While out for a casual dog walk, a concerned woman stumbled upon a toddler in a diaper, wandering alone in the street.

What started as a cute interaction with her dog quickly spiraled into a heated exchange with the child’s mother, leaving her questioning if she went too far in telling this mom she shouldn’t be one.

Read on for the story!

AITA for telling a woman she shouldn’t be a mother

So I (F29) was out walking my dog last night close to where my grandma lives – so not an area I’m really a local in but still in the same town.

I turned onto a street and there was a little boy standing in the middle of the path in a t-shirt and nappy.

He didn’t have any shoes on, looked a little grubby but wasn’t crying or anything.

Yikes.

He lit up when he spotted my dog and just kept pointing at her and saying ‘doggy’.

She’s small and friendly so I let him pet her for a while before I went to continue with my walk.

He began following me, giggling and trying to keep pace with my dog. I obviously didn’t want to let him stray too far away from his house but I had no idea where he lived.

None of the houses had their doors open, no people in the gardens or windows.

There wasn’t even a house with toys in the front to indicate children.

Well that’s not good.

I crouched down and asked him which house was his but he either wasn’t old enough to understand or was simply more interested in the dog.

I was debating what to do – start going door to door or phone the police – when a woman came tearing out of one of the houses halfway down the street, shouting the little boy’s name.

I stood up to tell her I’d found him at the end of the street when she turned on ME, demanding to know who I thought I was, what kind of person I was trying to lead her child away.

No. Wow.

I was floored.

I genuinely laughed, thinking she must be joking but she grabbed him and told me to stay away from children that don’t belong to me.

I think I saw red because I remember telling her that if a child that young can get out of the house and down the street without her realising it, she doesn’t deserve to be a mother.

Shot to the heart.

He could have walked in front of a car or met someone who actually intended harm!

She started swearing and shouting and I had to walk away because it was genuinely just wild.

All I can think about now is, what if something happens to that kid, or what if the next person to try and help him is a guy that gets accused of something he wasn’t intending to do, all because she can’t keep an eye on her kid?

I don’t really agree with shaming women on their parenting skills and I do feel a little bad for saying it but I felt like it was the least she deserved at the time.

She couldn’t help but wonder if she overstepped, but with a little boy’s safety on the line, maybe someone needed to say it.

What does Reddit think?

This person would NEVER act this way if someone found her missing kid. So…NTA.

This person agrees…absolutely absurd.

This person agrees, and also adds the woman should’ve been eternally grateful.

Yeah, this mom needs to get her life together.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.