When you see a child wandering alone, your first instinct might be to help, right? But what if you’re worried about crossing boundaries or making the wrong call?

One neighbor found themselves in hot water for calling the cops on a child wandering the neighborhood instead of taking her in.

Did they do the right thing, or should they have handled the situation differently?

Read on for the story!

AITA for not taking my neighbors kid inside & calling police?

I live in a regular neighborhood. I’m not really close to any of my neighbors, just casual oh hey how are you and move on.

I was doing a grocery run, parked my car, got out and I noticed a kid on her own wandering around. I recognize her as one of my neighbors kid, it’s 8 pm and I think she was like 8-9 years old.

I call out to her to ask why she’s out wandering around. She just shrugs and it looks like she’s been crying.

I feel awkward and call the non emergency line.

Fair.

The dispatch asked for context and I explained how I just came back from the market, parked my car and got out to my neighbors kid near my lot.

The dispatcher told me to ask if she knew where her parents were, any safe neighbors, etc. The best I got out of her was random mumbles or shrugs.

The dispatch asked if I could stay nearby until an authority came. I mentioned that I have groceries to put away and she ensured that it would be only 10-15 minutes for someone to come by.

So far so good.

During the awkward waiting the child eventually went up to me and pointed to the grocery bags saying “ice cream?”

I shake my head and say no. I tell her we are waiting for her parents (I didn’t want to tell the kid that we are waiting for the police incase it scared her).

She complains and says she wants to use the bathroom, I say she can wait until her parents come.

An officer came, asked me for info, went to the neighbors to ask around, etc. Officer asked if I had any snacks that could help calm the child, I said no. I stopped being involved the moment he arrived. Went about my night.

Where I might be an a**:

I got a harsh knock on my door and answered to a woman who asked if I’m the one who reported her child to police.

I tried to explain myself but she immediately went off on me for being an a******. How I could’ve just taken her child in for a bit and contact her.

Uhhh, not really the protocol here.

I point out that I don’t even have her contact, she then tries to give me it but I refuse saying I don’t care about having her contact.

She shouldn’t have let her child wander around.

She yells that her child snuck out through the garden gate, I shrug and say I don’t care, her problem.

Right now I’m being bad talked around, she keeps telling people I called the police on a kid, which I mean, I did, but it’s not like I was getting the kid arrested, I just wanted her to be found.

No kidding!

I’m being called the nark or police-caller of the neighborhood.

I found this out when I casually waved hello to one of my neighbors on the downside of the road and he went “don’t worry, my grill follows the regulations. Don’t call police on me” mockingly.

Was I an a** for how I handled things?

Looking back it may have been cold but I was protecting myself first.

Wow, that escalated quickly!

It looks like this neighborhood situation turned into a bit of a drama.

Redditors definitely going to have some opinions on this one.

This person says he did what he was supposed to do.

 

This commenter says everyone is acting way out of line.

And this person just has a great comeback for the neighbor.

Who knew being cautious could make you the neighborhood villain?

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.