FL - Henry Sengaroun for rape of 8yo girl, St Petersburg, 2006

[Marie]

This rapist is obviously over the edge - he would have done anything necessarily to get his perverted 'rape fix' - if not this child, then another child. If not a child left at a park for a few minutes, then a child asleep in her bed, or he would have beat the crap out of a parent walking back from the park and then raped the child. These perverts WILL find a way to get to a child, no stopping them. Preach and judge all you want, it won't stop them. And it's a d*** bleeping shame that our society willingly accepts that children (7 and 8 years old for heavens sake!) just aren't safe playing outside as all children should have the right to do safely. Really ticks me off!

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I respectfully disagree. Two families, two poor decisions (although only in hindsight), two raped children.

A family has a reasonable degree of safety in their own home. If you compare the numbers, you'll see that the number of children removed from their own homes, raped and murdered is miniscule. The number of children plucked off the street and raped (and sometimes worse) is FAR greater. In those "home" cases, usually the perp is someone that was invited in by someone from that home. The chances of a stranger creeping into one's home in the middle of the night and taking a child are almost non-existent. So, if mom wants to try and make herself feel better by telling herself that this could have happened no matter what, she's in denial. One ounce of prevention and this little girl could still have her innocence, which this monster stole.

 

[Marie]

this little girl could still be innocent.

You might want to think about re-wording that.

 

[southerngirl]

This rapist is obviously over the edge - he would have done anything necessarily to get his perverted 'rape fix' - if not this child, then another child. If not a child left at a park for a few minutes, then a child asleep in her bed, or he would have beat the crap out of a parent walking back from the park and then raped the child. These perverts WILL find a way to get to a child, no stopping them. Preach and judge all you want, it won't stop them. And it's a d*** bleeping shame that our society willingly accepts that children (7 and 8 years old for heavens sake!) just aren't safe playing outside as all children should have the right to do safely. Really ticks me off!

I so agree with you. This rapist, to do this in broad daylight and with such boldness, is out of control. If not this little girl, he would have easily found another one on the next block, or, as you said, taken a child from her home. To blame in any way the parents, to me, is just so unfair and wrong.

 

[kahskye]

I respectfully disagree. Two families, two poor decisions (although only in hindsight), two raped children.

These are different situations! The Lunsfords didn't intentionally leave the door unlocked. The grandma thought she locked it. Yes, I'm sure she's going over and over why she didn't double check it. She's suffered enough w/o bringing Jessica up in this thread. This mother of the 8 yr old DID intentionally leave her at a public playground. She knew she was taking a chance, a chance she didn't need to take.

 

[southerngirl]

These are different situations! The Lunsfords didn't intentionally leave the door unlocked. The grandma thought she locked it. Yes, I'm sure she's going over and over why she didn't double check it. She's suffered enough w/o bringing Jessica up in this thread. This mother of the 8 yr old DID intentionally leave her at a public playground. She knew she was taking a chance, a chance she didn't need to take.

What??? Are we not allowed to compare cases? I am sure the grandmother has suffered beyond belief. We are discussing when caretakers are responsible or not responsible for decisions that contribute to children being victims.

 

[southerngirl]

They didn't leave Jessica alone. I place no blame on them. And as far as Jessica still being here if the doors were locked, we don't know that. He could have easily broken in. But we do know that if this woman took her children home with her this child would not have been raped. This woman INTENTIONALLY left her children alone. I'm sorry but there is absolutely no excuse for that IMO.

Not necessarily true. As Marie said, the mother could have been hit over the head as she walked her kids home from the park if the perp had his eye on that particular girl and was determined to rape her.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

You might want to think about re-wording that.

Thank you!! I meant could still have her innocence - which was robbed by this monster.

 

[southerngirl]

I disagree. As parents, its our responsibility to think of everything that can possibly go wrong. That's why we don't leave toddlers alone in the bathtub, we don't leave them alone in a kitchen with a hot stove or a hot iron, we don't leave them alone in cars while we run into the store and we don't leave our kids alone in the park, even for a minute.

And we don't leave our doors unlocked.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Not necessarily true. As Marie said, the mother could have been hit over the head as she walked her kids home from the park if the perp had his eye on that particular girl and was determined to rape her.

Then it wouldn't have been her fault, so that one little "could have" changes everything.

 

[Mama-cita]

It is humanly impossible to watch your kids 24/7. .

Obviously it is not, however, it is not responsible parenting to leave two children THAT YOUNG, unsupervised, even for a few minutes.

 

[MrsMush99]

Obviously it is not, however, it is not responsible parenting to leave two children THAT YOUNG, unsupervised, even for a few minutes.

I agree 100%. You don't take chances with your children's lives or safety.

 

[Cypros]

The rapist is the only one to blame here. He had the gall to assault that little girl right on the street in broad daylight, with people and cars around! I hope they catch him and string him up.

The mother did nothing negligent, IMO. Of course, in hindsight she wishes she had not left her children alone, but the park was practically in her backyard and the children are not toddlers. Of course, the general safety of the neighborhood makes a difference in such a decision. If this is a "rough" neighborhood with lots of crime then her judgement is poor.

 

[Marie]

It's amazing that in this day and age so many people still blame the victim. Of course no one is bold enough to blame a child so instead they blame the parents. "If she hadn't been wearing a short skirt, drinking, and in a bad neighborhood then she wouldn't have been raped" is changed to - "if only the parents hadn't let her kid play at the park alone she wouldn't have been raped."

 

[Jeana (DP)]

The rapist is the only one to blame here. He had the gall to assault that little girl right on the street in broad daylight, with people and cars around! I hope they catch him and string him up.

The mother did nothing negligent, IMO. Of course, in hindsight she wishes she had not left her children alone, but the park was practically in her backyard and the children are not toddlers. Of course, the general safety of the neighborhood makes a difference in such a decision. If this is a "rough" neighborhood with lots of crime then her judgement is poor.

Of course she was negligent. She was 1/2 block away from the park. You DO NOT leave your very young children alone at home, you don't leave them in a hot car and you don't leave them at the park by themselves. We know what kind of times we're living in. She's lucky that the man didn't abduct both of them and murder them. Sorry, mom doesn't get a free pass on this one.

 

[MrsMush99]

If this is a "rough" neighborhood with lots of crime then her judgement is poor.

So predators are only in rough neighborhoods?? That's what would make this a bad judgement call?

 

[MrsMush99]

It's amazing that in this day and age so many people still blame the victim. Of course no one is bold enough to blame a child so instead they blame the parents. "If she hadn't been wearing a short skirt, drinking, and in a bad neighborhood then she wouldn't have been raped" is changed to - "if only the parents hadn't let her kid play at the park alone she wouldn't have been raped."

She should not have left her YOUNG children alone. And yes, I am blaming her and not afraid to say it. I wouldn't leave my 12 yo daughter alone in a park, let alone children of 7 and 8.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

So predators are only in rough neighborhoods?? That's what would make this a bad judgement call?

This was in Florida. The state with the highest number of sexual predators. The state is replete with them. As parents, its our duty to know these things. One-half block away might has well been miles for alll the good it did.

 

[MrsMush99]

This was in Florida. The state with the highest number of sexual predators. The state is replete with them. As parents, its our duty to know these things. One-half block away might has well been miles for alll the good it did.

You are right Jeana. Her mother should have known better.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

It's amazing that in this day and age so many people still blame the victim. Of course no one is bold enough to blame a child so instead they blame the parents. "If she hadn't been wearing a short skirt, drinking, and in a bad neighborhood then she wouldn't have been raped" is changed to - "if only the parents hadn't let her kid play at the park alone she wouldn't have been raped."

There's no "bold" to it. It is the parent's responsibility to ensure our children's safety. We're all aware of what's been going on in the world today. We're all aware that our children are sitting ducks. Why give these pedophiles access to them? That's CRAZY. Its true that we can't be with them 24/7. However, its also true that leaving two very young children alone in an area containing the MOST pedophiles on the plant is unforgivable.