Woodlands, Texas Residents: Kid Safety Alert

In the sicko psychos department, twice in the last four weeks a man has stopped and tried to snatch children here. The mothers were outside of eyeshot of the would-be criminal but saw the person talking to her kid. In both cases, when the mom came out of the garage or house the guy ran and took off in his white vehicle (one a car, one a truck).

In both cases the men were described as between 35 and early fifties, both white. The most recent guy somewhat balding. The other guy with darker skin.

Also, a known sexual predator has been hanging out at Cranebrook Pool and sliding down the kids slide. He has been overly friendly to children. His record is online. In fact, you can find the registered (not all guys are registered) offenders online here.

You know, this community is relatively safe. It is no utopia, by a long shot. But it is a peaceful suburb that enjoys low crime rates compared to most cities.

And yet, for all that, parents cannot let their children play in the front yard, must supervise them all the time, and must place in their children a mistrust of all adults. All this because deranged, sick men terrorize neighborhoods and families.

Most of the sexual assaults and molesting happen within families by fathers, stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers and, of course, the church eldership. Most of the abuse happens under the noses of people who can't, don't or won't see what is right in front of them.

Sexual predators have significantly changed society. The way families care for their children has dramatically been altered by these threats. And no wonder, right? What rational, frazzled parent will do what our parents did--let the kids five and up roam free until dinner-time? So kids are stuck inside, watching TV, playing video games, sitting around bored. Or they are prisoners in their back-yards, playing on excessive equipment and rock-climbing walls, trampolines and pools, all because crazy pervs lurk.

Children can't ride their bikes to the local park--especially not alone. And The Woodlands has beautiful parks. What parent is going to let their kids go, though, alone?

Of all violent crime, the only categories that haven't seen rate drops are those committed against women and children. The whole situation pisses me off. On the one hand, families have had to change everything because these psychos exist. On the other hand, guys who got in trouble with the parents of a girl when he was 18 and she was 16 can have a record forever because of some bogus statuatory rape charge. That isn't right, either.

Bottom line, like thieves, these sexual predators are terrorists. The threat of their actions causes all kinds of changed behavior. Children and families don't operate like they used to, and the old way was better to a certain extent. Now, the message to our kids is clear "the world is a dangerous place" and "you should live afraid."