I understand being a pet lover even though I am not one. However, would you save your pet over your child? Would you forget that your child was even in the house?
I came across this story yesterday where a couple in Beaver County, PA, got their dogs out of their burning mobile home. However, Crystal Adams and James Chandler forgot his 4 year old son. After being asked repeatedly if anyone else was in the mobile home, they remembered after twenty minutes that the boy was in his room. A firefighter thankfully went in and saved the boy. He ended up getting treated for smoke inhalation. Crystal and James were charged with reckless endangerment.
I seriously cannot understand this. How do you forget your child? How do you get your dogs out before your child? As many of you know, I am not a pet lover, so maybe I am missing something here. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. I am hoping when they figure out what caused fire, this story doesn't take another sad turn.
I have several questions for my readers especially the pet lovers (since I am so not a pet lover). If your house was on fire, who would you save first – your pets or your kids? Also, would you forget that your child was in the house?
Oh my gosh, that is just crazy. I would never forget that my child was in the house. And to be quite honest, we have a dog and he would be the last thing I would worry about getting out of a burning house. I would be more concerned about jewelry, photos, and important documents before I would worry about Kip the cagefighter.
This goes hand in hand with those wackos that spend hundreds even thousands of dollars on healthcare and cancer treatment for their pets. It is beyond my understanding.
This ranks up there with people who forget their kids in parked cars. I just don't get how you can forget your kids.
That's just freaking insane!! I couldn't forget my kids. Heck, I can't forget them in a car, let alone a burning building. Stove barely caught fire (hamburger grease and a macaroni noodle, XD) and I'm ushering the kids to at least the porch, and calling neighbor across the street to help me keep an eye on them til I clear out the smoke.
Screw the dog. Save the child!
Sounds to me like they purposely forgot he was in there. But who knows.
If my house ever caught fire (god forbid) I would save my child first. I don't have pets, but at least all my husband crap would be gone. xD
I couldn't forget my kids either. That's why I can't figure out how stuff like this happens.
A couple of weeks ago, there was a story on the news about a woman who stopped to get donuts for her coworkers on her way to her office. She forgot her toddler was in the carseat, went to work and left the kid in the hot car. The child died. They showed the distraught woman on the news and interviewed coworkers who said that she was diligent, responsible, a loving mother, etc.
I do not believe in judging others.
But I simply cannot understand how you could be that absent-minded. It is possible to get distracted and forget to do something, but to forget that you did not drop your kid at daycare? I just can't relate.
I can't relate either. My hubby is somewhat absentminded and he has never once forgotten the kids.
Ummm, no. My kids come before my pets. I love my pets but not as much as my kids and husband.
This sounds pretty deliberate to me. Unless they only have partial custody of the child and he only stays there occasionally (meaning maybe they forgot he was sleeping over), there is no excuse.
I hate to think it was deliberate, but I thought it looked like that too.
It is starting to sound deliberate. They were asked several times in the 20 minutes, and didn't until the end. It's why they're being charged with negligence. If something worse occurs with the little boy, most likely more charges will be brought.
Lisa, you are not missing a thing. I am a pet lover and I would definitely be thinking of my child before my pets. Don't get me wrong, I would be trying to get every living creature out but not before my children!
Being asked multiple times and then they suddenly remember?? Sounds fishy to me.
I love my pets, but not as much as my kids. I think I'd want to get them all out, but the kids would be first. At least that's how I hope I would act in such a case.
Amy I know that's what you would do 🙂
That is unbelievable. I am a pet lover, but there is not a question in my mind that my child would absolutely come first. I'd hope to get my cat out, but if I couldn't, I couldn't. Not getting my child out would not even be an option….
My mom's dogs ARE her children.–who knows what she would do. I would like to think she was save her own blood instead but, honestly, I just don't know. When my mom's oldest "kid" died, she didn't talk to me for a week and she took a whole week off from work. That's how upset she was. Those dogs love her and she loves them.
My opinion, though, is I just don't see how anyone could forget that their son is in a burning house. To rescue dogs FIRST and then the son, I guess, could be understandable(not really) but to completely forget your kid is in a burning house…ugh. Makes me sad.
I adore my dogs, all seven of them! And I would go into a burning building to save them, AFTER my children and husband were safe…of course, if I know my kids and husband they'd have a dog under each arm anyway!
I could never forget the kids. However, they are all teenagers and never at home.
The hubby, on the other hand…
I'm JOKING! :p
This completely baffles me. I might not have kids, and my pets might be my babies, but I don't see how you can forget ANY human life in the house, especially your own children. Adult or child I would make sure everyone would be out of my house before I even so much as thought about my pets.
I agree with Lisa. This is definitely right up there with the people who forget their children in cars.
I cannot even fathom how it could be possible to forget a child. My children are always foremost in my mind. My heart even skips a beat if I look back and they are not in the car with me even when I know that I did not bring them.
I believe these people should be charged with reckless endangerment or worse. Even if they love their pets, human beings should always come first.
I saw that on the news this morning. I just sat there stunned! I don't understand how some people think. *shakes head*
Seriously, how can these people do something like this?
I remember hearing a story on the news about a couple whos child died because they played online games all day and forgot about the kid! What is the world coming to?
Thank God the child was saved. It's just so unbelievable how parents can 'forget' children but not dogs. If the child died, these parents are just simply unforgivable!
Oh my gosh, that's terrible! I recall a few years back about parents leaving their children in their cars on hot days and how they ended tragically. I just can't see saving a pet over a child.
Yikes!! I can only think such terrible things about the parents…so I'm going to refrain from saying them out loud or in print!!!
Not contest! As much as I'd miss and feel guilty about leaving my pet my child will always come first. I can't believe that not only did they get their pets out instead of their son they continued to forget him for a whole 20 minutes!
Firstly animals are children, I would save them both with equal fervor. They just dont have english languages. If you have a foster child from asia do you love him less? No. You love them. Period. However, this story does not go into any detail. Does this child live with them full time? Did he just get home from Grandmas? Does he stay with his grandparents on weekend and this one weekend he was home? How do we know?
Me, Id save my dogs and children first (Its easy enough to get both, just grab two leashes, ahahaha) then my motherboards! Looks like I've forgotten my hermit crabs in my rush, I'd probably go back for them, they arent very mobile in their giant tank, but Id feel too guilty if I didnt.
But really this is a personal choice. When I was a kid I would have BEYOND A DOUBT grabbed the dogs, no matter how dangerous and put their lives before mine, saved them from burning timbers. This was because I led a pretty full rather TOO exciting life, Id done my duty, I was done by 13. Then I got earthly obligations like children and dogs, now Im sticking around to take care of them, though I say with the utmost confidence I could have taken care of myself as early as 13. I did take care of myself when I moved out at 16, so it depends on the age, their outlook. I hope my childs first reaction is to grab the pets. Its called compassion. You wont know until you have a pet.
I don't buy not remembering the kid was there.
I have four cats and no kids at this point. I would want each one of my cats safe, along with any humans involved. My niece is almost three and I would grab her personally because my cats would likely try to get our on their own. A toddler wouldn't
I would kick and fuss until the firefighters had rescued each member of my family, furry and human.
Great post – sStumbled it
That is messed up! I often ask myself this question about how do people just act so neglectful?! How can you just do that. Pets, such as dogs and cats have a better chance of survival anyway because of their keen senses, but a 4 year old! wow… sorry for stumbling so late!
This is why one should plan an Fire Escape Plan. I would definitely try to get both my dogs and children out. No living things should be burned alive. If you think not, then don't have a dog!
some pets like land hermit crabs are pretty cool but not enough to forget your own kids
Amazing how somebody could be so careless. Obviously the children would come first.
I don't understand it either. That is crazy. I like pets, but i'd definately save my child before my pet. I dont know what they were thinking….obviously they weren't.
No way! Crazy!! I would never forget my child under such circumstances. I am not telling the parents don't care about their child but seriously this is a terrible mistake. 😡
that’s crazy. i would never forget my child over a pet (or anything else). you’d think that’d be the FIRST thing you grab…