When a neighbor knocks on your door, it’s usually for a cup of sugar or a friendly chat. But for one woman, the knock brought six children—and a tough decision.
Sharing her story on Reddit, she asked if she had gone too far by contacting Child Services after her neighbor unexpectedly left her kids at her doorstep.
The woman explained that her neighbor had a knack for persuading people to babysit her kids. Although she had previously dodged such requests, this time, she wasn’t so lucky.
“She banged on my door like the house was on fire,” she wrote. “When I answered, she rushed out a few words, said she’d be back Sunday, and bolted to a waiting cab.”
Standing there with six children ranging from 6 months to 7 years old, the woman felt cornered. She let them inside, but panic set in. She texted the mother, giving her 40 minutes to return, or she’d call Child Services. The response? The mother claimed she was already out of town and couldn’t come back.
The neighbor even suggested dropping the kids off with a 68-year-old woman named Jennifer, who had fragile health. This wasn’t an option, the woman decided.
“I warned her: Be here in 10 minutes, or I’ll involve Child Services. Her reply? A string of curses and disbelief,” she recounted.
True to her word, she made the call. Shortly after, Child Services arrived, accompanied by police, who often assist in such cases. The woman even recorded the moment the children were picked up and sent it to their mother.
Her neighbor was furious. “She called me, screaming she was halfway to Blackpool and swearing she’d ‘murder me if it was true.’”
While she felt justified in her actions, her husband did not. Having grown up in foster care, he was livid, accusing her of tearing a family apart and not giving the mother enough time to return.
“He told me I should’ve put the kids back in the cab or left them with Jennifer,” she wrote. “He said anything that happens to those kids in care is my fault.”
Now, guilt weighs heavily on her. “I wonder if I overreacted or should go back to Child Services to fix this,” she shared. “I didn’t realize foster care could be so harsh.”
What do you think? Did she do the right thing? Or was there a better solution?
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