Vegas incident, what would you have done?

[feralmerril]

About three nights ago the wife and I were in vegas visiting etc. We stayed at the southpoint hotel-casino. I was walking through the casino and spotted my wife walking fast through the action. Looked like she was trying to run out through the crowd! Where ya going babe? She wouldnt slow down but motioned me to follow. I caught up with her at the door, and she said something about witnessing a possible kidnapping! I noticed a man holding a screaming, struggleing kid of about 5 years old. It was 10 pm. She told me he had pulled the kid and carried him through the cassino and THOUGHT the kid screamed you arent my daddy! And the kid was fighting him all the way, and no one in the cassino but my wife was trying to stop him!
Of course now I had to back my wife. I caught him near the valet desk.
I asked him was that his kid. He said it was and of course tried to sass me etc. I told him I apologise if I am wrong, but you are going to have to prove it to me. He said I have his brith certificate in the car! Now just who carrys their kids brith certificate with them? Then he also tells me his kid is autistic etc. I try to ask the boy his dads name but the kid wont quit screaming and fighting him! The valet tells me he is a regular. I asked the valet, okay, but have you ever seen him with the kid before? He hadnt. I tell the valet to call security now! I had to prod the valet several times before he would! A woman came up and opened up her wallet and showed a tiny undetermable picture supposedly of the kid.
About that time a armed guard or deputy showed up and I relayed the status. I appologised to the woman and we left.
Now, I had spent 35 years in a aircraft factory as a security guard myself. But I never handeled a deal like this one. All kind of fights, thefts, squabels etc, but always with adults. Also I always had a badge to back me up for what it was worth. This felt a lot different out of uniform! I didnt hang around to see the outcome, but am fairly certain the guy was in fact the boys father. I really felt sorry for him and my appology met nothing to the parents. I am proud of my wife as no one but her tried to stop the incident. Yes, I did, as I now had to back up my wife, but it made me wonder if I really would have stuck my nose in it, or try to assume it was legit like everyone else! Probley hundreds had seen this and no one wanted to get involved but my wife!

 

[MKT]

Sometime you're right and sometimes you're wrong, but you gotta follow that gut feeling. Dad may not think so but you and the Missus did the right thing and someday they might even agree.

 

[Big Cholla]

IMHO, the South Point Security was very lax in that they weren't doing the initial bracing of the man with the unruly kid. My hat is off to you and your wife for dealing with a difficult situation rationally. A kid's welfare always trumps the personal feelings of the adults involved. You two did Good! Big Cholla

 

[neiljrosen]

I think you did the right thing. It sounds like a complicated situation and the same people who thought you were over stepping your bounds would be calling you a hero if in fact you did prevent a kidnapping.

 

[m657]

IMHO you did everything as right as could be possibly accomplished.

+1 to you. +2 to the wife.

 

[sceva]

You did good.

Once when my son was small I picked him up for lunch at school. When he came out without his coat I told him to go bach and get it which started an argument. One of the other teachers ( not his) stepped up and asked what the argument was and was I the childs father. I appreciated his concern and was actually glad they cared enough to check, in many schools, at least in those times, most couldn't have cared less about who was taking an unwilling child.

Perhaps they have had problems in the past and have learned to carry the birth certificate. I wouls think GOOD photos of them together would be more convincing though.

 

[OLDFED]

Praises for taking proper action. It could have been a kidnapping!

 

[BKDinTexas]

I stayed at Southpoint in June and was less than impressed with their security. Also less than impressed paying $30 one way for a cab to get to the strip and/or back. Tried the bus once from the hotel. Talk about feeling uncomfortable with a big vacation wad of cash in my pocket. Vegas doesn not honor anyone's CHL and knives must have a less than 3" blade. I had a 2-3/4" Spyderco and felt less than confident while there.

 

[BrianE]

You absolutely did the right thing, because there's always that what if and you hear later that there was a kid taken, and then you'd feel responsible. If that guy was me, I would of had no problem with you and kind of been thankful where if my son was taken, someone like you would have had the courage to be there for him!

 

[Speedo2]

+1

I think that you did the right thing, and I too applaud your courage. Kids on a casino floor are just wrong in so many ways. I've seen instances where gambling-addicted parents leave their kids unattended just outside the doors or ropes to fend for themselves. Some casinos have play grounds to accommodate such parents; conditions that are rife for kidnappings. Too many of us would have done nothing; just stood there and wondered about it afterward. You acted professionally and with courage; your wife should be proud of you. She, too deserves praise from those parents for recognizing a possible problem situation and taking more initiative than the rest of the sheeple in that place. -S2

 

[jkc]

Tough call --- I think you did the right thing by calling the authorities' attention, but not getting directly involved, which could go south in a hurry. Coincidentally, just minutes ago I heard an "Amber Alert" broadcast by Phoenix PD concerning the abduction of a five year old girl by a middle aged man evidently not related to the child. They had a pretty good description of the abductor and his vehicle, so unless he went to ground and stashed the vehicle almost immediately, there's hope they'll find him soon. I'm hoping he resists arrest...

 

[The Big D]

You and your bride did EXACTLY the right thing. Thank you!!!

Frankly, having read your posts for some time now, I am not in the least bit surprised.

Thank you, again.

Be safe.

 

[Vegetaman]

I think you did the right thing. It sounds like a complicated situation and the same people who thought you were over stepping your bounds would be calling you a hero if in fact you did prevent a kidnapping.

This is the truth. +2

 

[feralmerril]

Thank you all for your kind comments. I am proud of my wife. Once about 10+ years ago I stayed at the Primm at the calif/nev state line.
When I got home the TV news had a story about a guy rapeing and killing a little girl in a rest room a few hours later right after I left there.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

You and your wife did good! Cant help but wonder how many abduction's were wittnessed and nothing was done to pevent a tradgedy. Be proud and you can sleep at night knowing ya did the right thing.

 

[Beemer-mark]

You made the right decision, you have to look at the consequences. If it was the boy's father then he is forever going to think your a noisy jerk that should mind his own business. If he was snatching the kid........... Based on those two possible outcomes of course you did the right thing.

 

[Herknav]

fm,

I think you and the Mrs. did the right thing. I disagree with Beemer-mark, though. If this man was, indeed, the father and had nothing to hide, he should be glad that somebody was watching out for the kid. It's a simple misunderstanding.

If he threw a hissy-fit, that makes me think he's up to no good.

 

[Racegunner]

You did right. So did your wife, big thumbs up to her for having guts and awareness.
If you had stopped me with my kid, I would have thanked you for your concern, but I'm just logical that way.
How would you feel if you'd have done nothing?

 

[Jellybean]

Now just who carrys their kids brith certificate with them?

We carry a copy of our grand daughters birth certificate and custody papers with us all the time. We had to learn the hard way though.

I can especially understand it if the child is autistic and has a habit of saying the man isn't his father. Also, there are many children who are in the full legal custody of men who aren't their father that will also say the exact same thing, trust me I know. It's sort of ironic that my step daughter used to say that all the time, now her daughter is asking me if I'll be her "daddy" because she doesn't have one.

 

[Racegunner]

Tough call --- I think you did the right thing by calling the authorities' attention, but not getting directly involved, which could go south in a hurry. Coincidentally, just minutes ago I heard an "Amber Alert" broadcast by Phoenix PD concerning the abduction of a five year old girl by a middle aged man evidently not related to the child. They had a pretty good description of the abductor and his vehicle, so unless he went to ground and stashed the vehicle almost immediately, there's hope they'll find him soon. I'm hoping he resists arrest...

(CNN) -- A kidnapped girl was rescued on Christmas Day after a dramatic police chase on the streets of Phoenix, Arizona.

Police said a stranger pulled 5-year Natalie Rose Flores into his pickup truck at an apartment complex and took off with her at about 2:15 p.m., after which police issued an Amber Alert.

At about 9:30 p.m., officers spotted the suspect's vehicle in another part of town, CNN- affiliate KTVK reported. A police chase ended in the suspect's capture.

"We have had our Christmas miracle," Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Hill, said after the rescue.