An amber alert went out for a Florida pre-teen today

[malaise]

This 12 year old left her home last night to meet a man she met on line - 31 years old - she was found on the Alabama border, He has been detained.
I hope she learned her lesson - she might not be this lucky next time.

[Cerridwen]

1. At least she learned "grown ups" are not to be trusted.

"she learned her lesson"?

Wow.

Just abso-fucking-lutely, wow.

[malaise]

8. Why would a pre-teen walk out of her parents home at night to

at the request of a complete stranger on the internet.

At 12 I wasn't leaving my home day or night to meet with boys I knew.
Let me make it clear - the disgusting man should be locked up but that 12 year old accepted the invitation and left her home without permission to meet him.
She was not kidnapped in the street.

So I repeat - I hope she learned a lesson.

[tawadi]

5. Oh god

I will delete the damn post.

[Cerridwen]

6. As will I.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. An 11 year old in Kansas a few weeks ago

The guy was trying to take her to Canada.

[Cerridwen]

7. Did she "learn her lesson"? n/t

[malaise]

9. I need someone to tell me why a pre-teen

would do this. Maybe I am just old.

[MineralMan]

10. Sadly, in some cases, these kids are leaving

a horrible situation in desperation. They're walking into what may be even a worse situation, but they see no choice.

I remember a case very clearly of a girl, in the town where I used to live, about that age who was being sexually abused by her step-father in her own home. She did run away, and was never seen again. From horrible to worse. These situations need to be looked at very carefully by CPS.

[malaise]

11. You may well have a point

I didn't think about that angle.

[MineralMan]

12. Yup. The typical 12-year-old is not about to run away from

home with some creep they met on the Internet. When that does happen, something's likely to be going on that caused their desperation.

It's part of the equation we rarely think about, but it is real in some cases. There is much ugliness that goes on in some homes. We don't like to think about it, but it exists, and needs to be looked at when a kid takes off like that. There's always a reason. Sometimes it's a psychological problem with the kid. Sometimes it's something else. In every case, though, the motivation needs to be examined closely.

[malaise]

13. You're right

I hadn't thought about that reality. i just couldn't fathom why a pre-teen would leave her home to be with a total stranger but as you say there is much ugliness going on in some homes.