Britain’S Most Evil Killers - April Jones.

[Smowball]

Absolutely heartbreaking that her body was never found, but is it just me that’s shocked that she was out playing on her own with friends, out of sight of family, at 7.30pm aged just 5??

[Peter Pedant]

the month was october so yes that is dark and late

but my generation did - twins neighbouring took the train from St Albans to er London - were picked up by a taxi driver - shown around and were popped back on the train....
( 1955 we think )

the fishing was a feint ( he spent a lot of time fishing on the day ) and they thought he had put the child in the sea
BUT....
bits of the child were found in the fire place

[ and I always now look at a police heliucopter - he didnt and became a suspect ]

[Peter Pedant]

oh the twins were eight and not eighty

[Smowball]

Yes it would have been pitch black, and it was only 2012.

[Peter Pedant]

yeah it was a big thing 50 y ago
at least 90% of our time was spent playing unsupervised

whereas now 90% of childrens time is spent under the parents eye - but the children ran and told someone immediately

and no sociologist has wondered about the effect of the change

[Smowball]

I’m just so shocked - apart from the fact that most 5 year olds I know would be in bed at that time, I wouldn’t even dream of letting them play out where I couldn’t at least see them.

[Eleena]

That's really shocking.

[Smowball]

Dreadful dreadful story.

[Buenchico]

There are some crap parents around:
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/664888/Charlie-Dunn-drowning-Bosworth-Water-Park-Paul-Smith-Birmingham-Crown-Court-trial-guilty

It's no better when they get older. The most intelligent kid I ever taught (who was exceptionally pleasant, incredibly charismatic and the most-gifted mathematician I've ever encountered) had equally crap parents, who couldn't care less about him. For example, when he was 14, he left the house to go to school on a Thursday morning but didn't return home at teatime. (He'd never been to school that day). He didn't come home later either. So when did his parents get around to reporting him missing to the police? On Monday!!!
(So it was no surprise when he simply stopped coming to school altogether. With the right support he could have become a university professor, a leading international businessman or perhaps a top surgeon. Instead he simply turned to crime).

[Smowball]

That’s really sad..

[Buenchico]

I've just remembered another lad I taught. He was on the top side of average in ability and, again, very pleasant. But he also never completed his school studies. That might be because he got picked on by other pupils because he stunk to high heaven, as he was wearing the same (unwashed) clothes on the last day of a school year as he was on the first day of it.

Further, he had a problem with asthma, being severely allergic to dog hairs. However he had to live in a house full of dogs, as his father clearly cared a great deal more about greyhound racing than he ever did about his son.

As I've said, there are some crap parents about :(

[Smowball]

Some parents really beggar belief don’t they...

[horselady]

My grandson is 5, can't even begin to imagine him being out on his own and out of sight at all, never mind at that time of evening.

[DarceyK123]

My grandson is 11 and only since he started senior school last September has he been allowed to go on his own.