> Wonderful reporting! Were they un-noticed or not? Apparently not, since they noticed them missing during the headcount...

The article is quite clear!

The toddlers were actually missing for 34 minutes while those charged with watching them didn't seem to know it. Fortunately, their employer required them to do a periodic headcount. But that's a bit like counting the cows after they got out. . . . -- a bit late!


> Obviously they've never spent any time watching a group of toddlers...

I have! - The proper way (only dependable way) is to Make Certain that they are absolutely confined, to the area under your immediate purview.

Indeed, I have been on both sides of this fence. In my transit days, I actually ran across toddlers playing on the tracks, unbeknown to their baby-sitter. On a blind curve yet - made my hair stand on end!


> Is this a good thing? Of course not! Is it understandable? Yes, it is.
> Mistakes happen and kids will wander off.

Of course this is not to say, that you wouldn't mind, if it happened to your kids - right?


> There should be consequences, and changes made, but it is easy to see how this could occur.

Oh yes! Let's be sure to sic some ambulance chasing DA, hungry for someone to prosecute, on them. But in the politically correct great state of Coastal Confusion that this YMCA day care center is located, confining a child to the extent required, is socially looked down upon as child abuse. At the same time, letting them get away from you is criminal child neglect, or even child endangerment. Is this really so?

Of course it is always a criminal act when anything goes wrong - right? ----- NOT!

Just like in any railroad accident investigation, the focus of this investigation should be; what caused things to go wrong, and how can that be prevented in the future. Only after that is completely accomplished, should there be any talk of criminal investigation or civil action; and even then, only if there is clear evidence of willful misconduct or willful negligence.

In the case mentioned above, where I actually ran across toddlers playing on the tracks in a blind curve; it turned out that there was willful misconduct. Not on the part of the baby-sitter, who was unaware of a hole in the fence; but because the parents had actually cut the hole in the fence and taken possession of transit property for a backyard garden - right up to the ballast!

Being confrontational and physically resistive of our attempt to seal the fence, they were arrested for trespass and assault - and ultimately charged with child endangerment. I think they could have avoided all of that if they had just backed off, except that their wanton disregard for the safety of their children was so blatantly obvious.

Nothing in that article suggests anything of that sort was going on here!

OPB