Toddler abandoned at Wal-Mart

by Sandy Maple (Subscribe to Sandy Maple's posts) Jun 18th 2008 9:01AM

A little boy found alone in a Frankfort, Indianapolis Wal Mart is believed to have been abandoned by his mother. The boy, who appears to be about 2-years-old, was found alone in the store on Tuesday clutching a note and a backpack containing toys, diapers and a bottle. The note was written in Spanish and translated by Rosa Martinez, who found what she read to be very upsetting. According to the note, the child's name is Martin and his family emigrated from Guatemala about a year ago. "She has no food, no place to live and no job and her son was starving," said Rosa Martinez.

Martinez also spoke with the boy who was unresponsive when asked where his mother was. "I said, 'Where's mommy?' in Spanish and he looked at me. He didn't move or nothing," Martinez said. "I've seen 2-year-olds. They communicate and they're very active. He was not even moving, not making facial (expressions) -- nothing."

While this appears to be a case of child abandonment, Frankfurt police aren't ruling out other possible explanations, such as kidnapping. They are checking the missing persons database, reviewing surveillance video of the store and working closely with the area's Hispanic community.

If what the note revealed is in fact true, it is likely that this child's mother has already left the area and the child is essentially alone. Looking at his sad face makes me just want to grab him up and bring him home with me. How desperate must a mother be to do such a thing?

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Comments (18)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Courtney 6-18-2008 @ 9:39AM

That is so sad. This is what our world has come to, having to abandon children because you can't afford to feed them. Just sad!

Marie 6-18-2008 @ 10:16AM

I couldn't imagine having to leave my child behind, especially in a walmart. She could've at least took him to a church.

maria 6-18-2008 @ 10:14AM

its disgusting if a lady doesnt want children then why have them then give them up. dont just leave them in a store give them to someone who cant have kids to good parents who can help the child. dont be a father or a mother if you dont know how to raise the child.

mimi 6-18-2008 @ 2:12PM

I would always take care of my child first and never leave them anywhere ever. With that said, our country is going to be seeing more and more children abandoned due to people not being able to feed or clothe them, much less put a roof over there head.

We can thank all the jerk offs that voted for your lord and savior George Dubya. AND NOW they're gonna vote for McCain.

Be very proud of yourselves. You can also stop saying that you "didn't know what would happen". Bwahahahaa. Lost, abandoned, and dead children, that's what. Aren't you so proud now? What did you think it would just be Iraqi children suffering? Jokes on you.

eugene 6-18-2008 @ 3:39PM

Hey, as long as we're playing the blame game... let's blame the Catholic church for not promoting contraceptives! If she didn't have the kid, she couldn't have abandoned him! Let's blame enforcing immigration laws. If we let everyone who wanted to into the country then I'm sure she would have a job right now and could pay for the child. Let's blame the child for eating too much, if he ate less she could afford to keep him! Let's blame the farmers, if they could grow more then food would cost less and she could afford to feed him. Let's blame the organic movement, if they used petroluem based fertilizers and genetically engineered crops, they would have larger yields, more food on the market and she would be able to feed him. Let's blame God, if he didn't make life so hard, she could afford to keep him!

Or how about we take some freaking responsibility for our own actions. Wouldn't that be neat?

Timmarilyn 6-23-2008 @ 11:14PM

who is to know that their life has a future of despair and starvation. I am sure it is the fact that she was a good mom that drove her to do what she did. Its not like she could have taken him to a legal adoption venue, she is illegal, trying to survive. They wont deport a child. My grandmother was sent with all of her siblings on a boat from puerto rico to new york city as orphans because they were starving in their own country. my great-grandmother was a wonderful mother with lots of love for her children!

Summer 6-18-2008 @ 1:06PM

KUDOS to the boy's mother. She was, in all likelihood, an illegal, who has guaranteed her son a life in the states. Walmart was probably the best place to leave the boy, since it is usually open 24 hours, and always busy. There are thousands if not millions of homeless families in the U.S., and our resources for caring for them are quickly drying up. If she was illegal then it was probably harder to get help from soup kitchens and such. Many of them in Florida require social security cards now, and have a limit on how much a family can be given at one time.People should try walking in their shoes before judging. I have, and my heart breaks for all those children who grow up in these appaling circumstances. This woman could have killed her child, instead she gave him a better chance at life. He's cute, young, and handicapped emotionally if not mentally. He'll have no problem getting adopted.

AngelaFay 6-19-2008 @ 12:06PM

Wow. Jumping to a lot of conclusions here, aren't we? We don't know if the child is the spawn of an illegal, abuse, misfortune or otherwise. It's telling how most of the responses to this story have garnered such negativity towards the mom and not well-wishes for the boy's wellbeing. Sad.

Dovie 6-18-2008 @ 1:41PM

Awwww that poor baby. I would take him home with me if I lived there. Fed him and called the police to report him as being abandoned.

yasmingamal 6-18-2008 @ 2:13PM

This is so sad I hope they find a better home for this kid.

Mimi 6-18-2008 @ 2:17PM

Perpetuating the problem of intolerance will only make the problem worse. Please don't call these people "Illegals". Its not ok to call a black person a "N!gger", right? So what is the difference? You are seperating this woman as a PERSON. She is just another PERSON that couldn't make it in this world. A human being who obviously loved her child but had no resources. Just like many of your community members. If this story opened your eyes, you need to get out more.

the goddess anna 6-18-2008 @ 3:07PM

You're actually right - we should not call them 'illegals.' I prefer myself to call them 'criminals' 'law-breakers,' or 'felons.' Because that is what they are. And while I have empathy for this child, I have no sympathy for his mother nor any of her fellow criminal brethern, nor for any person who willfully and purposely tramples on a country's laws and sovereignty.

If she wants sympathy, it's in an English-language dictionary between sh*t and syphillis.

eugene 6-18-2008 @ 3:44PM

oooh, this is a fun game.

I don't call the people who broke into my house and stole my stuff "thieves" but I call them "possession challenged".

I don't like to call people who abuse children as "child abusers" but rather people who suffer from "love challenged syndrom".

All criminals have a sob story somewhere. Other than executives and politicians, I know of few criminals who are wealthy and have an easy life. It doesn't give them an excuse for breaking the law.

DRAGONFLY 6-19-2008 @ 1:58AM

i dont think we should call them illegals,criminals,or law breakers. all i know is that they came to this country to make a better life for themselves. yes i agree that theres people that do bad things but not everyone is the same. another thing why is it that everyone focuses on the hispanic community and lables them as illegals. need i remind you people that in this country we hav diffrent races not only americans and hispanics. i know for a fact that there are russians,chinnese,africans,arabians,ect people that are in this country illegaly but no one turns around to look at them so basically what im trying to say is that people need to get there heads out of there a%# and start focusing on there lives and stop talking S%&@ about other people.

by the way isnt this country the land of the free

eugene 6-19-2008 @ 5:40AM

Feh, this country has the most liberal migration laws of any country. We LEGALLY add more people to our country through migration than do all other countries on earth put together.

My parents and my wife are all legal immigrants. They waited in line, took tests, paid their fees and pledged an oath to become citizens of this country. Why should someone who sneaks across our borders or overstays their visas, get the same rights and privileges as them?

And this whole arguement about how they just want a better life... what crap. I want a better life, does that give me the right to break into your house? Steal your car? What a joke. Everyone wants to have a better life, but if that's your arguement for why we should allow anyone who wants to, to break our laws... then gee, why should any of us follow any law? As long as we have a sob story, we should be able to do anything we want, right?

And for the record, I don't care where you came from or what you look like. I'll just as soon deport an illegal korean as I will an illegal mexican or russian or german or canadian or whatever.

KAREN 6-20-2008 @ 1:19PM

If they are starving how come she is very rotund? She doesn't look malnourished..... Anytime something awful happens the first thing we do is look for someone to blame. There are plenty of places and people that can help. If she was illegal, then take herself and her child back to her own country. A better life? Wow, he is and will be scarred for life. I am a mother and no matter how tough times are and trust me they have been tough, been a single mom with 2 children most of my life. I feel sorry for the child who has been placed into the family he was and no one can care for him.

Hope 6-24-2008 @ 7:49PM

While I have some of the same feelings that have been expressed, I would like to remind us all that we DON'T KNOW what the circumstances are that culminated in this decision. I try to remember: "Judge not lest ye be judged."

I pray for the woman. I am extremely protective of ANY child much less my own; so I do not understand how she could do this. But I also do not condemn her --for the truth is I DON'T UNDERSTAND. And we are asked to love those around us not judge them. "Let him, who has not sinned, cast the first stone."

I feel compassion for the boy. I hope and pray that he has a wonderful life from this point on. It is a blessing that the right person found him --not a pediphile. Perhaps it is best in the end that he NOT remain with someone who would need to do this to their own child --for whatever reason. God has His hand on the boy.

Sorcha 6-25-2008 @ 2:16AM

Good Grief, where are some of you from? What part of the country do you live in? I live in southern CA. the ILLEGAL problem is huge. She came, she committed a crime and when the anchor baby she produced did not pave the streets of gold as she thought it would she bailed. Who suffers, but the child. She did this out of mothers love? Really then why didn't she bite the bullet and go into some place for help? She wanted to take her chances and live here rather than take care of her SON! For those of you willing to open the borders to any and everyone remember the quality of life you have now because it will be gone quickly. When you have millions of people willing to work for cash and for less than the prevailing wage you drive down the income and the quality of life for you and your children's future.
The majority ILLEGALS coming to the US do not come here to Assimilate they come here to propagate and send money home. Our ancestors came to make a new life in a new country and did it proudly and worked hard to make this country better. Take a ride through my world someday I don't see it getting better.

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