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Parents Forget Girl, 3, at Chuck E. Cheese

And don't realize it until she shows up on the evening news

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 7, 2012 1:19 PM CST

(Newser) – The separated parents of a 3-year-old Maryland girl forgot something when they left a recent party at Chuck E. Cheese … their little girl. Both the mother and father of 3-year-old Harmony assumed the girl had left the large party with other relatives, ABC News reports. Neither one realized she was missing … until they saw her on the 11pm news. A restaurant manager had called authorities three hours earlier when staff found the girl alone, but deputies were unable to reach her parents. No charges are expected.

Chuck E. Cheese
Chuck E. Cheese   (Flickr)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 43 comments
armyfemme
Mar 12, 2012 7:07 PM CDT
I find it disgusting that anyone could relate to or explain away the behavior or these parents. I have three kids. I have one more on the way. I have raised my children through several deployments (as in, on my own while my husband was deployed) and suffered through more mind-numbing birthday parties at ChuckECheese than I care to recall. I would never ASSUME that one of my children was being watched, transported, or cared for. Never. I don't care how busy the place is, I don't care how chaotic my life is, I don't care to hear a single word about miscommunication. I would never leave my child in one location assuming that someone else was taking care of him or her. I would take the extra 30 seconds to touch base with that "assumed person" to ensure that my child was properly cared for.  I'm not going to say that these parents should be thrown in jail. But their ability to parent their child deserves a second glance. How many other times do they "assume" their child is safe beyond the public eye? "Oh, I assumed someone else was making sure she wasn't getting into that cabinet with the DrainO - my bad."
Winston_Smith
Mar 8, 2012 12:13 AM CST
I can see how this kind of thing could happen at Chuck E.'s on weekend afternoons.  The crush of people can be incredible, especially when they have birthday parties going.  Of course, you still need to call the other parent's cell phone, but only after you leave the restaurant--in a typical CEC on a weekend afternoon, you couldn't hear a fire engine coming through.
Rugger1
Mar 7, 2012 11:13 PM CST
Separated or not, I can say that my spouse and I have never left our child without saying goodbye and giving hugs, kisses, etc. Nor have either one of us ever assumed someone else was watching or transporting our child to another location. Not once. Ever.  It is simply inconceivable to me how this could happen to attentive, loving parents and I truly feel for that 3 year-old (THREE!).  With that said (and I do loathe the clientele there), at least Chuck E Cheese have the hand-stamp system so no one could actually make off with her.

 
Maryland • Chuck E. Cheese • strange stuff

 
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