This is my story
My name is Angela Carley. The date is 31 August 2008.
3 days ago my son was taken into protective custody after he was found alone on a busy highway. And after it was learned that he had a history of running away.
This is my testimony to assure the courts that I have done and will do, everything in my power to keep this from happening again.
First off, let me express my gratitude for this whole situation. I didn’t know I had my head in the clouds. My son is such a responsible and independent little guy, sometimes I take that for granted. I am grateful for the opportunity at a second chance. I don’t think I could survive the loss of my son. Thank you to the lady in the Hummer (I’m sorry, I forgot your name) for being a good driver and good soul and saving my son’s life. This whole experience is a lesson much needed, and will not be forgotten by either of us, I’m sure.
I have tried to make the best of his absence, and kept busy to ease my pain.
I have installed locks on both exit doors that are of my own invention, since I could find nothing suitable on the market. They are hook& latch like on a gate. There is a pull cord on the other side of the door, so it is operable from either side. And the best part is, its spring loaded, so it locks every time the door closes. He wont be going outside without an adult for at least a couple more years.
So that I can keep a better eye on him, I have purchased a TV and DVD player for the upstairs living room. He usually watches in the downstairs living room.
Other than that, I don’t know how I can make his life safer. We spend a good bit of time outside everyday. I started gardening cuz we were out there so much, and now it is my passion. I know you probably think I am exaggerating, but George has never left the property when someone is outside with him. (except he takes a turn around the mailbox to get from the driveway to the yard and vice versa rather than taking the stairs, but he doesn’t go out in the road. Even when all the kids are playing across the street, he will stand just off the road and watch them, and sometimes ask me to take him over. but most of the kids in our neighborhood like to play in our yard most of the time.
That’s why this came a such a shock., I never thought he would leave the yard. He hadn’t don’t that in a very long time.
The day in question, he was upset because Grandpa Don took my van. He was so upset, I think he knew it was never coming back. Grandma and I were taking him to get his hair cut, but he wouldn’t stop saying that he wanted to find Grandpa and the van, and he wanted to give Grandpa a ticket. We turned around and came back home. He was in a state so I put him in his room with some milk. He was quiet from the start. Half an hour passed. I thought he was asleep. But when I went to check, he asked very nicely, if he could watch TV. So I took him down, and turned on his favorite Blues Clues, but I neglected to lock the door, mostly because I thought Mom was still there. I didn’t know that she went out again.
He must have snuck out right away, cuz around 20-30 minutes later he came home with a police man.
Apparently that policeman said that I showed no concern when I was informed that my son was found in the highway. I don’t know what sort of reaction would have satisfied him, but he sure was trying to get a reaction out of me. When he repeated the words that were ripping out my heart for the fourth time, I looked him in the eye and told him that I understood. That’s probably not the reaction he likes to see.
I was in shock. I just kept looking at my little boy, knowing that I could have just lost him. Perhaps they were expecting me to scold George or give him a spanking. I don’t know. George was enjoying the 3 ring circus, nothing I said to him was registering. That’s a private thing anyhow. I would never scold him in front of so many people.
George is a good boy. I’m sure his character will speak for me. But I would like to mention a few things that make me a good mom.
I have dedicated the last 4 years to raising him. And although before he came, I didn’t drink much (as compared to my wild youth) I never drank again after he was born.
I have a new life now. I garden. I sew. I make my own yogurt. We eat organic and one day I will grow most of it myself. We have a good life.
George went thru a phase about a year ago, where he would go exploring without telling anyone. I would be working in the garden or something while he played quietly. He would just walk away. The furthest we ever found him was probably the same distance as the incident in question (200 yards) but he went through some back yards and was found in the cul-de-sac of the next street.
We all started watching him especially well and I installed a lock on the downstairs door that I fashioned myself that could be operated from either side. But George never wandered off again. In fact he would never even leave the yard, even when all the neighborhood kids where out.
I truly believe that this incident was an isolated one. Not at all related to his previous wanderings. He was adamant about finding Grandpa. I will take him more seriously next time.