Community Corner

What Would You Do If This Was Your Child?

A 10-year-old girl who made up a story about an attempted abduction in Pacifica has many residents talking about how she should be punished for lying to authorities.

The reported attempted abduction of a 10-year-old girl in Pacifica on Sunday was a false report by the girl and a friend, and since the story posted on Patch and Facebook Wednesday night, many residents have written in, sharing their opinion about what kind of punishment or consequence they think the girl should be given for making the story up and for the amount of resources put in by the police and local community searching for a fictional perpetrator.

If this was your child, what kind of punishment would you give?

Some say make her do community service. Others say put her in juvenile hall for a month or make her to talk to the families who have really experienced an abduction.

Find out what's happening in Pacificawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here’s what else Patch readers from Pacifica to Half Moon Bay have to say on the issue:

Heather Sawick Kennedy: Toss 'em in the clink overnight and teach 'em a lesson.

Find out what's happening in Pacificawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Edward Sawacki: Hope these kids are forced to do some form of community service.

Lisa White: Yes, community Service! ...and maybe a good ol' fashion spanking from parents!

Claire Steel Conlon: This is so not cool! These young girls have wasted time and money with their ridiculous behavior not to mention spooked families around the coast. They should be ashamed of themselves!

Senor Gigante: Some type of punishment is certainly in line with the amount of man-hours & resources wasted. 

Leanna Capote Rodriguez: That's not ok. I hope they get some kind of punishment.

Sonia O'Connor: Honestly she wasted taxpayers’ money investigating a lie; liberals say oh it's okay what does that teach others. Sure it's nice she is safe. I say have her go to juvie for a month for lying to authorities.

Caroline Grover Naito: What makes you think 'liberals' say it's okay? I'm as liberal as they come, and I say she needs to have some serious consequences for lying to the authorities. Kids need to be taught consequences and personal responsibilities!

James Nieves: Here we go with the finger pointing. Leave it up to a "conservative" to drag in the politics. @Sonia So your saying "liberals" condone bad behavior? Yes it was a foolish prank, yes it wasted tax dollars but at the end of the day I can breathe a sigh of relief that the child abductor was just a figment of a 10 yr olds reckless imagination and not the real deal. They will get what’s coming to them.

Sarah Bucini-Lewkowitz: She should have to do some community service....

Karen Thomsen: Or talk to kids that have been victims and the parent’s kids of attempted or successful abductions.

Heidi Locicero: This was a good wake up call though even though it was false. And, it is a good reminder to teach your children to tell the truth in matters of importance... always tell the truth and times like this are times to endure the truth... even if it is real and scary, you tell the truth and if it is not true you tell the truth!!!

If this was your child, what would you do to make an impression, even if it was a foolish prank or a way to “ launch their reality TV career,” as Elizabeth Rubenstein writes. 

Tell us: What type of punishment do you think is appropriate for this behavior?

 

 


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