Should parents be arrested over photos turned in at Wal Mart?

1. 81

   Stevennix2001posted 12 years ago

   From doing a lot of research into more dangers that can be found on youtube, I came across ANOTHER video that seemed interesting.  although it really has nothing to do with what im going to write about, it was rather interesting to watch.  in recent news, a couple turned in some photos at Wal-Mart to get developed.  Now the couple also took photos of their young girls (who look to be around 4 or 5, I think), where it shows them having fun in the bath tub.  No, not the weird or perverted kind.  I'm talking about the harmless fun that most kids get into when they take baths.  Anyways, when they turned in their photos to get developed, the Wal-Mart representative developing the pictures mistook it as child pornography; even though none of the photos showed any sexual intent towards the kids.  However, this couple not only got their kids taken away for that, they also have to fight for custody, and they're suing Wal-Mart for defamation of character. Here's the video from NBC for full details:
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyNqrzQxMy4
   
   What are your thoughts on this?  Is this a case where a couple of creepy pedophiles got what they deserved?  Or is this a case of another sad situation of someone getting wrongfully accused of a crime?

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      Woman Of Courageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Very sad, this couple doesn't deserve to have their kids taken away from them. They have not committed a crime.

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         La Papillonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I agree with you. This must be a living nightmare for the parents AND the children.
         There will be repercussions because of this.
         Louise

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      2besureposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      These folks should definitely sue Wal-Mart and the photo worker who reported it.  Dang, I was born in the 50's and a common pose was a picture of a naked baby on a fur rug!  We all have taken bath time pictures of our kids because they are so relaxed and happy.  This has really been unjust what has happened to this couple and their children.

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         Woman Of Courageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Hi 2besure, There are so many things happening in this world today which is unjust. It's riduculous. I hope this don't cause people to become paronoid by wondering if their next innocent  move will get them in trouble.

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      chaunatyeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      OMG!?!?!?
      That is horrible!
      The government has gotten way too involved in parents personal lives, ones who have no reason to be called bad parents. You have to watch what you say, watch how you discipline, and now watch what kind of pictures you take?
      My Grandma thinks the funniest thing is the world is taking pictures of my two years olds in the tub with a bunch of soap in their hair, I mean it's cute as hell. This is nuts!

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   WryLiltposted 12 years ago

   What's next? We'll have to bathe our kids with blindfolds on?

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      Stevennix2001posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I know what you mean.  better yet. pretty soon just changing your kid's diaper, or breast feeding, will start to be deemed an act of pedolophilia before you know it.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for child safety, but this is just ridiculous if you ask me.

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3. 81

   Stevennix2001posted 12 years ago

   just thought i'd bump up this thread, before i go, since im curious to get some of your reactions on it.

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4. 86

   rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

   Like the father said, probably most families have bath time pics of their children. What a terrible ordeal for the family and all of the repercussions. I would take legal action also. I never shop at Walmart, but that experience would definitely seal the deal.

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5. 72

   Cagsilposted 12 years ago

   Political correctness gone too far. Ridiculous

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   Flightkeeperposted 12 years ago

   Yeah, I'd sue Walmart.  How a big company can let one of their workers act so stupid and have not one supervisor without any common sense is beyond me.

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7. 68

   Michael Willisposted 12 years ago

   Sue Wal-Mart and the Employee who started the whole mess!
   How stupid...and over innocent pics?
   
   Guess parents better Not teach children how to take a bath/wash them...Inappropriate "touching!" 
   Change their diapers...OMG...nudity!!! Perverts! (Idiots)
   
   It is just plain Stupid how people will turn innocence into something perverted.
   
   Since the Law would force a parent of being labeled and Registering as a sex offender if convicted...the same should happen to a false accuser!!!
   
   This might stop the Bullsh%% and allow Real crimes to be dealt with.

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      Woman Of Courageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Many don't mind turning something perverted into something innocent either, and then consider it right. There are parents who have physically harmed their kids, and the kids were allowed to go back and be abused all over again. The law seem to ignore that.

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         IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         This is it exactly.
         It must be incredibly difficult for the authorities to do the right thing when all they have to go by is some what could be perfectly innocent photographs - especially nowadays with digital cameras.
         I still think it is better to err on the side of caution.

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         recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         It is not the law that is at fault - it is incompetent officials, incompetent so-called psychiatrists, and sloppy judicial procedures in the administration of the laws.

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            Woman Of Courageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Good point.

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8. 0

   Brenda Durhamposted 12 years ago

   Yeah, it's ridiculous and the parents should sue Walmart!   Assuming, of course, that the full story is being told.

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9. 71

   thisisoliposted 12 years ago

   I think while they should sue Walmart, they should also be suing the government (if, as Brenda said, the full story is being told).  If the social services cannot tell the difference between home photos and child pornography then there is a serious issue with the incompetence of the department in it's current state, and the family should sue for what is happening to them.
   
   I know my parents have plenty of pictures of me in the buff when I was young, they seemed to enjoy showing them off to every prospective woman I met at the time, but classing them as pornographic would be an insanity.

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10. 87

    IzzyMposted 12 years ago

    You American folk are just so behind the times!! This happened in the UK years ago!
    No honestly there was a case of someone putting their photographs in to be developed about ...10 years ago, maybe more?...and action was taken against them because the children were naked in the bath.
    And you know, before you get angry with the authorities, maybe you should think about those b*stards who really do abuse children. Can you blame them for not taking a risk? What might be an innocent photo could also be a damning photo.
    It's a sad fact that pedophiles exist.
    When photographing children, even your own at home, it is important nowadays that there is no exposure at all of intimate body parts.

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11. 72

    Cagsilposted 12 years ago

    And there is something called "overreacting" to nothing also.
    
    Who is to make the distinction? A Walmart employee?

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       IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       No the Walmart employee would have been acting under their training advice. Was it the police who brought the charges?
       I'm watching the video and there were photos that weren't released because the children were in provocative positions? Well, that is in the eye of the beholder. Mum and dad probably thought it was cute!
       
       I'm against suing Walmart. In future, Walmart staff will not be able to pass to police genuine abuse cases for fear of more legal action being taken against them.

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          Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          I get what you are saying Izzy, but the distinction should be clearly outlined, before the police are ever involved.
          Provocative? Could mean anything really, just like "provocative" here on Hubpages is too much cleavage? So, I'm just saying.
          Probably, the parents thought it was cute. So they took a picture.
          It depends.
          That's why I said, who makes the distinction? A Walmart employee shouldn't be in a position to make that call unless it's more than obvious.

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12. 68

    Michael Willisposted 12 years ago

    Proper training to spot child abuse or pedophiles by Wal-Mart to employees??? WOW. I have worked at a Wal-Mart back in the 80's WHEN they really did more training than they do today. 
    
    They do not teach those things. They just hire someone to run the register and stock shelves.
    
    A Wal-Mart employee has no education on how to handle this situation.
    
    I am just against abuse against a child as anyone. I would say hang 'em up when they are Actually guilty!
    
    
    BUT...when the Innocent are punished...there is no real recovery from that. They will always be thought of as pedophiles. The "Child" suffers. There is always the stigma attached to the family accused.
    
    There will be no Huge News Story to show the mistake. That is not what makes for good TV or Newspaper ratings.
    
    
    Professionals should be the ones to handle this situation.  Not Wally World employees!

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       Michael Willisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       To add...I knew a family who went through a "False Accusation."  It went viral publicly. The Father committed suicide over it. The mother was overwhelmed. The entire family was ruined.
       
       Even after the truth became known, you still heard the talk over town about "they got away with it or how that is the people who abused their child" AFTER they were proven innocent.
       
       Where was the TV station then?
       Where were the front page Newspaper stories then?
       
       The child? Well, she will always be hurt by this.

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       Woman Of Courageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Michael, Agreed. You are right. Professionals should handle the situation.

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          recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

          It is the professionals who are at fault in this !! 
          
          The Wal-mart employee reported the matter, - as maybe he should have done if he was concerned - it is the idiot enforcement officer who took it further, then the idiot officials who mis-handled every step of it, then the idiot "expert" witnesses they would have relied upon, and finally the idiot judge for not throwing it out of court and giving every professional involved a reprimand and noting their incompetence for future reference and the dismissal proceedings that should have followed.

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             Michael Willisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             I was responding to Izzys comment about the Wal-Mart employee handling the matter because that person was trained.  I agree the so-called professionals can be idiots in the matter.  But a Wal-Mart employee has no expertise in determining what is abuse and what is not.
             
             An Employee is to only report their "guess of a concern" to store management and then let them make the decision, which management will probably make sure that if they do call law enforcement that they protect themselves from a lawsuit before going further.
             The management of Wal-Mart will be more reasonable and responsible Before making it an issue.
             
             Someone just going off trying to make something innocent into perversion just for the "spotlight of themselves as do-gooders" can and will have detrimental effects on many lives.

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    WannaB Writerposted 12 years ago

    I have personally seen the "professionals" -- police and social workers -- walk all over innocent parents. The protective services people may have harmed more children than they have helped. In their eyes, parents are always guilty until proven innocent. Sure, there are some good social workers. I've met three of them. Some of the foster homes children are taken to are no safer, and sometimes less safe, than the homes children are removed from.
    
    Here in California a girl was kidnapped as a child and kept confined by the couple who kidnapped her for years and bore two children by her kidnapper. He had a record and was on probation. HIs probation officer made several visits and, in spite of tips from  neighbors who observed strange things in the man's back yard, they were never curious enough to thoroughly inspect the premises and find the girl, who had to live in the back yard. The neighbors knew a child was living there who didn't go to school or leave the house. They reported it. But the Professionals didn't seem to care about getting to the bottom of that abuse. Go figure.

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       Woman Of Courageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       WannaB, I heard about it on the news. How awful. I thought it was strange the polices didn't care to fully check after neighbors reported it. They simply ignored it.

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    Onusonusposted 12 years ago

    My Mom showed my girlfriend some incriminating photos of me, (toddler age,) in the tub. I wouldn't have minded her being arrested at the time......

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    gogetter4uposted 12 years ago

    I love children and they r our future...I believe in the safety of every child.
    
    they're writing a story on the forum marked books & lit & writing...it's funny & people r adding 2 it 2c how far its goes. go to lets write a story..tell us what's next in the story...this is a good way to get known... have fun..
    
    check out the brave storys also on my hubs

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16. 53

    ForYourInfoposted 12 years ago

    OMG !!!!!!!! This is so painful .Just think about the condition of the parents.They are simply victim of the system.Please give them their kids back.

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