WRONG - On So Many Levels!

As I was drinking my cup of coffee and reading the Sunday paper (online of course), I came upon this story on the News Sentinel's website: "Back in 'mama's arms': 2-year-old boy found in cornfield".

Ya know, I have several problems with this story. The first being, why wasn't Little Cody's grandmother watching him a little closer? I know when Kaylea was 2 years old we wouldn't even let her play in her room unless one of us was in there with her. I don't understand how the grandmother could have had any kind of level of comfort in not watching him constantly. Especially considering the fact that their family's home is surrounded by a 50-acre cornfield which is surrounded by ponds. Oh yeah, I would be totally comfortable with Kaylea running around out there - NOT!!!!

Something else that just hits me as wrong is that the grandmother called to report Cody missing at 9:44 PM (yes, PM) and he had been missing for about 30 minutes at that time. Let me reiterate - the child is TWO! Why on earth is a two year old playing (1) alone (2) alone outside (3) alone outside at 9:15 PM?

Finally, I have to ask, why didn't the local or surrounding police/sheriff departments/TBI use helicopters to look for this child. We hear about authorities using helicopters to find marijuana fields and moonshine stills, but could they not bring them out to look for a missing child? This blows my mind. For some reason someone, somewhere thought that a 200 person search team was a better idea. Well, that better idea resulted in the child spending the night alone, wet, hungry and scared to death in a cornfield.

I guess we all need to be thankful that Cody had a guardian angel with him that night. He was found unharmed and was very happy to be reunited with his "mama". I can only imagine the relief his mom and grandmother must have felt when the officials emerged from that cornfield with Cody in their arms. I'm sure it was a relief to the officials, as well.

Now, I just have one final question to ask everyone involved in this story (Grandmother, Mom, Officials). Did you learn anything from this????????????

Predators Don't Always Fit The Stereotype!

Let's just call me shocked and angry today. This morning a friend from High School sent me a link to a story in todays Tampa Tribune. It just so happens that a fellow classmate of mine was arrested yesterday and charged with producing child pornography. Apparently he is facing eight counts of using a child in a sexual performance. The real kicker is that he worked for the state of Florida in DCF (Department of Child and Family). You can read all of the ugly details here.

This is very shocking because the guy was really popular in High School and was NOT the type of person you would ever imagine doing something as horrific as this. He was involved in the school newspaper, an editor on the school's literary publication, an officer in the Pep Club and active in the school orchestra. He was always very outgoing and charming; a very pleasant person to be around.

I guess all of his accolades are the reason I am so angry. I can't believe a person can have such an amazing outward appearance and be so evil/sick inside. People like him scare the hell out of me. I have always tried to warn my daughter of the dangers in this world. But a person such as this would raise no warning flags, until it was too late.

For everyone out there that thinks this could never happen to their family......BEWARE. A predator doesn't always look or act scary.