Update: Man Who Put Toddler into Washing Machine Not Boy’s Father

[bluesbassman]

The two adults shown loading a 13-month-old child into a commercial washing machine in a shocking video viewed by millions were not the boy's parents but a babysitter and her male friend. "We talked to the people in the video and they were not the parents of the child," Camden County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Jason Laughlin tells Shine. "We won't be charging anyone. We were looking for purposeful endangerment and we didn't see that."
~snip~
The man and woman scoop up the youngster and flee the laundromat. Chhour tells Shine that the man referred to the child as "my kid." "That's why I thought he was the daddy," she explains. Employees and witnesses also assumed he was the boy's father when speaking to the media and the police after the incident.

The prosecutor's office is sending the case to be reviewed by the state Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). DYFS spokesperson told Yahoo! Shine, "Due to New Jersey confidentiality laws, we can't comment on any cases." The names of all of those involved in the scary mishap remain unidentified.


http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/man-put-toddler-washing-machine-not-boy-8217-211300071.html

There was understandable outrage over this incident, but the poor kids father took a lot of unfair abuse.

[XemaSab]

1. That'll make it a lot less terrible for the kid

when criminal charges are pressed.

[Politicalboi]

2. It was dumb move

But the guy didn't think the machine would lock and start. I kind of feel sorry for him. At least they just didn't leave the child in there and walk away. They both acted quickly and got the right person to help.

[Zanzoobar]

6. Understatement of the century.

I cannot fathom the stupidity of that guy.

I'll bet there are fewer than 10 people in the world who are stupid enough to put a baby in a dryer. That includes the insane, developmentally disabled, and all of congress.

[KansDem]

3. Was an explanation ever provided?

Did he say why he did this?

[JI7]

5. i'm guessing it was just playing around with the kid

he didn't think the machine would start and he wouldn't be able to open the door. he probably was going to put him in there, wave hi and stuff and then take him out.

[bluesbassman]

9. I'm convinced that was the case.

I watched the video several times, and observed that the man never touched any buttons or made any moves indicating he was trying to turn the machine on. I think he was just playing with the child and made an extremely poor decision. It didn't appear to be malicious, just dumb.

Fortunately the child did not receive any serious injuries, and I hope that this incident leaves a lasting impression on the man to make better choices in the future.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. Could he have been able to breathe in there?

was that idiot thinking?!



I sure as hell hope that criminal charges are pressed. Make even stupid people like him think twice before doing something so idiotic. Must've been watching Beavis & Butthead sometime before he showed up.

[JI7]

13. i don't think he was planning to keep him in there long

the guy was very Stupid in doing that . but i don't think he meant harm.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. Maybe not

but he still seriously endangered the child with his stupidity, which he will still (hopefully) have to answer for legally. Thankfully, the child is o.k. but it could've certainly ended worse.

[Turbineguy]

4. Putting a child in a washing machine

comes under "Stand Your Ground".

I thought everybody knew that.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. They're about to report about this on my local news

Another case of stupid behavior gone viral...

[Kaleva]

8. Doubt the parents are going to have this couple babysit anymore.

[RZM]

10. That's kind of better and worse at the same time

Better because it's good to know that it wasn't the biological parents who did this. Worse because it shows what little disregard this babysitter and her douchbag boyfriend had for the kid in their charge.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. Hope the parents

have since *relieved them of their duties*. Hell, I wouldn't even PAY them one red cent for their "time" spent with their child and would probably even demand that they give any previous money earned BACK!