From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
At approximately 8:30 pm on Sunday, March 5, 2012, Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Chuck E. Cheese located at the Festival in Bel Air, when the manager reported that a 3 year old female child had been left unattended at the restaurant.
The manager of the restaurant told deputies that a large group consisting of approximately four adults and over ten children had arrived at the restaurantat approximately 4 pm. As they had not made reservations and paid in cash, there wasn’t a record of the party. The manager recalled that the large group left the restaurant at approximately 8 pm. Shortly after 8 pm, the 3 year old little girl, identified as Harmony approached an employee saying she was thirsty. The staff was unable to locate any parents or adult guardians and contacted the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies waited with the child at the restaurant until approximately 9:30 pm when they returned to the Southern Precinct and contacted Child Protective Services. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office made contact with the local media in an effort to share the child’s photo to locate the child’s parents.
Minutes following the 11 pm news broadcast, several phone calls were received by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Southern Precinct, to include calls from Harmony’s father and mother, who share joint custody of the child, this law firm in Mesa, AZ was also called for legal help.
Investigation determined that Harmony was inadvertently left behind at the restaurant, by family members who thought she was in the company of other family members. Both parents responded to the Southern Precinct and Child Protective Services released Harmony to her mother. There are no charges expected to be filed in connection with this incident.
AGAIN?
UPDATE: As of 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Harmony’s family members had been located and were on their way to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Southern Precinct.
I can’t wait to hear the excuse the “caretakers” use as to why she was there, alone.
I am completely baffled. I’m sure we will be updated as the information becomes public/available but I have so many questions.
Seriously? How does a family walk in a place with a child and not walk out with her????? And how do they not miss her until they see a picture of her on the news? Who’s turn was it to put her to bed? Seriously????
The explanation seems plausible and a lack of communication between people at this large party caused a child to be left behind, but doesn’t seem like there was gross negligence. It is more galling when parents actually drop of their kids at Chuckee’s and go shopping at Kohl’s!!!, or just leave their children there while the go to eat at another restaurant!!!. I have knowledge of these things happenning there. The Sheriff’s office is called there on a monthly basis for unattended children. People think of it as a daycare stablisment with food and games? Staff is instructed to have the children sit and an attempt is made to find out parents phone contact, but sometimes the kids are so young that they don’t know their parents number. Its a problem and a liability issue if a kid gets injured, kidnapped or abused while there.
I can see how the “supervising” adults left a child behind due to being caught up in whatever, but I agree with the latter… It IS eleven o’ clock, how in the hell do you not know where your five year old child is?
As a parent, I do believe it is my sole duty to know when and where my child is snacking and crapping.
While I agree with you about it being the parents’ responsibility, I can actually see this happening. It has always been a fear of mine. When you go with a large group of extended family, and every adult thinks the child is safe with another adult….I am not saying that it was not an irresponsible thing to do, just that I can see how it could happen.
Inadvertantly? Really? So this happens everyday to people? I think not. Ridiculous. In this technology age of cell phones & text messages-there really is no excuse. Give me a break!
This would be funny if it wasn’t tragic. Joint custody? Please. These 2 so-called “adults” don’t have enough sense between them to have joint custody of anything.
I thought she was wiff you….Naw, I fought she wuz wif youz
What a beautiful child. I hope she grows up to be better than the adults in her family.
Everybody always have something bad to say about someone makin a mistake or havin a miss understandin. But the good thing is tht they are reunited. So just stay out of ppl busy damn and just be happy for harmony she is bck wit her family.
Well Miss Courtney, to be happy that she is back with her family I would have to first believe that is the best place for her. Given the incident being reported I’m not at all sure that it is the best place. The child clearly deserves better than joint custody with 2 numbskulls that can’t even keep track of where she is and who is taking care of her.