The title of this story is “Boy, 4, breaks into Texas store, plays with toys.” I had seen something briefly about this before so I clicked on the story thinking to myself…”did the boy purposefully break into the store or was he lost?” I watch the video and my suspicions were correct, it was a 4 year old African American child who had wandered out of his house in the middle of the night and thankfully walked into this store to play with the toys.
For one, the door was unlocked!!!! Doesn’t “breaking in” usually require breaking something to get in? Like a door or a window?! In the video the child obviously just goes to open the door and what do you know? It opens! Do you think if this had been a white child in an upscale neighborhood that the headlines would have claimed that he “broke in”? I think it probably would have said something like “Missing child found in a store at 3 a.m.” It is just so disturbing to me, but still not surprising, that at this day and age the media still just can’t get a clue.
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Mariecel says...
You make a good point. The headline would have probably read “Toddler wanders into toy store” instead…
December 19th, 2008 at 4:42 am
Running Mommy says...
I agree with you. The media could just have easily put a spin on it like: ‘Little boy gets lucky!’
Then it would have made a lovely Christmas story!
December 19th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Vanessa says...
So sad!! I hate to say it should have read irresponsible parents allow child to wonder out of home!! Found safe in toy store!!
Shhessh people!!
December 19th, 2008 at 6:19 am
LeftLeaningLady says...
The video showed what really happened and the people in the video were clearly concerned about the health and safety of the child. I see your point and it is valid. I am just glad the little guy is safe… and hopefully in foster care or will relatives who will install a deadbolt.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Jill says...
M&V
I agree with both of you. They make him out to be some sort of criminal instead of what he is, an innocent child that was thankfully found safe.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Jill says...
leftleaninglady,
Yes, the reality of the situation was that everyone was very happy that the boy was safe. Unfortanetly most of us do not read past the headlines.
What really bothers me is that nobody is protecting this boy from the media and I think that is probably more because he is poor and neglected rather than his race. I know that if my daughter were to have wandered out of the house in the middle of the night and the media characterized her as some sort of child criminal I would not have stood for that. But because nobody is standing up for this boy the media thinks that they can take advantage of him.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Jennie Lee says...
I agree with you completely. Who was supposed to be watching this child. He could have been hurt or kidnapped on the way to the store.
December 21st, 2008 at 4:11 pm