*I hardly ever give a trigger warning but this time I will. This entry is disturbing and it will stay with you. On trigger warnings – had this been my own story, something that happened to me years ago, I wouldn’t have put up a trigger warning. This is some other child’s story, an 8 year old boy in the middle of this battle. It makes the pain much deeper so I put up the warning. If you happen to see a trigger warning on this site, trust it, they don’t come up often.*
I waited for my friend to call me back for two days, when she did I was informed that her son is having some problems and he may not be able to live with her and her boyfriend anymore. Knowing this young mother ‘Nancy’, I figured she was overreacting, come to find out she took her 8 year old boy to an expensive store where he walked off with a toy. Nancy said she was angry with him but she waited to get home (around 2am) to whip him. She told me she whipped him once but told him she needed a break, don’t move, I’ll be back. She came back later and whipped him again. She told him the same thing, I need a break, don’t move. Nancy came back a third time to whip the boy but realized she was still angry so she put the young boy in his underwear on the porch in the freezing rain.
When neighbors saw this child in his underwear on the porch at what was by then 3am, they called the police. The police showed up and who knows what happened then. Nancy told me this story with complete calm as if I would agree that her 8 year old son should be whipped 3 times then sat outside nearly naked.
Nancy told me she’s learning that she doesn’t need to hit him 12 times with her fist, three times with rings on her fingers is enough. After she paused I calmly informed her that our friendship is over and that I’m happy someone called the police on her because I firmly believe her to be a child abuser. This is the lady that was to do my hair last week end but that will never, ever happen, not with her.
The other bit of info on him is that he has Tourette’s syndrome, within high functioning Autism (AS). Nancy says he’s not allowed to tic; she won’t have a disabled child in her home, she says. The boy is not allowed to tic.
I am totally …… I don’t know. I just don’t know. I’m just happy the police are involved now.
He’s Just A Little Boy – Monday, January 03, 2011- 3:58am EST
Sitting here with rage in my heart, tears in my eyes and the desire to DO something, but I don’t know what. The ring comment is the one that got me… a friend was abused by his mother in a similar way. He talked of the cuts the rings made, or the pain and humiliation as he did anything possible to appease her.
I’m so glad the neighbours called the Police. I hope he goes into a safe environment that will understand his gifts, and not try to suppress and punish them out of him.
Good on you for making a stand, and being so controlled in your reaction.
Its hard to put into words what I feel. When I read this entry it seems flat, emotionless, just a recounting. I feel, God do I feel….but I don’t know what words to add to those feelings.
How do I know the police are involved? I called them myself. They showed up the first time but I called them too. Don’t recount a story of abuse to me and expect me not to act!!!
I think at this point all I can do is tell his story and know that the police may give him the help he needs. This is Indiana, we give abusers chance after chance.
So many things I want to say…too many things. Maybe I need to let this gel a bit before I say anything.
I do want to say now that this doesn’t seem “flat” to me…I’m getting more a feeling of “numb”. Completely understandable to me…the place I need to find before I say anything more!
“Nancy says he’s not allowed to tic; she won’t have a disabled child in her home, she says. The boy is not allowed to tic.”
what in God’s name is wrong with people?!
As if this child can control his tics…. I am relieved to know that the police were called. I was a 9-1-1 operator for many years, and let me tell you…. all too often the police are not called. And it sends me into a complete and total outrage! No human being should EVER be treated in an hurtful manner….
I know it happens. All the time and too many people suffer lifelong problems due to abuse. It makes me sick
This is a very sad story. One thing I have observed is that disabled kids are easy victims. I worked at a blind and deaf school in college and I can tell you that I saw the kids being mistreated. Who protects these kids who have no voice? I have no answer.
Very glad to see that authorities were called. I pray that child ends up somewhere safe and protected.