Not in MY Neighborhood

We don't want to think about it.  We want to believe that our children are safe in our neighborhoods.  We want to believe that when we send them out to play that they will be fine, just like we were.  We need to believe that the areas that we have chosen to live are safe havens where our children can grow up in sweet innocence.

I thought this was true of my neighborhood until last Thursday.  I went to get my 5 year old from his friends house when I heard a woman crying.  She is my neighbor, Carol.  She had adopted her grandson and granddaughter a little over a year ago.  Their parents were both in jail and this woman took them in and was caring for them.  These kids had come to my house many times.  I coached the little boy in Tee Ball.  I wanted to find out why Carol was crying, why she kept saying, "I don't understand why you're doing this" to the men that were parked out front of her house.  I wanted to stop, but couldn't.  My Mom was at my house with my other two children and needed to be leaving.  So I walked on.

I called my friend, whose house I was picking up my son from, and told her what I saw.  She said that she would go and make sure Carol was okay.

Carol was fine.  Carols grandchildren were being taken from her.  Two hours later she was arrested for 12 different counts of child molestation, sodomy and rape. 

It all started with the investigation of the abuse of her 5 year old granddaughter.  During that investigation more information came to light.  Apparently she abused one of her sons from the time he was 4 until he was 13; he is now in his 20's.  I want to throw up, cry and scream at the same time.  That sweet girl, she was betrayed by the person that said she's save her from the parents that were in jail for drug use.  That sweet boy who just wanted someone to take care of him.  They were betrayed by the one person they trusted.

Now, I know that our justice system is innocent until proven guilty.  I really do understand that.  I just have a hard time saying she is innocent when there is so much evidence otherwise.  Her husband doesn't even believe her innocence.  And I will be honest, I am scared.  Scared that it could happen so close to us and I didn't even know it.

I thought I picked a safe neighborhood for my children to grow up in.  I thought I found a place where they could run and ride their bikes and not have to worry about the dangers of sick people.

I guess I thought wrong.  I didn't think it could happen here.  It happens in other neighborhoods, not my quiet tree lined street in Logan, Utah. 

I will continue to be very diligent in watching my children.  I will continue to watch their every move and not let them go to anyone's house unless I know the parents very well.  But even then...how do you tell if your neighbor is a child molester?

Oh how I wish I could just lock the door and keep them inside until they are 21.

This is an original post for Rocky Mountain Moms Blog.

Kim lives and writes from Logan, Utah a place she thought very safe until just recently.