My oldest son’s school is three blocks from our house. He recently started walking to school (last spring). We live in a nice residential neighborhood. I admit that I had major reservations but he is growing up in a city and next September, he may be attending a new school closer to downtown Philadelphia and will be taking the bus to get there. As a city kid, we have to foster his independence.
Thinking back on my own childhood, I took two city buses to school in Brooklyn (Utica to Church Ave and then the Church Ave bus to Flatbush) when I was in 3rd grade. He’s going into 4th so walking three blocks was not a huge stretch. We followed him for the first week to make sure he was going to school and crossing at the intersections. Finally, we let go. He was so excited to have responsibility and he did just fine.
Yesterday, the news story broke about a young boy in Brooklyn. A year younger than my son. He asked his mom to walk home from camp and she gave him permission. His first time walking home, he was abducted by a stranger living in the neighborhood and went missing. With the aid of traffic cameras, they saw the man that approached him and tracked him down. The police found blood in his apartment and he finally confessed. They found the boy dismembered, stuffed into a suitcase and thrown in a dumpster.
My heart breaks for this family. Especially for the parent that also chose to let go of her son and grant him a little independence by allowing him to walk home for the first time. I know that mom will always hold that in her heart. That “what if”. Even though I am sure her son was thrilled to take those steps by himself like a big kid. Poor baby just didn’t know that evil was lurking so close to him.
I admit, I get desensitized by the news. So many tragedies sometimes that I can’t keep up. Every once in a while, one story touches me. I won’t forget this one for a long time.
Rest in peace Leiby Kletzky.
When I read about things like this I realize how easily I could be a vigilante. Everything in me tells me that I could do to this man what he did to Leiby.
It is heartbreaking! It hurts even more when it closely resembles a facet of your own life. Violence is so ugly and when a child is involved its just even more painful. Innoncence staring in the face of evil personified. SMH at it all!
This story is a gut-wrenching one. I started walking to school on my own in first grade (in SW Philly) and never had anyone approach me wrong. In situations like this I try to remember that 99% of the time we are safe and don’t have to worry. Of course we still have to be as careful as we can.
From the moment I heard the story I began to pray.. because I thought oh hell no this can’t be happening. My heart breaks for his family. I gave my kids a big hug and just held them.
Between Shaniya Davis in NC, Caylee Anthony in Fl and now poor little Leiby in NYC, I just don’t see how parents do it these days! My heart just breaks for these babies. I pray a little bit harder every night!
When I saw that it was his first time being allowed to walk home I was like WHY!? Why did that man have to steal the safety of the neighborhood parents and children?? And not only the ones in THAT neighborhood but all over the nation. UGH!! This story wrenched at my heart. And to think that his parents were waiting for him to get home and he was lost and then stolen. That poor child. I’m absolutely praying for his family and all the others like his forever changed by losing a child.
When I read this article it broke my heart. My heart goes out to the little boy’s family especially his mother. RIP Leiby.
That was just terrible and that thought of somebody dismembering a child gives me nightmares. What bothers me sooooooooooo much about this story is that he asked for directions. That doesn’t set well with me. You said:
“We followed him for the first week to make sure he was going to school and crossing at the intersections. Finally, we let go.”
That makes sense. You were confident that he knew his way and wouldn’t have to ask a stranger for help. I know that evil exist, but we still don’t have to hand our children over to it.
Where this took place, it is a primarily Hassidic (Jewish) community. A very tight knit and religious people. He got lost and probably felt safe asking for directions because these were his people. You never think something like this would happen there but it shows that evil exists in every neighborhood amongst every type of people.
That was why I was so surprised–in the Jewish community? I hope the community turns on the suspect. How could you do that to a child? And then have the nerve to be on suicide watch? You snatch the life of a baby and then selfishly want to kill yourself? I hope he rots in a jail cell with a roommate named Big Mike.
This story breaks my heart. I mean it hurts that he…
I thought the SAME thing. My sons have been asking me if they can walk to the neighborhood park, which is 3 blocks away and I had JUST started to get to the point where I was like, hmm…maybe. My plan was to let them walk and then follow, maybe 5 minutes later, just so they get used to walking by themselves. Now I’m like eff that. Too many predators and I would lose my mind if something happened to either one, just like I know you would, and just like I know poor Leiby’s mom is. RIP to him.
Gosh, I remember being able to get the bus from SW Philly to Center city at age 10. No problem. Now a days you gotta have armed guards to walk you child to the bus stop, smh!