Under what circumstances would you call the cops about an 11-year-old boy?

I'm in an apartment complex, and planning to try buying a house later this year. I realize awful neighbors are part of the package with apartment living, but I have one neighbor that is far above the average level of "awful neighbor."

He's 11 years old.

Day 1 in our new apartment, this kid did 2 things that had us ready to fight or move. My kids (3&5) were eating Happy Meals just outside the door, and when I came through with a box, my 3-yr-old had no food. My 5-yr-old told me "that boy" asked if he could have it, my 3-yr-old said "okay" (which is his standard response to big kids' questions) and the kid walked off with his dinner. Later that evening, my 5-yr-old ran outside in his underwear (not used to apartments) and the kid used a camera phone to take posed pictures of him with virtually no clothes on.

We've stressed to my kids rules about safety, and that this big kid is not their friend, but my 5-yr-old, for some reason likes him and thinks they're buddies.

Tonite, though, this kid has made me fear for our safety. I was grilling outside, and had to run inside to use the bathroom. I stupidly left a bag of quick-lite charcoal briquettes outside, and when I came back, another kid took me around the side of our apartment and there was this kid with several, lighting them and watching them burn in grass within feet of our bedroom window.

Everytime there's an incident, we go to his mother, and my husband has gone to the apt office a few times, but each offense is worse than the last. The mom thinks her son's an angel, and it's like he gets more vindictive everytime we complain.

What would you do? It's just the one kid, and I am NOT cool with breaking our lease and going through a move to basically run from a child.

Would you call the cops on a child in a situation like this?

Somuthus: Well, thank goodness you answered my question. Tell me, have you ever considered writing a book to teach idiots like me how to be a perfect parent, just like you?

Where would you suggest children should be in the process of moving? For their safety, I had them out of the way, in the one place I was likely to see them the most. Of course I don't "let" my son run outside in his undies, but he's far from the first 5-year-old to have darted outside in his underroos. I am more strict about watching them than almost every parent in our complex.

If the food had to cook for about 30 minutes, plus the time to get the briquettes ready, what should I have done when I had to pee?

I'll thank you to stop acting like a self-righteous moron and try to force yourself to be helpful or shut up.

And you, at the bottom, I don't need your opinion of what I gave my kids for dinner. An occasional meal of chicken nuggets, apple slices and lowfat milk is not going to ruin them.

I would call the police especially about the incident of taking pictures of your child in his underwear. Maybe it's just a "kid" thing but you never know. If nothing else, you would have a report on file if this 11 yr old harms your children or other children in the complex.

While my husband is the first to admit that he gets called to a lot of "nuisance" calls that take him away from helping others, he would agree that any time that children are involved, it is important for the police to become involved. 1) for safety of both the child victims and the one causing the trouble, and 2) if left alone with no authority interaction or someone telling him this is wrong behavior, a criminal is being born.

I would suggest that you contact the police with the next incident, and also start putting your complaints in writing to the apartment manager so that you have copies of the complaints.

Good luck to you.

Try contacting the Dept of Human Services/Child protective services - particularly if this little Lucifer doesn't have adequate supervision from his parents and like to play with fire... Report It

I don't think i would call the cops, but talk to his parents bagain. Tell them that you are tired of his actions and if he continues them, you will take actions so that it doesn't happen again. If he does it again then you might try the cops, but i don't think they can really help much. The kid sounds like my next door neighbor who constantly hits people and runs off and continuosly tries to break into our house. But we can't do anything about it.

Okay:
1. A 3yr old and a 5yr old shouldn't be outside unattended, let alone in their underwear. Especially in this day and age!
2. You shouldn't be leaving a LIT barbeque outside where there are children running around. That was incredibly dangerous.

With this kind of parenting, someone else's 11 year old is the least of your problems.

Yes, you could call the cops and make a report. If the juvenile justice system in your area is like it is in mine, ... well, good luck. Even the police get very frustrated with the juvenile system here. A better bet may be to talk to your landlord about this.

I wish I could offer better advise, but it seems like you may have a real problem on your hands. The kid's probably got some major issues and is not totally to blame, but that shouldn't be your problem to deal with. If you see anything criminal in his actions definitely call police. Call them often if you have to.

For the fire yes! How dangerous! Someone needs to put the fear of the law in him.
Does he bother any other neighbors? Do others have complaints about this child? If so, gather together, and confront his parents.
If he is breaking the law, call the cops.

Call the station, and talk to a juvenile officer about your situation. In the mean time, attempt to have communication with his parents so at least you'll have some idea as to what you may be dealing with.

I agree with the person who said you should be watching your kids better---at 3 and 5 they most DEFINITELY should not be sitting outside your door eating "dinner" and a HAPPY MEAL IS NOT A DINNER--its JUNK..... Ok next point...griling in an apartment complex where kids are running around should ALWAYS be supervised---if it wasn't that 11 year old, it probably would have been another kid and you MIGHT not have been so lucky to CATCH him and he could have burned HIMSELF---which, could have been blamed on YOU for leaving a burning grill unattended....Yes, this kid is a bad seed, but you are basically FEEDING him your kids on a silver platter by not WATCHING them---come on they are 3 and 5 not 13 and 15....kids that age need CONSTANT in your face supervision!!!!!!! if you had been right there, that 11 year old wouldn't have done all the things he did---- sorry----

yes get the cops involved the kid is an arsonist and should at least be put on record as being one.

The kid sounds like a brat but other than the fire it sounds just bratty. No where until you move into a house is going to be very good. Sorry. Calling the cops might at least scare his parents, but I doubt that they will do much. To tell you there always seems to bad neighbors in apartments I lived in. Now I have a house and I still have neighbors that I wish would move. my b/f has it right he lives 10 miles out of town in the woods.