kids making a mess and the parents just don't give a damn.

[coorsman]

no guys the kid did need a butt kicking and mom should have stopped the kid or left

[Nivlac Skcaj]

You folks don't get it do you? This is why torture is wrong. The child is crying because he/she is not getting what they want. To threaten them with a spanking makes the child decide what is important; getting what they want or avoiding the pain from a spanking. Given those choices the answer is easily understood. This is why torture is a waste of time. "Stop the pain and I will say what you want."

[Dagger]

I had few instances where my son (as a toddler) acted up when we were out at Wal-Mart or the grocery store.

If it was really severe I just said a few simple words "Do we need to go talk?" He decided that his tantrum wasn't worth having "the talk"

[Dora Smith]

He sure does look like a cartoon. In fact, he looks like one of my ancestors - and has their facial structure to boot. The son of a Cromwellian army officer given land in Ireland, he was a notorious "Priest hunter", and his family were terrified of him.

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=westmeathlowes&id=I11

[Scott]

I applaud his desire to do something about it but his method was wrong.

[Nancy S.]

My kids and I were standing in line at the store one time. Ny son was 16 and my daughter was 14, and my son was watching a child throw a temper tantrum in line to get candy.

My son turned to me and asked, "Mom, did we ever act like that?"

I told him, "Only once..."

[Oblivion]

I'd rather slap the parent around. There have been many times when I've been annoyed by someone's screaming crotchfruit in a store and yelled STRANGLE THAT BRAT! Might be music to your ears, parent, but the rest of us hate having to hear that noise.

[Right on]

I love it. Mom couldn't shut the kid up so he did. Good for him.

[Paul]

Personally I think the parent should have been asked to leave the store with the kid. I have walked out of a few businesses where someone couldn't/wouldn't make their child behave and I make it a point to let a manager know why I'm leaving. It's time to make parents more responsible for their child's behavior. Growing up if I acted out in public I was taken out the car and given a few swats on the butt and it made be learn to behave in public.

[Tim]

My Mom rode herd on four children. Very seldom did we need corporal punishment, but Dad was the diciplinarian, and Mom was the judge. He spanked/swatted whoever Mom said needed it.

And we all knew by this example not to act up in public, not even the usual brother / sister stuff.

Now it seems like most parents think if they ignore the screaming child, it will go away. I heard that logic while standing in the security line at JFK airport recently. That toddler yelled all the way through security, and I'm STILL glad he wasn't on my flight.

Surrendering to the child never seems to work, only teaching the child that no good will come from the tantrum.

< steps off soapbox >

[AlmightyMega]

This man is my new hero!

[HG]

Hero! I'd feel good afterwards, at least!