Disabled child, 2, in "yob" probe (From The Argus)
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Disabled child, 2, in "yob" probe
8:21am Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in News
Disabled child, 2, in "yob" probe
A police patrol was sent to tackle allegations of yob behaviour – by a disabled two-year-old.
Officers were called to the home of Grace Heath, who suffers from a chronic lung disorder and is the face of the Rockinghorse charity appeal, after a neighbour called Sussex Police claiming the toddler had been throwing stones.
Grace’s mother Sara said she was astounded when police knocked on her door to question her.
She said Grace’s health problems meant she was unable to throw stones because she does not have the energy.
Mrs Heath said: “My children are now scared to go out.
“I feel like my little girl has been branded a criminal.
“She’s a poorly girl who has only just come off oxygen. There is no way she could even do this.
“When the police came to my door I had no idea why they were there “They said they had a report of my daughter throwing stones at a neighbour’s car.
“To start with I was laughing. I couldn’t believe it.
“If Grace hadn’t already gone to bed for the night, what would they have done? Interrogated a two-year-old? Arrested her?
“Grace is disabled and in the posters for the Rockinghorse appeal at Asda.
“I can’t believe she could be accused of such a thing.” Police confirmed officers had visited the Heaths’ home follow- ing claims of children throwing stones on Sunday May 13 but said no damage was thought to have been caused to the car.
A spokeswoman said they spoke to both sets of residents about the incident.
Comments(15)
Archie Bun
says...
10:33am Wed 23 May 12
ICantThinkOfAName
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10:36am Wed 23 May 12
mimseycal
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11:06am Wed 23 May 12
power_ranger
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12:00pm Wed 23 May 12
If some 2 yearold threw handfuls of gravel at my car I'de likely call the cops too...
Hovite
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12:20pm Wed 23 May 12
fascinator
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1:41pm Wed 23 May 12
Hovite wrote:quite! But once the police were called, it's only right they go and investigae, which is what they did.
No, you don't call the police and waste their time. You tell the kid to stop and politely speak to the parents!
You often hear that they don't have the resources to investigate crimes, but this doesn't seem to be the case here.
Its My View
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1:54pm Wed 23 May 12
Hovite
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2:14pm Wed 23 May 12
fascinator wrote:And I am sure the police were fairly embarrassed and apologetic about it.
Hovite wrote:quite! But once the police were called, it's only right they go and investigae, which is what they did.
No, you don't call the police and waste their time. You tell the kid to stop and politely speak to the parents!
You often hear that they don't have the resources to investigate crimes, but this doesn't seem to be the case here.
What I want to know is did this police request come via non emergency No 101 or 999?
If the complainer used 999 they should have received at least a heavy lecture on why 999 is an emergency number only.
The Real Phil
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4:28pm Wed 23 May 12
Alison Smith
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5:55pm Wed 23 May 12
Brightonian in Germany
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6:13pm Wed 23 May 12
Its My View wrote:If you had read the article properly in the first place you would not have had to write your badly written drivel!!!!
Firstly if the child is not very well shouldn't the parents be watching over her ? A two year old should NOT be out in the streets if she has a lung condition surely ? I think (1) Sarah Heath should of been monitoring her child. (2) Any person has the right to protect thier property or land. If the Parents took more time to look after the child this may not of happened ?
1. The child was in bed!!!!!
2. Police confirmed officers had visited the Heaths’ home follow- ing claims of children throwing stones on Sunday May 13 but said no damage was thought to have been caused to the car.
You will notice that they said "A NUMBER OF CHILDREN"
Obviously your reading is a as bad as your writing.
I have only one lung & know all to well how debilating it is. A two year old child has next to no strength to walk let alone throw stones or gravel as another bright spark here suggested.
Jan@FairPlay4Children
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11:35pm Sun 10 Jun 12
Brightonian in Germany
says...
9:05am Mon 11 Jun 12
Jan@FairPlay4ChildreA very encouraging comment on this very sad topic.
n wrote:
Now why isn't it a case of a malicious neighbour who gets off on getting the police to harass his/her neighbours on trumped-up allegations? Doesn't happen? It does. People actually wait with cameras to photo kids just hanging around in the streets. Power-ranger? Your name and comment says it all. More police time wasted through malicious complaints than any other cause. Give such people ASBOs or whatever it is now. And some comments here suggest that if someone says a kid is misbehaving that must be true. I can tell readers from long experience what lengths some will go to so they have no kids outdoors near them, and of course their precious bloody cars. THAT's what's keeping kids indoors, intolerant neighbours. It just needs one in a street and kids have a hell of a life. (And when they're 13 and get hormones WHO do you think they wind up?). This "neighbour" needs some lessons in good manners and neighbourliness - like we knock on the door, drop a friendly note through the letter box etc.
You are right in saying that there are more than enough egoistical neighbours that have nothing better to do than complain about children. For whatever reason. Here in Germany it has got to the stage where Courts have to decide whether a Kindergarten can be built in a residential area. Thank goodness in 95% of the cases, they get built.
This is a very egoistical & sad world that has evolved in the past 20-25 years.
Brightonian in Germany
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9:09am Mon 11 Jun 12
I have not seen any follow up article upon this story.
Does anyone know anything?
Goldenwight says...
9:22am Wed 23 May 12
NOT a news story, just some histrionic woman carping on and looking for a bit of sympathy.