what we should be doing is patting the kids on the back for TURNING OFF THE PLAYSTATION, and going outside to PLAY. It's no wonder kids today spend 98% of their time in front of the darned TV.
They don't need a REAL BALL anyway... they can just play football on the X-BOX!
Well, think that this is just sad. There has got to be better things for the police to do than arrest an old lady for a domestic dispute, or not even that. You all want to know why the "violent crime rate" is skyrocketing, its because the police spend more of their time paying attention to MEANINGLESS CASES, rather than homicides, suicides, etc.
*Life is way to short (sorry for the spelling error).
I just can't believe that this is they way everybody likes to speak to each other. I am just interested in the story and clicked on comments expecting a few and I saw way too many. She didn't deserve to be arrested period. Now with that said it is good to hear of kids outside playing football because whenever i'm driving down the street these days I rarely see any kids outside. They seem to stick to the video games all day and the television. But seriously maybe we should watch how we speak to each other and try to be adults. We are from the same community people and we can't act like this. Please try and get to know your neighbors and things like this won't happen because the repect will already be there. You can't force things on children you have to teach them the difference between right and wrong. I really hope that somebody reads this and realizes that like is way to short and you may need to take a chip or two off the old shoulder.
cops have no shame to arrest a harmless old woman on her last legs. the woman was harmless and on her last legs. those kids were punks and not respecting her home.
I have read a lot of these comments, Amy please grow up. I feel for your child with the way you think.
The old woman was in the right, it is her property and she had spoke to the families before about keeping things off her lawn and they should have.
Some kids moved in my neighborhood and I am in the inner city and these kids are now being morons. I had them walking behind my car as I parallel parked...not cool. If I hit them I am in the wrong, even when I did not see them at first. They do it on purpose, they want a reason to sue you.
The woman owns her home and the property on it, therefor, if the ball landed on he property after repeated warnings, it is now here.
This woman has every right not to want these children to play in her yard because it's her propery, no matter what anyone's opinion may be. This is obviously not the first time, or it wouldn't have gotten to the point that it has. If you want your kids to use my front yard as a playground, then contribute 10% towards my property taxes for each child. If the county can charge entrance fees to the local parks, then why shouldn't she charge an entrace fee each and every time the come in and out of her yard? I bet if these little juvenile delinquents (or their keepers, because they're certainly not parents) had to put out of pocket for their blatant disrespect, I bet the would think twice about trespassing again.
Hey OldGaDawg,
I totally agree, but the sad part is todays society is 10 x's different. It's all about ME. There is NO RESPECT or no backyard football, none of the good times these days. It has become a sad..sad world.
Amy,
How old are you? Because you obviously have no CLUE. She had every right to keep that ball, unless those children ask for it back respectfully. You are actually really young or very STUPID when it comes to the Law and RESPECT OF YOUR ELDERS AND THEIR PROPERTY. If those children would have gone on her property and retrieved their ball and been hurt by a trip over a flower garden that she had worked on and put a border around, guess what Dmb **** they would have sued her. With your veiw You deserve to lose what ever you have ( which is probably nada) because she should have not have acted the way she did...Grow up girlfriend. If a person can sue and get millions of dollars for knowingly putting a CUP OF HOT COFFEE BETWEEN THEIR LEGS.....she is only protecting what she has worked for her whole LIFE. That person TOOK advantage of our " Current Ignorant JUDICIAL SYSTEM" knowing that if she won she would have an easy life until she passed on.. What a freaking copout!!!!
I have worked for what I have, and I could have 'SUED' many people , many times..I was raised better then that. This days society is SUE>>SUE>>SUE... why F'n work if you can get a FREE RIDE???
GET A GRIP..
Has anyone wondered how many times thiese kids have had the ball go into her yard? Is there no other place to play than in front of her house? I have a yard, it is mine and I keep it neat. I do not want kids from all over in my yard. I raised my kids, they played in my yard not somewhere else. At what age do we have to be before we can enjoy the peace and quiet of our home. I am 56 and my grandkids play in my yard not the neighbors and I expect the same respect for my property as I give them. If the ball is on her property it is hers.
Amy Haskins, get some kind of education before you start spouting off. You know nothing about the law, and judging by your postings you don't have much more than a middle school education.
Watch the link that someone provided to a non-edited interview with the lady. The police came in her house uninvited. Secondly this is a civil matter and not criminal. The police have been wrong about this from the beginning. Someone suggested that a social worker should have gotten involved in this, and that makes more sense than anything. Bottom line is that cooler and smarter heads should have prevailed and this lady should have never been taken down to the station. I'm guessing that the education level and common sense of the police department in that community is on par with yours.
One more thing. I highly doubt that you had a teenage boyfriend that was in the Navy who died in the 1st Gulf War. Casualties were minimal and most were from friendly fire on the field of battle. Not among sailors in the Navy. Good try though.
Amy Haskins is an uneducated b | 10.23.08 - 6:19 pm | #
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Perhaps you need to do your research before posting. There were in fact 6 battle and 8 non-battle Navy deaths in the Gulf War. Few though the number may be they still deserve our respect and recognition. (See how I have managed to post this little correction with out being ugly and insulting, or calling you names?)
The situation could have been handle totally differently on both sides. However, it is her property and as the article states she had problems with the kids before. I grew up next to an elderly couple. the wife was as sweet as pie, the husband on the other hand didn't want kids around. So we repsected that and made sure to always be aware of where we were playing. It is called RESPECT.
Thank goodness my family and I have moved to a neighborhood where people are civil and friendly. There are always about 7-10 kids in my yard on a regular basis and the neighbors. Even those without kids. They all allow us to play. It's so nice to live around decent people with common sense and kindness.
6MCGEES | 10.23.08 - 8:45 pm | #
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BE THANKFUL : ) I grew up in a neighborhood where there were at least 5 too 25 young children too teens in high school. We played backyard football and "FULL CONTACT". WE HAD A FEW CUTS, BRUISES A BUSTED NOSE EVER SO OFTEN. WE EVEN HAD SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS AS FANS.
The biggest thing about a community such as this - is everybody helped - watching out for not only there children but those of others. There wasn't a home where I grew up in that most of us had not been in, ate with and even pitch tents in most of these neighbors back yard.
Now I'm older and I will have to say that I was very lucky to have neighbors as these. I truly miss those days and wish that children now in this time could have neighbors as wonderful as those to which I had back then.
Also... Did I mention that we were raised to respect our ELDERLY. That if when we went to school and was disciplined that we received the same when we returned home.
Call this "Old Fashion"? BUT IT CAN WORK TODAY AS WELL AS IT DID BACK THEN."
Thank goodness my family and I have moved to a neighborhood where people are civil and friendly. There are always about 7-10 kids in my yard on a regular basis and the neighbors. Even those without kids. They all allow us to play. It's so nice to live around decent people with common sense and kindness.
Ruth -
No, she wasn't throwing things into my yard, she would just walk by and look inside our windows & garage from standing in the street as she would do with the other neighbors. They called the police on her plenty. She lived several houses down from me and I didn't say my kids were throwing anything in her yard, I said the kids across the street would play basketball and it would go into her yard. A ball rolling into someone else's yard is not mischief.. it's called an accident. Geez, get a grip. Also, this same lady would just sit and wait for something to happen, then she'd grab the ball or whatever else it was and throw it over her fence and when the police would come, she'd go back inside and sit with her Bible. She also grabbed my 8 year old son's bike from the street when he fell off it one day and tried dragging it onto her yard but I was able to get that back. She was nothing but a trouble maker. People have the right to say who or what comes into their yards, but a little common sense, which obviously you DON'T have, come into play. It was a ball. Who cares if a ball rolls into your yard? Are you THAT hateful to not allow a child to come get it back? You, and others like this grandma are what's wrong in this world.
Amy Haskins, get some kind of education before you start spouting off. You know nothing about the law, and judging by your postings you don't have much more than a middle school education.
Watch the link that someone provided to a non-edited interview with the lady. The police came in her house uninvited. Secondly this is a civil matter and not criminal. The police have been wrong about this from the beginning. Someone suggested that a social worker should have gotten involved in this, and that makes more sense than anything. Bottom line is that cooler and smarter heads should have prevailed and this lady should have never been taken down to the station. I'm guessing that the education level and common sense of the police department in that community is on par with yours.
One more thing. I highly doubt that you had a teenage boyfriend that was in the Navy who died in the 1st Gulf War. Casualties were minimal and most were from friendly fire on the field of battle. Not among sailors in the Navy. Good try though.
she should have never been arrested, this is a complete civil matter not a criminal one. she did not steal the ball. mere possesion of someone elses property does not constitute theft, and failure to return that property becomes a civil matter. she never took the ball. it was left on her property. which is why the charges were dropped.
When I was growing up, we were not allowed to play in other people's yards without permission. If a ball accidentally entered someone's (fenced) yard, we went to the door and respectfully asked if we could either retrieve the ball ourselves or have the ball returned to us. If denied, our parents would never have DREAMED of calling the police on the person keeping our toy. Instead we would have been punished for not being more careful with our things. I am appalled that the police even thought that citing her was appropriate. What has happened to teaching kids to suck it up when things don't go their way?
Phil - You're right. Someone can do unto you what you've done unto them and when that happens these people will realize the stupidity of their ways 
What people forget that they call it a LIFE CYCLE for a reason. I am sure we won't be blogging and commenting about it when we are in the same situation X number of years later.
What if she doesn't have a family? That makes me feel sorry for her.
Imagine being as old as her, nobody respects or cares about you including your your own kids, ailments, impending death, all the people you once knew are dead and all that's left is a younger generation with different morals and values, a society that thinks you are a burden, etc. You'd have to agree you'd be cranky too.
As long as she doesn't violate your space she has the right to be miserable. If you dont want her to vent her misery on you then don't mess with grandma.
"When I grew up, the traditional remedy for pricks that keep kids balls was a pellet gun or bb gun shooting out windows. After replacing the living room window 2 or more times, the prick home owner suddenly wanted to play nice ( evil grin ).
Steven Beebe | 10.23.08 - 2:39 pm | # "
This is the kind of puke that deserves to be found laying in a ditch with the spring thaw, and probably will be if he thinks he can mess with people. Probably him and "Kevin" learned that they can get away with whatever they wanted as little kids because there are no consequences. Until they test the wrong person. That's a two-way street, Steven, buddy. Somebody can do it to you just as well, and I bet you won't like it.
Hey, Amy Haskins---the bottom line is, you better keep your kids out of my yard, and make them learn how to behave.
I am not saying convict her of theft. I am saying she deserved to get arrested just like anyone else if she was being unreasonable. It was not a violation of her rights. The kids weren’t in her yard the ball was. They went to the door and asked for it back. Maybe the cops could have called her family to talk some sense in to her. We don't know how she was acting with them. I am sure no cop on the planet enjoys arresting an 89 year old woman. Maybe they took her to the station because of her behavior and had her checked mentally, we don’t have all the facts. I mean she was screaming for them to handcuff her. That is not normal grandma behavior. My grandma would have been crying. Where is her family? Why aren’t they there?
I support Obama not that i know what that has to do with this any more than the military.
Amy Haskins | 10.23.08 - 4:23 pm | #
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Your rights are your rights as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others.
Amy Haskins | 10.23.08 - 4:21 pm | #
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GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND STUDY REALLY HARD AND MAY BE YOU MIGHT GROW UP TO BE A PRETTY YOUNG ADULT WOMAN TO WHOM MIGHT SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY WHEN ONE HAS LIVED AS LONG AS MAY BE THIS ELDERLY WOMAN.
Amy,
This isn't about equality. You just can't convict a senile person. I DO NOT agree with her behaviour but there is nothing we can do but teach or kids to stay out of her yard.
I hope that they toliet paper and egg her house the night before Halloween, and give that crusty old hag something to complain about.
FU Granny
Little Johnny | 10.23.08 - 4:20 pm | #
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LITTLE JOHNNY WHEN HE GETS OLDER WILL PROBABLY BE IN PRISON FOR LIFE - FOR HIS PARENTS DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME TO DISCIPLINE HIM AS THEY SHOULD HAD.
I support Obama not that i know what that has to do with this any more than the military.
Your rights are your rights as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others.
Does anyone know if she is a McCain supporter?
Mark Moore | 10.23.08 - 4:08 pm | #
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SOUNDS LIKE A OBAMA MAMA.
YOU KNOW "SPREAD THE WEALTH"?
ROBIN HOOD - TAKE FROM THE RICH AND GIVE TO THE TERRORIST.
I hope that they toliet paper and egg her house the night before Halloween, and give that crusty old hag something to complain about.
FU Granny
I am not sure if some of the comments on this board sadden or sicken me.
The issue isn't Granny being old and cranky or the kids being rotten brats. The real issue here is that America is seeing a shift in values and a shift in who runs the country.
There was a day when neighbors talked, were friends, made efforts to get along, enjoyed a sense of community; an all for one one for all attitude.
Today neighborhoods are splintered, people come and go and the real sense of the common good not developed.
It seems to me that far too many parents want to be friends with their kids and are willing to do what ever it takes to coddle their kids and keep them as friends.
Parents have an obligation to teach their kids right from wrong, repect of others and others property, understand the feelings invloved in disputes before acting out.
Perhaps the old woman is lonely and would love to have a chance to sit on her porch and watch these kids play in the street, even in her yard. But for what ever reason she has opted not to do that.
I would be that one kindness shown to this woman, a holiday card, a cake for no reason, a friendly wave, would go a long way to breaking the ice around this woman.
But even if all the kindness in the world is shown to this woman and she still opts to be a lonely old woman it's her right. It is her right to protect her home, her sanity, her privacy.
No one has the right to just walk onto private property beucase it's in their individual best interest.
Respect is earned, but the right to privacy is given. The right to invite people into your home, into your lifes is your right. No one has the right to just thrust themselves into your space just becuase they want to, even if it's only for a mere few harmelss seconds.
If we all did a better job of respecting the rights of others we would all get along much better in a far more peaceful world.
There is no need to kill this woman or lock of this woman. This isn't an issue that shows old people lack value and have no purpose.
There is no need to sue the kids or the city. The kids shouldn't be punished.
This is an opportunity to teach a life leason, break down some barries and create a better circumstance for everyone.
The world needs a bit more Pollyanna thinking and a lot less vandictive behavior.
coexisting is a two way street.you can't coexist with someone going out of there way to make you miserable.
halloween is comming and i will not be a bit surprised when her house is egged. i don't agree with it, but kids do not forget. they will get her back for keeping there ball. again i don't agree with it but i can see it happening. and be honest for a minute if this was your gram wouldn't you say to her gram stop being crazy and give them kids there ball back? there just being kids.. you know you would. that is the normal thing to do. if the kids respectfully say sorry my ball landed in your yard can i please have it back the thing to do is give it back. at most if somethig is broken you go to the parents.and ask them to pay for it. you don't just refuse to listen to reason from anyone, even the police.. if you were 30 and did it you would be arrested and at 89 if you do it you should be arrested too. equality.. it is a wonderful thing.
Amy,
Ever heard the saying - 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks'? She is cranky and off her rocker. She's is beyond change. We accept it and live with it. We can't do away with her, can we? Neither can we force her out of her own home at her age. That would be cruel and a million times worse than 'petty theft'. So we bite the bullet and change our life style to COEXIST.
Jay | 10.23.08 - 4:06 pm | #
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HOW OLD ARE YOU? THIS IS PART OF BEING AN ADULT. YES. FOR SOMEDAY YOU COULD BE AS THIS OLD WOMAN AND OR MAY BE WORSE.
This woman is everybody's great grandma and the police should, in my opinion, have brought in a social worker instead of a squad car. She wasn't evaluated for dementia- what if she wasn't stable, or ill, or just old (well, they could see that). She seems lucid and able to take care of herself, once seen in the spotlight, but, if I were policeperson, I would not have arrested her, even if it put my job on the line..commen sense has to count for something.Unless she stole my car, I would not have called the police, but rather bought another ball if talking to her didn't work,although think she would have compromised and given it back later that day or the next.
Barb | 10.23.08 - 4:00 pm | #
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This person has "COMMON SENSE". CORRECT : THE POLICE SHOULD NOT HAD BEEN INVOLVED. IF THE PARENTS HAD BEEN THINKING OF TALKING TO THIS ELDERLY WOMAN AND TRYING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE "WITH THE TEEN PRESENT" TO LISTEN AS TO HER REASON FOR KEEPING IT. THERE MIGHT HAD BEEN A MORE SUCCESSFUL RETURN OF THE BALL THEN WHAT IT HAS BECOME NOW.
PARENTS NEED TO SHOW RESTRAINT AND NOT THE "GET EVEN SYNDROME" TO THERE CHILD / TEEN FOR AS THEY GET OLDER MORE PROBLEMS MIGHT ARISE THAT EVENTUALLY HE WILL HAVE TO FACE AND FACE ALONE.
Does anyone know if she is a McCain supporter?
Amy,
Ever heard the saying - 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks'? She is cranky and off her rocker. She's is beyond change. We accept it and live with it. We can't do away with her, can we? Neither can we force her out of her own home at her age. That would be cruel and a million times worse than 'petty theft'. So we bite the bullet and change our life style to COEXIST.
the military got into the conversatuin from this posted to my by jd. i posted to say i am not ignorant of the sacrafice people have made to allw me to have my opinion. and i still believe in respect for everyone encluding kids of all ages.
Amy, Be glad there are people willing to risk their lives to defend your right to be this ignorant of the reality of the world. Life would be great if evryone was nice to each other but the world is a harsh place and there are a lot of people who could care less about your right to exist much less your "be good to one another" utopia. Rights are established in the Constitution (and the BoR) because without them being written down they would constantly be in the hands of whoever had the power and wanted to re-interpret them. Your willingness to disregard her rights as a property owner is a perfect example of why that can't be allowed to happen.
JD | 10.23.08 - 12:37 pm | #
This woman is everybody's great grandma and the police should, in my opinion, have brought in a social worker instead of a squad car. She wasn't evaluated for dementia- what if she wasn't stable, or ill, or just old (well, they could see that). She seems lucid and able to take care of herself, once seen in the spotlight, but, if I were policeperson, I would not have arrested her, even if it put my job on the line..commen sense has to count for something.Unless she stole my car, I would not have called the police, but rather bought another ball if talking to her didn't work,although think she would have compromised and given it back later that day or the next.
This lady is just old and miserable! Seriously, these kids weren't harrassing her, they were playing outside and the ball happened to land in her yard. Now if they were pelting the ball at her head that would be a different story. If she is so disgruntled at the idea of a miscellaneous ball landing innocently in her yard, then she needs to put up a privacy fence. No one is destroying her yard, inflicting pain or suffering on this lady. What ever happened to a sense of community? Why would someone who obviously prefers isolation stay in a neighborhood and live in a house that is a few feet away from the next door?
And the reason the parents were even more upset by the issue was because the boy whom owned the ball had been saving up and working odd jobs to earn enough money to purchase this ball for himself. So while this boy's family was teaching their child how to be a responsible self sufficient person and the rewards of hard honest work, this miserable old lady has done nothing but teach this boy that his reward for his hard work should be her crotchety old self stealing his ball.
MsRiss | 10.23.08 - 3:40 pm | #
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HAVE YOU NO RESPECT FOR OTHERS REGARDLESS OF AGE. YOU WILL BE ONE - IF YOU DON'T DIE AN EARLY DEATH. THINK ABOUT IT....
Jay. I agree this is way out of control. I personally would have let it go and bought my child a new ball. I believe it is her right to be cranky. But when her choice to be cranky starts to infringe on the rights of others, I am not ok with that. It is not ok simply because of her age. I'm sorry but age doesn't give you a free pass. When the cops knocked on her door and said give ball back she should of. She could have said her peace and ended it right then. She chose not to. She forced the cops to arrest her by not accepting the ticket. Those were her choices and if she believes a child is responsible for his actions of throwing the ball into her yard than she needs to accept that she is responsible for getting herself arrested.
Jd. you obviously have no grip on the real world and are not open to the opinions of others. i do not live in utopia. I know all too well about our military and the freadoms the die for my father was in the army in viet nam, my uncle was in the airforce in viet nam, my teenage boyfriend died in the 1st gulf war in the navy, my husbands father and all 3 of his uncles and 4 of my cousins all were or are in the military. 3 of my own cousins are currently in the military. your right i am very thankful for our freadoms and the people who fight for them. that doesn't make your opinion correct and mine wrong. life is precious. too precious to be wasted making kids miserable by ruining a family game of football and keeping the ball against all athority. i think the kids and parents got the point when they had to call the poliece to get the ball back and hope she learned a leasson as well. when the cops knock on your door and politely ask for a kids ball back. you explaine your problem and you give them the ball. she got arrested because of her own lack of self control. she is so set in her ways she would rather be arrested than give back a ball.. that is not normal. i feel sorry for her and the people who have to live arround her. she should be in a nursing home where her nerves wont be bothered. and the kids can then play in peace.
Amy Haskins | 10.23.08 - 2:41 pm | #
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I certainly don't know as to where our service men an women come into play with this elderly woman.
But to get to the point.
THE PARENTS AND THERE TEEN SHOULD HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS PRIOR BEFORE NOW. IT'S NOT THAT THE ELDERLY WOMAN HAD JUST MOVED IN TO CAUSE TROUBLE WITH THERE TEEN OR OTHERS.
THE TEEN IS AND SHOULD BE OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW "RIGHT FROM WRONG" - THE FACT THAT HE HAD WORKED TO OBTAIN THE BALL SHOWS THAT HE CERTAINLY OLD ENOUGH TO GO TO WORK AND RECEIVE MONEY FOR HIS HARD WORK AND PURCHASE THIS BALL. IF THE BALL MEANT THAT MUCH TO HIM THEN - WHY IN ?>
Parents should make their kids stay off of other people's property. This lady has more likely asked repeatedly for the kids not to be throwing balls in her yard or near her house. Do you know how much it costs to replace a picture window? Just the glass? Are their parents going to pay for it?
Where I live, you come in my yard, you get shot. It's called NO TRESPASSING.
Leave the old lady alone. Teach your kids RESPECT. Period.
Amy Haskins,
You're absolutely right. But you have to remember that this is an elderly person and i am sure you know how the thought process and judgement deteriorates with age. And the kids were probably too young to understand these facets of life, so we can't blame them either. It's the parents who should have strived to resolve this issue peacefully instead of calling the cops. So what if it cost another $15 for a new ball or if the parents had to take their kids to a play ground? I was once a kid too and i know how annoying these grumpy neighbors are, but they are old and they have a right to be cranky We just have to find alternate solutions to our problems because that elderly person is someone's grandma or grandpa and we all know how much we love those old coots.
her arrest was not against her rights. she had to be arested. she brought it on herself. she was given multiple chances to give the ball back. then the police tried to simply give her a ticket to appear in court to decide the case. she refused even that, then she was arrested.. and i am sure she was read her rights, which do not include the line you have the right to keep anything that lands on your property.
This lady is just old and miserable! Seriously, these kids weren't harrassing her, they were playing outside and the ball happened to land in her yard. Now if they were pelting the ball at her head that would be a different story. If she is so disgruntled at the idea of a miscellaneous ball landing innocently in her yard, then she needs to put up a privacy fence. No one is destroying her yard, inflicting pain or suffering on this lady. What ever happened to a sense of community? Why would someone who obviously prefers isolation stay in a neighborhood and live in a house that is a few feet away from the next door?
And the reason the parents were even more upset by the issue was because the boy whom owned the ball had been saving up and working odd jobs to earn enough money to purchase this ball for himself. So while this boy's family was teaching their child how to be a responsible self sufficient person and the rewards of hard honest work, this miserable old lady has done nothing but teach this boy that his reward for his hard work should be her crotchety old self stealing his ball.
well looks like Cincinnati has made NATIONAL news ONE more time.
Go Grannie Go!
if she wasn't sitting in her door way waiting for it to happen it wouldn't be bothering her. she wouldn't even know. there is nothign stopping her from being outside durring the day when the kids are in school and going inside when they get home and need to run off some energy in the afternoon. then she wouldt have to hear or see them. she wouldn't know if a ball landed in her yard. she has nothing better going on in her life. this is her control. her reason to get up in the morning. to harass people. it is a very sad thing. yes she needs to be in a home where there are adults only if she can't co exist with kids. it is a choice she has made to sit in her door and wait for the ball to land in her yard. we all make choices she choosed to be bothered by it.
John D,
I completely agree with you. The arrest is a violation of the old lady's civil rights. If she doesn't care about balls coming in her yard, that is one thing. If she does, she has the right to do whatever she wants with the ball. Policeman coming in her house and accusing her of a thieft just shows how poorly trained the city police is in different laws. City should compensate her for the wrong doing (arrest) on the part of the police department.
lol that is funny i love that movie..
i guess you have to read our previous Coments to understand why i posted this one. if you want to look for them they are down quite a bit. i am amy haskins not amy- he said aomething about the military and that i ought to be grateful for waht they do. i was making the point that my family has sacrificed alot to the military but that had nothing to do with this issue. i said everyone deserves respect even kids. he took that to mean it was ok with me to allow drinking and driving.. it isn't. my point was you can't get respect if you don't give it. and you can't teach it if you don't practice it. he missed all those points.
"she should be in a nursing home where her nerves wont be bothered. and the kids can then play in peace."
So all the old cranky people who are still capable of living on their own should have to move into nursing homes so obnoxious kids can play and let balls land in their yard? I had a neighbor once who was very old and just wanted to be left in peace. I was a little kid and my family would help her out but we also made sure not to let balls land inside her yard. I feel she had every right to refuse giving the ball back especially if it has happened before. Yeah its great that the kids are outside playing and not sitting in front of a video game, but why should the neighbors have to suffer? When I was younger if we didn't have room to play in our yard we went to a local park! We rode our bikes, scooters, roller bladed there, or just plain walked! Yeah it sucks, but put yourself in that old lady's shoes- you are old and just want to relax but the neighborhood kids keep getting balls tossed into your yard and disturbing you- I would be pretty cranky too!
Amy Haskins,
Without commenting on your family's distinguished military record or your thoughts on the issue, i just want to add that you sound all too much like Marisa Tomei from the movie 'My Cousin Vinny'. Remember - 'My father was a mechanic, my brother was a mechanic, two of my uncles were mechanics'???
6MCGEES -
If you cannot afford a big enough yard for your 4 boys to play ball in, maybe you should not have had 4 kids; plus, why cannot you take your 4 boys to a park to play instead of a narrow city street. If I were your neighbor, I would not want the ball fly towards my parked car or the window of my house. That old lady was NOT throwing anything in your yard, was she???!!!
SOMEONE has been very, very bad...
Jd. you obviously have no grip on the real world and are not open to the opinions of others. i do not live in utopia. I know all too well about our military and the freadoms the die for my father was in the army in viet nam, my uncle was in the airforce in viet nam, my teenage boyfriend died in the 1st gulf war in the navy, my husbands father and all 3 of his uncles and 4 of my cousins all were or are in the military. 3 of my own cousins are currently in the military. your right i am very thankful for our freadoms and the people who fight for them. that doesn't make your opinion correct and mine wrong. life is precious. too precious to be wasted making kids miserable by ruining a family game of football and keeping the ball against all athority. i think the kids and parents got the point when they had to call the poliece to get the ball back and hope she learned a leasson as well. when the cops knock on your door and politely ask for a kids ball back. you explaine your problem and you give them the ball. she got arrested because of her own lack of self control. she is so set in her ways she would rather be arrested than give back a ball.. that is not normal. i feel sorry for her and the people who have to live arround her. she should be in a nursing home where her nerves wont be bothered. and the kids can then play in peace.
When I grew up, the traditional remedy for pricks that keep kids balls was a pellet gun or bb gun shooting out windows. After replacing the living room window 2 or more times, the prick home owner suddenly wanted to play nice ( evil grin ).
Cane the little brats in the first place. No more problem. Parents disagree. Get them too. Future generations will thank you.
So the ball goes into her yard and it's hers? Hardly! Does this apply to visitors at her home, when they park in her driveway? Does their car then become hers too? Is my purse hers because I am on her property with it? If I ever get so old and crotchety like this, I hope someone puts me out of my misery.
wonderfulworld | 10.23.08 - 1:48 pm | #
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Being an ADULT must be hard for some to whom post such ignorant post as the one above.
Respect for ones self, another and there property. Is this so hard to understand.
But yet - No one bothers with the fact that this woman has lived here for years and now she's a criminal?
I wonder as to how many that has made a post suggesting that the children have "done no wrong" - have in fact - children of there-own?
I would have asked them to keep their football out of my yard once, because the next time it would be mine. Edna doesn't owe anyone an explanation for not wanting anyone's football in her yard. Older people often have less tolerance for noise and stupid behavior and I can't say I blame them. I'm very grateful I have a 8 ft privacy fence and don't live near some of the dolts that think it's ok to harass an old woman.
First, I think people should read the articles and listen to the video. As my heart goes out to the 89 year old lady, I have the feeling that she just didn't like seeing the kids playing next door. The article didn't say that the kids were in her yard; it only said that the ball landed in her yard. There was a request to get the ball back, she refused, and she told her neighbor to call the police. The police tried to handle the situation without arresting the woman, but she made a choice.
I have read many comments about what we have lost in america and the deterioration of the american values, but one of those values is a respect for authority. When the police come out to handle a situation, and they speak to the parties involved, you do not get to disobey without consequence.
Let me ask this question, if you go to someone's house and you walk to their front door, is this trespassing? Most people's door's are not at the edge of the lot; so by some of your definitions we tresspass everyday.
So the ball goes into her yard and it's hers? Hardly! Does this apply to visitors at her home, when they park in her driveway? Does their car then become hers too? Is my purse hers because I am on her property with it? If I ever get so old and crotchety like this, I hope someone puts me out of my misery.
The only problem I see here is a parent that don't make their kids mind, nor teach them respect. Which seems pretty common this day and age. If the kids were playing in HER yard, then no she doesn't have to be nice, a parent has to do their job! If the kid is in HIS/HER own yard or on the sidewalk and street, then it is their right. But in her yard is what was being talked about. That is disrespectful, but seems one of these parents never was taught to respect anyone, therefor, will not teach their kids to do that either!
PLEASE! I'M TIRED OF THE BITTER WALKING DEAD! JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO LIVE FOR ANYMORE, DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO MAKE EVERYONE ELSES LIFE A LIVING HELL!!! JUST SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND LET ME DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AND TAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR MISERY. THE DOCTOR IS IN...ALL HMO'S ACCEPTED.LOL
DR. KEVORKIAN | 10.23.08 - 1:35 pm | #
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Please take you own advise and do the rest of a huge favor.
"REST IN PEACE".
PLEASE! I'M TIRED OF THE BITTER WALKING DEAD! JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO LIVE FOR ANYMORE, DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO MAKE EVERYONE ELSES LIFE A LIVING HELL!!! JUST SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND LET ME DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AND TAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR MISERY. THE DOCTOR IS IN...ALL HMO'S ACCEPTED.LOL
Also, please understand that when Mom says her son has a job and paid for the ball with his own money, that could mean he mows lawns for extra money. It doesn't necessarily mean he's a teenager. But what if he is? All this talk about sueing the parents. That's what's wrong with society today. The other people were correct in stating if she needed help she wouldn't complain for them being in the yard. And YES, teenagers and children today are rude. HOWEVER, so are the elderly. I've opened doors for them to only snub me. They block up isle's in grocery stores and don't move when you say excuse me, they just grunt. They will run you over to be first in line for something. Let's now blame things just on the kids. I think we all, regardless of age, have issues. WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONE AND SHUT UP WHEN WE DON'T.
PS- Elaine, you show some real maturity yourself when you put in things like "WTF".
GOOD GRIEF!
This will surely be on CNN tonight.
For all those who cling to there "little boy's and girls" of teen years. I believe it's time to LET THEM GROW UP.
I've played football - back yard football and if we were bothering any neighbors - we took the game elsewhere.
These "LITTLE CHILDREN" NEEDS TO LEARN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND SHOW RESPECT FOR THERE ELDERS. AND THE PARENTS - IF THEY'VE HAVE NOT ACCOMPLISHED THIS IN THERE CHILD'S EARLY LIFE - THEN THE PARENTS SHOULD BE ALSO TO BLAME AS WELL.
So the kids over the years have had several things "Accidentally" go on the woman's property. That's not "Accidental", That's either disreguard for others or intentional harassment. I know of a case where a skateboarding kid slammed into the back of a parked contractors truck. His parents sued and won. How about the time a burgular while in a dark house with his arms full of loot he was stealing fell down the stairs, sued and won. I don't want to take the chance of being sued either. Does that make me to be mean?
I respect the rights of everyone. Yes the kids where wrong. After all this wasn't the first time, the ball went in her yard. I believe she didn't keep the ball just to be mean.She is making a stand for all seniors, showing that old people still have rights. The parents and/or people who went to her home demanding the ball back, also where wrong. She is suffering with her aging health, to make a stand for herself and all people who want to live there lives out with a little peace and quite in their home. After all if the neighbors had the same or similar issue to deal with, then they would protect the privacy of their homes also.
There are always 3 sides to each story and I would say that we shouldn't make judgement until we know all sides of this story..
Some kids and their parents are disrespectful of others and it could be that this elderly woman had taken all she could...Who knows..
Its possible that they had damaged her property in the past or when she asked the first time that the kids called her names and treated her poorly..
I had a neighbor once that had small children that always played in my yard...I love kids but they poked my dog with sticks trying to harm him and rode their toys down my driveway slamming into my gate over and over..When I asked them to stop they used language that no 4 and 5 year olds should even know..
We finally moved because no matter how nice we were they felt that they could do whatever they pleased..
None of us know the real truth here..
Ruth -
"What she needs to do is to sue the City and the neighbor (mainly the parents). I will be more than happy to throw some cow shxt in her neighbor's yard like they have done to her."
This is why elementary schools start banning kids from playing competitive games like soccer or football during recess, and why people have to be extremely careful about letting kids play at their house if they have a trampoline, or skateboard ramps, etc. It's because people like you want to sue every little chance they get. "Shxt" happens, and when it does we don't need people like you to start more shxt.
This is such an interesting comentary on modern society. I have a daughter, she's only six but knows that you respect other people's property. I taught her that, not through complaining or yelling but through my own actions. Over the years I have fostered very good relationships with my neighbors by being, well, just being neighborly like I was raised to be. When I was young, you didn't dare enter someone's property without their consent, now when a child is asked to leave someone's property they are greeted with unflattering hand gestures and colorful vocabularies that came from, despite most parents denials, mom and dad themselves. When did we stop teaching our children respect? Maybe it's when we stopped exhibiting it ourselves. Is Granny a hardedned criminal? NO! Are the kids little demons? NO! Is society so flawed that people that share a property line can't get along in harmony with mutual respect? Hmmm . . quite likely. People, don't try to teach your kids about this stuff, it's much more believable for them to see you live it.
Hey Dan, I guess you never played ball in your yard and had it go into a neighbor's yard? Wow, bring back the good old days when kids played outside instead of playing video games all day. Now I know why... because of all the cranky homeowners. Oh, and let's not let Dads play catch with their kids either since the lawn is much more important.
We had the same situation with our neighbor last year. She was 83 yrs old and would not allow my kids to ride their bikes in the street in front of her house, she'd chase them with sticks. If the kids who lived across the street from her were outside playing basketball, she would sit under her porch and if the ball bounced off the rim into her yard, she'd grab it and trough it over her back fence toward the interstate. We called the police several times for her harassment, but they always said she was just an old lady and us "younger" ones needed to leave her alone. Yards are smaller now. Houses are bigger but there's no where for kids to play. I have four sons ages 15, 10, 5 & 1. They have no where to go but in the street. And heaven forbid a ball go into someone's yard. It's ridiculous.
You know the only thing I can say is one day the mother of the child and the child will be the age of the older lady, hopefully. In these days and times, just be glad some idiot did not live there and shoot the children instead of her only taking their football.
Jenny D - I'm not sure what middle school you went to, but when I was 15 I was in high school.
Have any of you who say these parents are to blame and their kids are brats ever played with a ball? Or are you all just overweight Americans? Balls bounce and roll . . . footballs tend to bounce with complete randomness at times. Perhaps the kids were playing in their yard and one missed catching the ball and it took an odd bounce into her yard. Maybe you know something that I don't in which they were playing football in her flowers? That may warrant her reaction. I would hope it was more than just a bad bounce for all the PR this woman has gotten, but don't blame the parents for what could have been a small misunderstanding. Yes, they could have been warned before about the ball even rolling over into her yard, but if the old lady was having a heart attack, I am sure she would be yelling for them to help. Neighbors should be neighbors and help each other out. I am just glad the kids were out playing. I'm tired of paying health care costs for unhealthy people. As for the law, she broke it. Age shouldn't matter.
This old granny deserves justice. It doesn't matter how many times similar incidents had happened before this. Ball landed in her yard is hers if she owns the property and everything goes with the property. What she needs to do is to sue the City and the neighbor (mainly the parents). I will be more than happy to throw some cow shxt in her neighbor's yard like they have done to her.
This lady is an old crab and I don’t have one ounce of sympathy for her! The kids were just playing! We were all kids once. They were playing football, the ball goes is this women’s yard and she just takes the ball and ruins their fun. Moreover, she took something that didn’t belong to her. Every one of us had some mean teacher or old lady take something that belonged to us when we were kids. The fact that they were able to steal something that belonged to us was justified by their age and we had no ramification. This women is a thief, she should have given it back right then. Personally, I am glad see went to jail. I don’t mind my tax dollars being spent putting some stubborn old bag in her place. This lady has nothing better to do in the last years of her life other than be mean to children. Very sad!
Yes the mom said that the kid has a job and paid for the ball with his own money, and is also in junior high. So he's at least 15-16.
Robin:
Who cares about your life? The neighbors gave you permission to do all those things when you were younger. This neighbor didn't. So it is ok for the kids to do it anyway even though they were told not to? The old lady was 100% in the right. The right to private property and personal safety is what is in question. Protecting yourself doe snot make you a bad person.
Of course Amy sides with the parents.
After hearing the kid's and families side of this story, I don't believe all the blame needs to be placed on them. The kids were playing in the street with dad. It was dad who overthrew the ball to one of the kids and it rolled into her yard. it wasn't thrown directly. They were playing in the street because "granny" would yell at them if they touched the fence seperating their yards. When "granny" told the child not to come into her yard, the child stopped and then dad tried to get the ball back. Dad did not wish to call the police or have granny arrested, but only did as she asked. There are two sides to every story and now "granny" is trying to make money through a Wheaties box over stealing the football.
It wasn't two KIDS at all, it was the DAD and the son playing in the yard. Since the DAD doesnt have any respect for personal property (unless its his or his son's) how can you expect the son to care?
footballs are meant to be thrown around... just because this lady can't play outside anymore doesnt mean she should turn into a crab. doesnt she remember how much fun youth was?
Robin... Nice example. Glad they decided to permit their property to be used as such but the old woman has just as much right to decide not to allow such on her property.
In today's world, everybody feels they can get what they want. This arrogance is teaching our young that it is ok to be selfish and careless of the needs and best wishes of others. Hell with the old lady's needs of security and peace right? The comment made about kids having exercise is foolish... yeah, exercise on the neighbors property. Even if the ball just fell onto the property. By what the article states CLEARLY, it has happened more than once and they were warned on multiple occasions. If I was the odl lady, I would drop a counter lawsuit on the parents for their kids' behavior.
As far as I can tell, granny gets to keep the ball as ownership is 9/10s of the law. She didn't steal it, they tossed it in her yard. Their loss. They need to be more careful with their stuff! If they'd have put an army man down a storm drain, guess what?! It's gone. Same here, they threw the ball somewhere they shouldn't have.
And as for the kids, issue them a citation for trespassing. It sounds as if they'd been told to stay off her property before, they need to respect her requests and her property. Maybe if they weren't repeat offenders, she might allow them to have the ball back.
Here is the training ground for bullies in America. If Ms. Jester's home was occupied by a big, burley warehouse worker, the incident would not have occurred. Respect these days seems preserved only for tough guys and the wealthy. Parents who permitted this situation to escalate reinforce these attitudes. Not so long ago, neighborhood residents were like an extended family. We took care of each other, offered assistance when jobs were lost, and helped survivors when death took one of us away. Thinking, caring parents would have prevented all this by enforcing Ms. Jester's simple belief that her yard is not a playground. Instead, they've sent a clear message that the old, the weak, and the helpless have no rights and no protection--IE, fair game for bullies of all age.
are there any good neighbors left in the world anymore?
First, this should not be a debate about who is right and who is wrong. The elderly lady stated she had warned the children several times to stay off her yard. When that failed, she decided to teach them a lesson. I will say that I am not an old lady but I have seen the way children act towards adults of any age. There is no respect at all. They cuss, do things that their parents condone that are dead wrong. So, she was well within her rights and since the ball kept coming into her yard. I do believe that possession is nine tenths of the law. You can't steal what has been placed on your property, but it can be confiscated. Think about it. Not many discipline their unruly children for fear of the law.
When I was young, there was an elderly couple living next door. Their children were grown and not at home. The couple had a basketball hoop in the driveway and invited the kids in the neighborhood to use it anytime. We skateboarded on their driveway and they let us have lemonaid stands there. They were old and lonely too but choose to be nice to the neighborhood kids instead of chasing them away. Unfortunately today you hardly ever see kids playing outside. I'm glad I had such great neighbors and hope to learn from their gerneous example.
I take it there are no laws against either littering or trespass in the great Presidential swing state of Ohio?
If these kids lost their ball while on her property, arrest them for juvenile delinquency - trespass.
If these kids lost their ball by tossing it in her yard, arrest them for juvenile delinquency - littering.
And some hungry lawyer really should contact Edna about filing a Federal lawsuit against Capt. James Schaffer under 42 USC 1983 for violation of her civil rights.
Nothing like having the mean old lady living next door. I know when I was a kid the ball would often end up in the neighbors yard on accident.
And yes I had a neighbor that wouldn't let us get the ball.
So we had to sneak to get it.
The balls aren't free. Old people in this country are way too up tight.
Apparently the dad overthrew the ball and the DAD went to get it, but Edna was in her yard and got to the ball first, and refused to give it back. Also the "child" has a job and paid for the ball with his own money. So the MOM called the police. Because apparently Edna has kept several things that have come into her yard over the years. I have a feeling this is a problem that has gone on over a period of years.
Here's the interview with her:
http://www.wlwt.com/video/177792...9265/
index.html
She says her lawn is crappy and she doesn't care about damage to it. She says in bothers her nerves that it happens, not that it does any harm (scares her or anything). She doesn't like that they are "in her face".
Right's or not, I think she's just mean. And both her and the kid's parents are ridiculously stubborn. It just isn't that important to be right.
I also think that many of the people who post on these things are pretty mean, after listening to many of the comments on both sides.
Just my opinion.
this is funny. Find one place in any of my posts that says the kids should be beaten and thrown in jail. I didn't. I said the kids parents were wrong becaused they failed to teach their kids to respect the rights (including property rights) of others. One time throwing it in her yard is a mistake, maybe twice. Beyond that it is called a pattern of behavior that the parents should have corrected rather than justify by attacking the old woman verbally. Nice effort (although futile) on your part to falsely accuse someone with whom you disagree, of threatening kids, in an effort to distract everyone from the fact that your position has no merit. Next time you come to a battle of wits.... come armed.
What happened to the kids is you are no longer allowed to spank them. Blame the country.
I see no reason that lady needed to return the ball. The children had been warned and when the ball landed on her property it became her "property." Also, has anyone thought about the fact that maybe it imposed on her to retrieve the ball for them each time it landed on her property? My property is fenced with large dogs, if children allowed their ball to land on my property; I would have to be the one to stop what I was doing and retrieve it. No way - that ball would become mine as well, and I too would be going to jail I guess. I'm sure if someone took the time to research the statutes, the will find one to support her actions as well.
If there's a field...play ball.
Every time the ball lands in her yard she should tell the children to have one of their parents come over to get it. She has no right to keep the ball but has every right to make sure the ball goes back to a parent. This would stop very soon.
Geez, leave the poor old woman alone. I can't believe the police actually chose to get involved. So lame. Parents, please control your children. In some states, it's legal for people to shoot trespassers, so those kids are lucky.
Some of you non-lawyers (all) are giving foolish answers. You have to look at who was in the wrong first. obviously the kids playing in her yard were. We are all entitled to certain rights, and that includes right to property and to protect it from others. Regardless of any ill-doing by the kids, it was not their property to play on. It looks like she gave plenty of warning and it is obvious that if she has taken other balls in the past, maybe the parents of these kids should discipline them a bit more and understand that there are consequences of their actions.
Now, is she right to take and keep the ball? No. However, she could have taken the ball and then called the police for the repeated disturbance and possible harrassment of the kids...
I certainly don't blame anyone of any age to stick up for their rights and the children and/or their parents should have spoke with this person ahead of time but none of the articles or stories I have heard indicate any prior discussion. So, yes, the children/parents should be respectable (but the story doesn't say if this is the first time or the 100th!) and the lady should have said something too. Do you remember when the elderly man SHOT a high school girl for going onto his property? Is THAT what she should have done? It seems she and the children had ample of time to sit down and discuss the situation. Both parties are negligent and shame on them both!
if those same kids fell on granny's property and broke a leg, thier parent could have sued granny, EVEN tho she told them to stay off her property. and judging from the fact that one of the kids mothers called the cops on the granny for HER kids disrespect, i wouldnt put it past them to sue either...
I am all for the granny! Kids think they have the right to everything nowadays and parents think little junior can do no wrong! My parents would never have allowed such a thing and losing our ball would certainly have been a lesson learned. Our current neighbors have given their kids carte blanche to play in our yard, urinate in our yard, throw trash into our yard. Where does it stop? The police certainly don't care, the courts don't care . . . the only way is to take matters into our own hands.
the parents of the kids who were always on granny's property are clearly worthless idiots who dont know how to teach thier children respect... probably because they dont have respect for anyone either. thier kids are punks who are now going to grow up thinking they can do whatever they want, whever they want, because thier parents already think they can do no wrong. KEEP YOUR BRATS OFF OF OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY...
So what if you ask the kids to stop playing in your yard, and they don't? What's the next step?
Our neighbor's son's invite kids from all over the neighborhood to play baseball in their small backyard. The space is too small so they've crept into our yard. We have several square feet of dead space now.
When we spoke to the parents about it they said I was mean spirited and had a poor sense of community. I always thought that being good to your community would mean leaving it in the shape you found it in, not abusing it for your own gain.
The boys are teenagers and old enough to go to the park just down the street. No, I wouldn't send them alone but they couldn't play ball if they were alone anyway.
So now what do we do, put up a fence?
There are always two sides to a story, with the truth somewhere along that line. As a child, I thought I would raise my children differently in some ways. Once a parent myself, I finally realized how smart my parents really were!
We've become a nation where everyone has rights, and no one wants to accept responsibility for their actions. Reading some comments posted here simply shows why this nation is facing the problems we are.
Some say the parents don't have time to spend with their children, so they need them to play in the area. We all need to learn respect. People work hard, and some of us take enjoyment in our yards and don't want them trampled on.
Fortunately, I've read some younger people's postings who learned from their parents and will be the bright lights of society in the future. Respect what belongs to others. Request permission before entering someone's yard.
Living on a corner near a park, I am amazed by what comes out of some children's mouths. They can have a sailor blushing with the language they use. But that's their "right" in today's society. We all need to reevaluate our moral compass!!!
That Granny is hot. She can hold my balls anytime...as long as she takes her teeth out first.
I have 3 boys. They say "Yes, sir", and "Yes, mam." Funny thing is, they always seem to be able to get their ball back. My neighbors always seem to be able to find someone to carry the other end of a couch (me). What is wrong with these people? a) good luck suing kids b) good luck getting your ball back. Neighborly. Look it up. take it upon yourself to start first.
as far as i am concerned granny should have only had to tell those brats ONCE to get off her lawn and that should have been the end of it. The parents of these children are disgusting for calling the cops on her. regardless of her age she has a right to privacy and can tell whomever she wants to stay off her yard WHEVER SHE WANTS. if the brats dont listen than the parents arent doing their job.
Kill them all. Let God sort it out. Who cares? The children were most likely obnoxious punks. The parents are most likely irresponsible and worthless. The old lady is most likely an annoying prude.
As a kid, we always had problems with our ball landing on someone else's property. One thing was always clear to us - 'it was their property'. And when it was an old woman involved, there would always be a certain sense of respect for them. Some old women would yell at us, others would complain to our parents. However, our sense of respect never lost ground. Also, what goes around comes around. If we do not treat seniors well, we should not expect them to respect us either. An old women, our neighbor, would often call out to us at sundown to walk into her house to switch on the lights. I always thought that brought us closer. At other times, she would call out to us to give us candy and stuff to eat. I am talking about the same woman who would not return our ball. And that is because there was mutual respect.
I'll tell you what would have happend if this were me and my friends constantly annoying an old woman....
My father would have kicked my a$$ from Boston to NY and back.
All of you who are calling this woman miserable and cranky just wait....we're all getting older and none of us knows what the future brings.
It could be one of us in the news one day in a similar situation. What if you were that person those children were annoying? Would it be different then?
This could have been handled better on all sides. But still does not give any rights to these kids to continually play ball in such a manner where they know the ball will end up in her yard. She should have only had to say something once. They should have played elsewehre knowing she would be annoyed if the ball went in her yard again.
They did not. That's disrespectful.
your right JD, these kids are such little disrespectful brats..just wanting their football back because they mistakenly threw it in someones yard. What were they thinking?!?!? They should be beaten and then thrown in jail, and when they get out they should be sent someone outside the United States because NO ONE in the US ever makes mistakes.
"The officers involved should be fired! Really, locking up an 89 year old lady" - Ano
You make it sound like she baked the cops cookies and gave them an early Christmas. When in reality she was given a choice. Give the ball back, or be locked up.
Age shouldn't be a factor when it comes to breaking the law, as minor as it was. She refused an order from a law enforcement official to give the ball back.
When I first heard this story, I thought "Good for her!" Sure, just because she stands up for herself the neighbors think she's an "old witch" or worse- but she's not letting these disrespectful brats walk all over her. If the parents had done THEIR jobs and taught their children some manners, and taught them to respect their neighbors/elders, this never would have become a problem. From what I've read, she believes this was an "ongoing problem." A simple appology for encroching on her yard when it first happened probably would have gone a long way.
The old lady did nothing wrong!!
When I was growing up you respected your neighbors yard and DID NOT play in it unless they said it was okay. The parents need to own up and tell their kids to stay out of her yard. Period!
WHAT A MEAN OLD LADY! DON'T SENTENCE HER TO JAIL. SENTENCE HER TO THE LUNCHROOM, PLOPPING THOSE MASHED POTATOES ON THE PLATES!
C. Orrell, you sure you posted that to the right story? What the hell are you talking about? lol
Way to go! A "ball busting" Granny standing up for one of the most fundamental rights we enjoy as a US citizen...ownership of property. It is HER property...period. Why should anyone have to contend with worrying about folks who are unwanted coming on, or throwing things in, one's own yard? I am so utterly disappointed that parents have abrogated entirely their responsibility to instill a fundamental sense of respect for someone else's property. If a pack of young misfits were to harass me on my own property, I daresay more than one ball may be at risk.
The "old bitty" as so many are labeling her is with her rights to enjoy her own property. If the kid was playing ball and running in my yard to get it all the time, I'd be bitching about it too. It is time for parents to teach their children responsibility and respect for their elders.
hahaha
Care to elaborate on which of my comments are ridiculous or are you going to hide from and intellectual exchange behind a vague wave of the hand assessment?
Who Cares????????????
Marjorie YOU ARE WRONG! Being old is reason to get respect. Disrespect for the elderly and the lessons we can learn from them is why people like you are dragging down what used to be a well ordered respectful society.
Nobody knows the whole story here as to whether there was a pattern of the kids coming into the lady's yard, if they'd been warned before - everything that could have led up to this. That said, if the kids have been warned and the parents didn't try to control them, the old bag's got the right to keep the ball - I say old bag because now she's enjoying the spotlight a little too much to be 'proving a point' when she's threatening to sue the city. She claims to have 'nerve problem' but is OK doing a 20 minute interview with a complete stranger while her phone is ringing off the hook... THAT's less stressful than a ball landing in her yard once in a while???
The officers involved should be fired! Really, locking up an 89 year old lady. What a disgrace, its her property which has been violated multiple times. As far as I am concerned as soon as the football landed in her yard it became her property, what was to be done with it was up to her. We all (should) have to pay for our mistakes, this should have been lesson to the kids to take responsibility for their actions. Instead it was a lesson in the stupidity and abuse of power of the police.
JD please realize that your comments are just as ridiculous as everyone else's...
This is a stupid situation. Clearly we are dealing with an old woman who is miserable and just wants to make everyone else be miserable with her. It was a football landing in her yard. This causes no damage, and doesn't even create any noise. What is her problem? Even if this has happened before, it still does not cause this old lady any harm or even annoyance. It is a shame that this old woman is so unreasonable that the police had to get involved, but the parents need to see this to the end and not drop the case because that is going to be the only thing that will force this old woman to act civil and return what does not belong to her.
John, We are all coming to your house to party in your living room. When you complain we will just accuse you of harrassing us poor innocent party goers and continue using your property as we see fit. Dum huh? That makes about as much sense as your comment.
JD | 10.23.08 - 12:46 pm |
Now that's funny too!
Why don't the parents keep the stupid kids out her yard in the first place? Do they think they own their yard AND the neighbor's too? Let's have some common sense here. Do you REALLY want to be the person prosecuting an old woman for keeping a football thrown in her yard when she's aksed them to stop? I would have shredded the ball and thrown it back...then said the dog got ahold of it. This shouldn't even had made the national media. Makes Cincinnati look stupid once again.
the old bitty is a nasty witch- big deal the kids were out getting fresh air and exercise - and it disrupted her Bible reading. Based on her actions I can tell she's not gotten past page one of the Bible
Maybe if she were a good neighbor and actually were nice to the kids they would treat her with respect- the only way you get respect is to earn it- just because your old does does not mean you should get respect- Hope they TP her house on the 31st
Marjorie | 10.23.08 - 12:39 pm |
First of all, you do not have to be NICE to be respected. Being nice has nothing to do with respect. It's usually what happens at work. As a manager you don't expect people to like you. You expect them to respect you. Huge difference.
And where did you get the information on her "bible reading?"
the law is the law. this grandma obviously thinks she is above it. if she would not give the football back arrest her. what she should have done is talk to the parents and if the kids continually came onto her yard; she could file a trespass report.
both charges are dumb but if these people want to act like children themselves then the police need to be their parents.
John, We are all coming to your house to party in your living room. When you complain we will just accuse you of harrassing us poor innocent party goers and continue using your property as we see fit. Dum huh? That makes about as much sense as your comment.
Give out full size candy bars on Halloween. All the neighborhood kids will love you.
Mark | 10.23.08 - 12:24 pm |
Now that's funny!
Rodney | 10.23.08 - 12:43 pm | #
I give out full size candy bars on Halloween. Kids love it. They tell their friends and instead of your house being targeted with TP or eggs you end up with a line of kids waiting for that full size candy bar. Nobody trespasses in my yard and whenever they or their parents see me they smile and wave. I have zero issues with my neighbors.
Quit making assumptions and go by what is written in the article. Obviously these kids weren't hurting anything, and she refused to give the ball back. She should be put in a home
Senile old lady who has nothing better to do than harass kids who are simply playing football.
For the people who feel that kids will be kids. What happens when its not just a ball? The kids that threw fireworks at my horses were "just having fun" they like to play too. So I guess I should just let them have their fun, cause the pasture is so big if the horses don't like it they could run to the other side?
by the way, this "kid" is in junior high.
Give out full size candy bars on Halloween. All the neighborhood kids will love you.
Mark | 10.23.08 - 12:24 pm |
Now that's funny!
I agree with the comments about parents needing to take responsibility for their children. If this was an ongoing problem they should have made certain their ball did not go into her yard. I've came home to find neighborhood kids playing in my front yard, driveway, in my trees. I was even threatened with a lawsuit after a kid fell out of my tree and broke his wrist... although I had told him to stay out of my tree hundreds of times. My insurance paid for that as his parents did not have insurance.
"We see how well this line of upbringing has come along. Gang-Bangers, Permanent Welfare addicts, Retarded Investors/Bankers/CEOs, Those people obviously did not have manners Spanked into them by their parents or grandparents as children"
Yeah I bet thats it...all the corrupt politicians and CEOs, all the gang bangers, all the criminals...I bet they all started off breaking the law when the tried to get their football back...get a clue
Granny should get a big, mean dog and an invisible fence. Let the little buggers trespass then.....
So what would Andy and Barney do? This newsworth?
I pity the fool that launched an egg attack on Mr T.
Ok.. after reading a few posts on here, I have to say those of you who think the 89 year old lady was wrong are part of this nations problem. Please leave and go be human shields for the Iranian Nuclear Power Plant." -Tim
Tim,
Just because I believe Granny was wrong does not believe I think the kids were in the right. I think both parties are to blame here. I'm sure if the kids approached the lady in a nice manner and tried to make an agreement with her and apologized, that would have made things end up in the best way.
But, both parties handled this in a bad manor.
Its nice of you to suggest that we die by nuclear poisoning though. It distinguishes the quality of your character.
the old bitty is a nasty witch- big deal the kids were out getting fresh air and exercise - and it disrupted her Bible reading. Based on her actions I can tell she's not gotten past page one of the Bible
Maybe if she were a good neighbor and actually were nice to the kids they would treat her with respect- the only way you get respect is to earn it- just because your old does does not mean you should get respect- Hope they TP her house on the 31st
Boy does this bring back memories! Our neighborhood had a large field owned by someone who lived around the corner. One of our neighbors kept the field mowed in exchange for letting the kids play there. Between the field and the neighbor's immaculately kept back lawn was a huge thorn hedge. Well, the inevitable happened. Between baseball and kickball, more than one ball went astray into that yard, and the owners would confiscate it, permanently. They must have had a half dozen or more by July. One day a couple of the older neighborhood boys were inspired to do something about it. They took clippers and cut a tunnel through the middle of the hedge, with small openings at either end. The next time a ball went over, one of the smaller kids scooted through the tunnel and retrieved the ball before it could be taken away. By the next year the hedge had regrown inside where it had been clipped. Worked great, no harm done. I doubt the hedge owner ever realized why no more balls landed in the yard.
Lock all grumpy old bags up please. Children like to play. Whatever happened to being friendly with your neighbors? Who cares if some kid steps on your lawn to get his ball back?
GET OVER IT
I am tired of people taking sides. Kids will be kids and old people are 'kids again' and they are not to be blamed. Who is reposible for this mess? Adults who have the ability to judge right and wrong and act accordingly. There are so many solutions to this problem. Instead the society ends up harrasing an 89 year old lady or throwing a 14 year in juvenile. Is this how we peacefully and amicably solve problems? Who are kids now? Such a shame!!!
Amy, Be glad there are people willing to risk their lives to defend your right to be this ignorant of the reality of the world. Life would be great if evryone was nice to each other but the world is a harsh place and there are a lot of people who could care less about your right to exist much less your "be good to one another" utopia. Rights are established in the Constitution (and the BoR) because without them being written down they would constantly be in the hands of whoever had the power and wanted to re-interpret them. Your willingness to disregard her rights as a property owner is a perfect example of why that can't be allowed to happen.
True story... teenagers playing stick ball on school property that borders a residential area. A good shot and the right wind gets a ball onto Mr. T's property. A jump over a fence (school's fence) gets us the ball back. One day Mr. T decides to run out of his house and take the ball. Repeated overtures to get the ball back were ignored. A Spaulding back in the sixties was not cheap or easy to find. Some time later on Mischief Night, three of those teenagers launch an egg attack on Mr. T after he is lured outside. The teenagers never had a problem with a good shot and the right wind again.
THERE IS A NEW LAW.
ITS OK TO ROB A BANK IF YOU GIVE HALF OF THE MONEY TO A CHARITY.
OF YOUR CHOICE.
SOUNDS ABOUT A STUPID AS SOME COMMENTS IVE READ. mY GOSH DONT WE HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO DO THAN THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT....ITS HER PROPERTY
AND IN TEXAS WHATS ON YOUR PROPERTY BELONGS TO YOU.
The biggest problem here is that the police were callled and everyone is quoting the "Law". The bigger issue here is that these neighbors cannot live in a peasceful community because children have no respect. The parents failed in there task to bring up decent human beings. I grew up in the city of Boston in an area called Mission Hill. When we saw an old lady or an old man dragging their groceries up the hill we helped them. That's what we were taught. By respecting our elders we in turn earned their respect. We never got anything for helping. Maybe a quarter if we were lucky but most often just a thank you. That's all we needed and more than we expected because that's how we werew raised. Is this woman lonely? Probably...but that's mostly because she has a--holes for neighbors.
Dear Mouth-breathing Mike:
"Hey Matt, if you think you can throw things into my yard and then declare that they are mine and I want them back and you threaten to sue... I would plant my size 12 boot up you ass and smile all the way to the court house."
You'd be guilty of both larceny and battery in that case. Have fun in prison! Here's anouther loser who needs his house burnt to the ground on Halloween.
Ok.. after reading a few posts on here, I have to say those of you who think the 89 year old lady was wrong are part of this nations problem. Please leave and go be human shields for the Iranian Nuclear Power Plant. You people obviously have lost touch with reality. No rules for kids means ZERO accountability. Zero accountability for actions as kids leads to zero accountability for them as adults. We see how well this line of upbringing has come along. Gang-Bangers, Permanent Welfare addicts, Retarded Investors/Bankers/CEOs, Those people obviously did not have manners Spanked into them by their parents or grandparents as children.
This kinder-gentler crap is getting out of hand. Discipline your children. Set rules for your children. Then enforce the dang rules.
Maybe if the brats wanted to keep their ball, they should have kept it out of her yard - - especially considering that there was an ongoing problem. Where I live, if it's on my properly, it's mine.
We live next door to a school. We have a lcoked privacy fence surrounding our yard to keep our dog in. We have had kids break our fence climbing over it to get to their balls. We always throw them over when asked. There is a culture of entitlement and instant gratification that is ugly these days. The lack of respect for people AND their property is indicative of an overall decline in values.
They should have tazed the living crap out of the kids considering their parents clearly don't discipline them... hell, taze the parents too.
Rodney, you mouth-breathing fool:
"If the kids can sue the lady in order to get their football back then it becomes a CIVIL MATTER which the police absolutely cannot get involved in. That's been the basis of this issue all along. It's a civil matter and the cops had no business getting involved."
The fact that something violates civil law does NOT preclude it from also violing a penal law. If you rape someone, you can be charged of rape and sued for assault. If you steal from someone, you can be charged with theft and sued for restitution. That's what's involved here. Get your facts straight and stop polluting this board with your dangerous ignorance.
I agree with the very first comment (Angi Hornsby | 10.22.08 - 11:53 am |). I'm 35 and grew up in a few blue collar neighborhoods. As a kid, I hopped plenty of fences to retrieve balls and frisbees. However, I was extremely careful and was asked to do the hopping by my friends as I had a talent for doing so without causing any damage. I still felt bad and always rushed because even at 10 years old, I didn't like the idea of kids running through my parent's yard. If it happens every now an then, granny should let it go. If it's happening a few times a week and she wants them out of her yard, she has every right, per something called the Constitution.
The major point is that she may simply be concerned about being sued because a child trips and pokes an eye out her sprinkler.
I hope those kids don't have to worry about someone running through their yard when they're 89 years old.
Go Granny GO. I have no children or pets and have similar issues with unsupervised play in my yard by the neighborhood kids. While I've not had to resort to actually taking the kids toys, I have had to inspect my yard regularly before cutting grass picking up shoes, socks, hairbrushes, barbies, rocks, boards and balls. I've had to remove my horseshoe pits and some accessories from the gymset for fear that their parents would sue should their precious ones be injured. I've even come home from a business trip to find the parents hosting a first communion party in my back yard with big round tables and kids playing on the gymset. Geez, neighbors, respect this poor woman who just wants a little peace and quiet and shame on the officers that felt they should punish her with a citation without citing the parents and their children for traspassing. It's a shame she has 2 generations of inconsiderate neighbors that feel they are above common courtesy and felt they could bring charges against her.
Granny, if it happens again, sue the pants of those brats!!! Screw the football...go for a bigscreen!
I've had the unfortunate experience of having to interact with the kid's mother in the past. The experience was one of the worst I've ever gone through. Mother of several children, actually, and she's a mess.
Trust me, I'm absolutely in grandma's corner on this one. GOOD JOB MRS. JESTER!
As for Mrs. Tanis: please learn some respect for other people and their property, and teach your children the same. The world does not revolve around you, no matter how much you want to think it does.
I live in the next town over from this lady and this was a regular occurance. The police came out previous to this and actually suggested keeping the ball to teack them a lesson since this happened so much and the parents refused to do anything about it. When she did actaully keep the ball as one officer suggested, she was arrested. Stop directing your anger toward old people, especially when you don't know the whole story.
I don't pretend to know the whole situation between Granny and the neighbor. Yes we all have known the mean old man/lady down the street, but we also have known or now know some mean kids and their parents. When it comes down to it, it's all about respect. I'm 35 and two weeks ago my 9 & 5 year old were playing with a frisbee and it went over the fence into our neighbor's yard. They came to told me what happened, and wanted me to go and get it. My response, "It's in his yard and it's his now, unless you go over and ask for it politely and he gives it back to you then ok, and if he says no, then your out of a frisbee and I'm not getting a new one". They were told not to let it go over the fence. I RESPECT my neighbors and their yard, they work very hard to keep it nice. I don't allow my children to litter it up with their toys.
I just recently bought a new home and have been working hard in my yard to plant flowers and fix it up nice and what do I have next door to me, kids that constantly play in their own fenced yards that can't play with their ball in their yard, it's constantly being kicked and landing in my fenced yard, enough is enough, I paid a pretty penny to make my home and yard look nice and I won't have some undisciplined kids from next door or down the street ruining my yard because they don't have the common courtesy to keep the ball in their own yard. I've knocked on the door several times about this ball and it keeps happening so what does this say about the parents nowadays so I put locks on my gates and the next time the ball lands in my yard, it'll be mine, my property, my ball, then perhaps kids will learn about courtesy and respect for something that doesn't belong to them. Instead of arresting the old woman, they should have arrested the kids and parents for destruction of private property and perhaps the old lady should sue, then maybe today's parents would teach their kids some respect and courtesy for others. Kudo elderly woman, I'm about to do the same thing. Those of you that are complaining about the old woman obviously have kids that don't have respect or courtesy for other people or other people's things. It's my property, teach your kids some values and stay off of my property.
The police officer who resorted to arresting her was totally wrong. But what else can you expect from the Blue Ash Police?
Jane, I completely agree. "I'll buy you new plants". I guess it's easier for parents to throw money at a problem than to sit down and discipline their children. "Spare the rod, spoil the child" is not advice. Its a warning.
Where to begin...I think it was a waste of time and tax payers dollars for arresting this lady. I don't think the public is aware of all the facts. Personally I would have done the same thing not because I'm old or cranky but it appears the children were constantly playing near her property and retreiving their ball. Is there a nearby park they can play in? Kids and teenagers today have little respect for themselves, teachers, police and parents. If the parents knew about this ongoing problem then its the parents responsibility to instill good ol' manners and respect for others. The lady is entitled to peace and quiet...leave her alone.
What a mean old crotchety beeyitch.
BALL FLAP!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
As always, there is a lot more to the story than our lousy media gives us. Most kids today wouldn't give a damn if the ball went in a neighbors yard as they don't understand property rights until it's their property involved. The rule should be that if the ball lands in her yard it's her ball, period. They can ask for it nicely or they can buy it back. Maybe they'll be better football players for the lesson.
She should have just given the ball back - if not to the children - to the police. Obviously there are other issues with these neighbors and now she has jut given them more cause for a fight...sad.
If a child kicks a ball and it goes into somebody's property, that child does not have the right to trespass on the property to get the ball. The owner does not have any obligation to allow the child to get the ball, nor does the owner have any requirement to return the ball to the child....striclty speaking that is
She should have issued a warning to the children to stay off her property then followed that up by a civil complaint to the police and request that law enforcement issue a formal citation of warning to the children then on subsequent infraction cite the children for trespassing.
Her actions were theft. That much is clear and indisputable. There are appropriate legal remedies that she should have followed that would have ensured the rights of both the land owner and the children.
The city should follow through the normal legal proceedings in this case.
We never get any kids here for halloween. It's so awesome!
I side with the woman. Those kids could be damaging her flowers, and running through her yard regularly. I live next door to the most disrespectful family I've ever known. Their oldest son would run into my house over and over - and when I would tell him he couldn't come in, he would say "oh it's ok, I can". After about a dozen incidents like this, I finally yelled at him and ordered him out of my house. What happened? His mother called me up and chewed me out for yelling at her kid. I told her I'd stop yelling at him when he stopped trespassing. Those same kids used to throw toys in our yard all the time. We tried asking them to stop - we tried asking the parents to make them stop. Their response? "Oh, they're just kids - it's not hurting anything". I disagree - it's my yard, my property. The toys they threw in broke my flowers in the pots - what did their dad say? "I'll buy you new plants". Well - I don't want new plants - I want the ones I've tended to all summer. We are not dealing with the same kind of society these days people.
"Not if you actually had a spine and stood for something" -Rodney
If following the law is spineless, then so be it. I believe in following the laws my peers and their elected officials have made.
She should have planted mines in her yard.
The kids were in the wrong, and their parents were even more in the wrong.
This was a continuing problem and warnings to the children apparently had zero effect.
Doesn't matter if they weren't playing in the yard; they were making repeated forays into it to retreive the ball. Once or twice is one thing, continual means they are expanding the area of play to include her lawn.
Now I don't know what her lawn consists of, but frequent traffic will degrade the lawn.
Personally, if I were Edna, I'd have kept the ball until they paid her for her service of retrieving it. Say a service fee of $12 per hour, reportable as income to the IRS. She is fully entitled to do so; and allowed to keep the property until the fee is paid.
There was mention of an ongoing dispute between the neighbors. This one item really isn't enough to judge by. My guess is that the cops knew who the agitator was, between the two neighbors, and were trying to get the whole situation under control. On first glance, it seems that there is no question that the granny was exercising her property rights and was faultless, but who knows what provocations she has practiced up to this point.
I've read a quote that the father of the teenager stated that this has happened several times and she has kept other balls. This lady has the right to protect her property, think of the Ball as a hand grenade. Did you also know if those brats keep coming over to her property and they got hurt on her property she would be responsible for it? She should charge that family for damage to her flowers everytime the ball hit them, or when the kids came over and trampled on her lawn to get balls. It disgusts me that the family thinks that people's property is the same as a Public Park. Oh here's an idea, make your way to a PUBLIC PARK!!!
Who says the child was a boy? Are we stero-typing here?
this is the definition of theft and accident from dictionary.com Theft-the act of stealing; the wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal goods or property of another. Accident- any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause. Trespass Out of the law of trespass developed many of the torts that are now commonly recognized. In present-day usage the term trespass is usually applied only to unlawful entry into private property. If a trespasser refuses a request to leave the premises, he may be removed by force. The children wasn't tespassing to get a ball. I don't think it would hold up in court. The police officers was doing their job. They have to lay the law down for all ages. If this was a person in their 20's, would it be as much of a big deal? Crime comes in all ages. I guess it would be wrong for the children to help the 89 yr old if she was to fall outside and not be able to get up. After all she doen't want the children on her property. The point is treat people how you want to be treated. Remember what goes around comes around.
Give out full size candy bars on Halloween. All the neighborhood kids will love you.
I am really upset about some of the comments I just read. what has the mother of this kid taught him about respecting his elders and about respecting other peoples property?
some parents dont have the time to take kids to the park? then dont have kids. get your tubes tide or move. if she says to stay off her yard, then respect it and do it. why are we always so intent on thinking that we have the right to do whatever we want and what the other person wants is unreasonable and we call her 'crabby'. how dare you!
ENTITLEMENT; DISRESPECT; SELFISHNESS
is not something that we should promote. maybe she would have taken the kids to the park or something if the mother would have sat down with this elderly woman and talked to her.
the mother is a fool. the son is a mom of a daughters worst nightmare. and this elderly woman ROCKS! GOOD FOR YOU.
Why police did not arrest the kids for tresspassing? The stupid parents are to be blamed.
The old lady is just lonely. Maybe if the kids would go to her house, sit down, and talk to her they would both have a mutual respect. A lot of times it's just a misunderstanding. I think the parents of the kids are very immature for allowing it to go on for so long. When we start to get that old we revert back to acting like children. Visit her and get to know her...I'm sure things would be a lot better.
It's a shame that some people don't teach their children to play respectfully, and instead teach them that it's okay to trespass and harass a neighbor. Further, if the kid worked so hard to earn the money for the ball, mom should teach him not to throw it away...
And now I am going to make a comment on the article instead of patronizing people making comments.
I don't believe that the woman should have been charged. However with me not knowing the entire story, I have no reason to judge. Its too bad that they couldn't talk to each other about it.
get your damn kids out of other peoples yards... plain and simple.. i would have kept the ball as well..thiis wasnt the first time she had to put up with the local brats and there balls landing in her yard...
Too bad. It's a shame that an 89 year old woman needs to be taught common decency to other human beings -- it's a bigger shame that the city backed down before she learned that lesson.
The other day I was throwing the football with a friend and it went in the neighbors yard, an elderly woman who lives by herself, there is a fence and I dont know her, so we left it in her yard and didnt try to jump her fence or go into the yard for two reasons, we didnt want to damage the fence and two we didnt want to startle her or upset her if she would happen to look out and see people running through her yard. I looked at my friend, laughed and said he owes me a new ball if it doesnt come back. The next day it was lying in my driveway as she had thrown it back. The funny thing about this, is that I am 26 years old. An adult, yet I still stick to the mantra that my parents raised me by and didnt trespass to get the ball and realized my friend was the idiot who cant throw a football. We laughed together at this becuase I felt like a kid again. The point is, people are raising their children to be self-entitled and disrespectful these days, they do not respect adults becuase they realize if they complain and throw a fit their overly complacent and loving parents will do whatever they want, their is no consequence to our actions these days. If you were on a boat and dropped your sunglasses in the water you have to realize they arent not coming back and you shouldnt have dropped them, growing up the neighbors yard might as well have been the ocean in some cases. I am proud of the way my parents raised me, even today when as a 26 year old I know better than to hop the fence and trespass for something as inconsequential as a ball.
The ball is not hers, the property was...that doesn't mean the ball is magically hers.
"I would venture to guess 95%+ of us would give the ball back to the cops."
GrannyWasWrong | 10.23.08 - 12:13 pm |
Not if you actually had a spine and stood for something.
Technically she had reason to not want kids in her lawn.. What if one had tripped fell and broke his/her neck. I'm fairly certain the parents would want to be suing someone and it wouldn't be the kid doing it. With the law as it is these days you can get sued for anything. Truthfully the fact the cop actually arrested her over the ordeal shows he didn't have any real patients.. Seniors tend to be stubborn and parents tend to be stupid about watching their kids..
be careful with big dogs Tom, fat kid busts the hedges and gets bitten, mom and dad will try to have the dog put down. Either way, "dangerous" dogs can raise your homeowners insurance.
I'm sure the next person that runs you off the road will be "nice" and smile while doing it. That will make it alright. Lets see if you can keep turning that other cheek when someone isn't so nice and just chooses to ignore your rights on something. While I too teach my kids to be nice and treat people with respect, I also teach them to expect respect in return and to be nice until the point is reached where it becomes clear that the other kid (note I said kid) is violating their space and can't take the polite hint to stop. As for adults I teach them there is no option to being respectful (including of others property).
Shes just mad because shes old and going to die soon and they have their whole lives ahead of them. Crabby crabby old women
"It's amazing how stupid so many of you are, and do not know the facts of the story. A) The children were NOT "playing" in the old lady's yard. They were playing elsewhere and an errant ball bounced into her yard. They went to retrieve it. That is all. They did not "continually" play in the old lady's yard. Going into someone's yard to retrieve a ball is not "playing" in their yard. Nor is it destructive to the yard. No harm was done. Give the ball back. Quit being a cranky old woman."
Anonymous | 10.23.08 - 12:07 pm |
And it's amazing how truly stupid you are, so stop with the name calling. The facts are that the balls have landed in her yard on many occasions. She's wanted this to stop and it hasn't. This has obviously been going on for a while. Do you actually think that a neighbor would call the police wanting their football back if this was the first time that it happened? Do you really think that someone would keep a football after it landed in her yard just one time? Love how you posted anonymous with your ignorant blabber. Spineless.
Thank you all for the interesting reading. I truly enjoyed everyone's comments. I have to say when I saw the news story, I chuckled. I have a 3 yr old whose favorite movie is Monster House. All I could think about was..
"GET OFF MY LAWN, DO YOU WANT TO BE EATEN ALIVE?"
When I grew up, we had a woman just like her as a neighbor. I thought she was so mean at first... turns out... she was a sweet woman. She was just tired of her stuff getting trampled on. I see both sides of this and I think the whole thing was blown way out of proportion. Good luck to all in this story, it's hard to find good neighbors. Be kind to the ones you have, they are who watch over you and yours when you aren't there.
Everyone has to admit.. you have to be pretty darn stubborn to hold onto something when the police are asking for it back.
I would venture to guess 95%+ of us would give the ball back to the cops.
Same problem, big fat kid busting down the hedges, parent and kid told me F.U. Got a big dog who eats the balls and haven't seen a ball or kid in years. Police and Judge be fired and parents sued.
Each time a ball lands on her yard she should be calling the parents. Enough calls from the "crabby neighbor" and the parents will get the hint and get the kids to be more careful. To those of you saying the kids should go to the park - where I live there isn't a park in every neighborhood and all neighborhoods are not necessarily safe to let your kids go to alone - most parents these days don't have the time to go to the park for a few hours to watch their children play ball daily - especially when they have the space in their backyard and can keep an eye on them out the window. A little compassion from all parties would go a long way in this situation.
When I was a child we had an Older couple next door that screamed if we came within 1" of the property line claiming we would hurt their grass. I never saw them in the yard the whole year I lived there, but touch that grass and poof out they came. My only questions that no-one has answered are: Have they done this a lot and she is fed up? (If yes give her the ball and discipline the kids & their parents) Is this a rare occasion and she just hates kids? (Give back the ball, but inform the kids it's a one time deal, so go play away from this yard) What is the real story? There is always more than meets the eye in these stories..
Billy - your right and ideally thats what we all hope for. But it doesn't change the fact of what her rights are and she can handle it however she chooses. I personally would've given the ball back after a talk with their parents. I would've bugged the crap out of their parents until something was done. I am very persistant. But that is me, and that is how I would deal with this. But she has the right to deal with it her way too.
Amy, by your logic I guess that we should let people drive drunk on the roads. As long as they've never run into anyone or killed someone who are we to tell them that they can't drive drunk? As with all laws and common sense the line must be drawn somewhere. It's called boundaries, and obviously you were never clued into this kind of logical thinking.
Seriously, two wrongs do not make a right.....The kids were on her property, wrong, her keeping their ball, wrong. She should have given the ball back then called the police to file a trespassing complaint. Age should have nothing to do with this. Seems kinda silly to bring it up.
It's amazing how stupid so many of you are, and do not know the facts of the story. A) The children were NOT "playing" in the old lady's yard. They were playing elsewhere and an errant ball bounced into her yard. They went to retrieve it. That is all. They did not "continually" play in the old lady's yard. Going into someone's yard to retrieve a ball is not "playing" in their yard. Nor is it destructive to the yard. No harm was done. Give the ball back. Quit being a cranky old woman.
This is amazing
yes i believe everyone deserves respect no matter what age. yes it serves me very well. my yard work gets done by kids in my neighborhood. i pay them for it. my side walks get shovled i pay for that too. my house is never egged. my cars have never been keyed or broken in to. nothing of mine gets damaged or stolen. my son has people to play with and i am Aunt amy to the world. Kids love me. and i Love them. i give them the same respect that i want from them. and it is what i teach my son. everyone throughout history had been striving for equality. everyone is equal to me. if your a jerk you get treated like a jerk. if your nice you get treated nice. that is they way life should be.
I grew up with a person like this down the street. This was a grumpy old man that didn't like us drawing (with washable chalk) end zone art on the sparsely traveled street of NFL teams for our touch football games. The grump called the city to wash the chalk from the street. Of course, now I'm turning into that grump myself as I see these unruly kids playing around in the street in front of my house and sometimes cutting across my yard on their way home from school. Stay out, you disrespectful kids!!
When you're 89 you do not want to deal with the brats crap. They need to leave that woman alone and let her live out the rest of her life in peace. Those parents aren't any better. Tell the kids to be careful with the ball. If it goes in her yard, they can ASK her permission to go and retrieve it. It's her property and they are trespassing. Those kids have no manners and neither do the parents.
I think everyone should use spell check before they type first of all. Second of all, the children should stay out of her yard. If she told them ahead of time what the consequences would be, what's the problem? I have 3 kids. If it happened to one of them, I would tell them, "Hey, she told you that she would keep the ball and if it was in her yard, then it's hers." It's annoying when children trample on people's rights, especially the elderly, then their parents validate the kids' rude behavior by calling the cops. If it was my grandmother, I'd be all over the children's parents over this and calling the cops everytime the children stepped in her yard. The parents are at fault here for taking the police away from real police work to handle something so ridiculous. Parents need to teach children respect of other people's property and the elderly!
PEOPLE its a ball its not like there littering or poring weed killer on her lawn. Everyone thinks just because people are old they get a pass. I mean come on there KIDS maybe there no other place to play.
"Billy, because you don't have to wait until someone destroys your lawn before you defend your rights to say what happens on your property so it doesn't happen."
JD I agree with you to a point...But these are kids not criminals...no need to "defend your rights"...its not an invasion, just tell the kids to stay off and leave it at that
This elderly lady simply has nothing better to do with her days than torment children. While playing ball it sometimes does get away from you. If no damage was done the old lady simply should have told the children to take the ball and don't let it happen again. If the ball or toy in left in someone elses yard at the end of the day then it should be up for grabs on ownership but if you go and get it immediately after it gets away from you it shouldn't be such an issue. This old lady has a mean streak in her.
Billy, because you don't have to wait until someone destroys your lawn before you defend your rights to say what happens on your property so it doesn't happen.
I think you all need to revisit the story. NO ONES said they were in her yard. The ball landed in her yard. No ONE said they were disrespectfull. NOT even her. she siad she waits in the door till a ball lands in her yar and it is hers.. it isn't it never was. she is wrong. give the kids there ball or let them get it. better yet go in the house and stop being a trouble maker. That is the right thing to do. Nothing got damaged. noting was ruined. she is a jerk. and the parents did the right thing by first going over there and 2nd calling the poliece. who gave her the option of giving the ball back or get a ticket. she refused athority and would not accept the ticket and so she got arrested. as well she should of been.
Stay out of the Granny's yard billy it's called trespassing!
Amy, Disrespect doesn't only come in verbal form. They didn't have to yell at her or call her names. The mere fact that they repeatedly refused to respect the wishes and request of the property owner by repeatedly allowing their ball to go in her yard was disrespectful in and of itself. If I run you off the road repeatedly or throw cigarette butts on your property (even though you ask me not to) those are acts which show my lack of respect for you as a fellow human and for your rights (even as a property owner). The fact that she is an old lady and they are kids does have an impact here. You are obviously one of those folks who feel that a ten or fifteen year old is due the same respect as an 80 year old. Must serve you well in you egalitarian utopia world.....
Growing in a nice neighborhood in Tampa(yes its possible), We played football, rollerhockey, basketball in the street. We had one neighbors who got irrate if the ball rolled into his grass. So we just simply moved down the street. Down the street there where more parked cars in the street. It was hard lesson to learn but i knocked out my two front teeth. 12 years i still dont regret the decision to move down the road. Teach the parents some parenting and STAY OUTTA PEOPLES YARDS.
Seriously everyone that says it landed in her yard she can keep it obviously doesn't know much about the law. If you park a car in someones driveway does it mean you can keep it NO. You can get that said item removed (e.g. get a car towed) but you cant take it, that's why they can legally arrest her. I lived next to someone like her growing up and it sucked. When you accidentally throw a ball in a neighbors yard it doesn't mean you should get yelled at and have stuff taken from you. What an old spiteful bag.
After reading the Mother's comments, do any of us have to ask where the child in question learned disrespect for others? It does not matter if the neighbor was 86 or 36....the woman has a right to protect her personal interests and property.
If the child apogized with the attitude displayed by the mother, no wonder she did not return the ball.
Lynn M.
Hey wait...I didn't read anywhere that the kids destroyed her lawn...so why is everyone making such a big deal about it??
This is part of the ongoing harassment from the police. I believe it is much easier for them to arrest little old ladies, than real criminals. I am appalled by some of the similar stories I read, and this is just another example of an out of control justice system. When I was a kid, and my ball ended up in a not so understanding neighbors yard, I felt lucky if I got it back, if I didn't, it was my fault, I knew better. Coddling your kids to the point of calling the police is criminal. These kids obviously have been harassing this poor woman, and should have been the one's arrested.
You go Jack!
How is it theft to keep a ball that lands through no fault of your own in your yard? Isn't it vandalism or littering or something to throw the ball into her yard? Really, the parents that pressed charges need a serious wake up call. They're destined for a lifetime of issues with these kids.
GOD BLESS, GRANNY ! Let the kids go to the park that tax money helped create for that purpose. No wonder the kids have no respect, look no further than the parents
Thanks Chris. I don't pretend to be a lawyer, and it's nice when someone can shed some light on a common saying. Some people, like Matt, just don't know how to make a point without calling others names.
Amy, you said if she was 20 it would be a different issue. I disagree. I am 22 and I am very particular about my lawn and property. I personally like to protect my rights. In a country that asserts itself as the land of the free and then slowly takes those rights away, I want to hold onto every bit I can. I've spoken to my neighboors about their kids knocking over the Halloween decorations. I've spoken to both kids parents and it was resolved quickly. This is probobly because we are all military and respect is huge in the military. Or it could be that 1st Shirts could get involved. But the fact is that if we really are a society, than the parents should respect her as much as she should respect the kids.
Hey Matt, if you think you can throw things into my yard and then declare that they are mine and I want them back and you threaten to sue... I would plant my size 12 boot up you ass and smile all the way to the court house. Its my property and if I do not want the rug rats in my yard, that should be and will be respected.
Ebay the football! Or better yet, get the local senior citizen community or residence to picket outside the culprit's house.
Disrespect to older citizens in our culture has got to stop.
"You are dangerously ignorant on this subject -- please stop dispensing the garbage that is your pitiful misunderstandings. She is ILLEGALLY in possession of the football. The kids can sue to get it back, and the cops can force her to give it back. Title to personal property does not change when it lands on somebody else's real property. "Possession is 9/10 of the law" is just an ignorant saying with no basis in fact. ."
Matt | 10.23.08 - 11:43 am |
Matt, it's ironic that you call him ignorant when you are the one who is ignorant, especially with this statement.
If the kids can sue the lady in order to get their football back then it becomes a CIVIL MATTER which the police absolutely cannot get involved in. That's been the basis of this issue all along. It's a civil matter and the cops had no business getting involved.
Now go get your shine box.
I've been on both sides, and honestly, I think there are mediating variables that affect both sides. It is annoying if the kids repeatedly do this, why should the woman have to be constantly annoyed by inconsiderate people? That's not fair. And why would their parents not care that they are imposing on their older neighbor? If it's infrequent and the kids are quiet and polite about retrieving the ball and don't bother her or her privacy, that's a different story. Then of course, let them get their ball. In fact, they could even brighten her day. I think consideration and fairness should be the guiding principles, not sanctifying youth or old age. But the fact that these parents called the police suggests that they are takeovers who feel entitled to do as they please and then try to manipulate the law. If anyone should be charged, it's the kids for trespassing. My kids have lost many an errant ball, but let's use the law and trace liability, and it seems that the risk of losing a ball is obvious. Deal. Modify your behavior, either get better at ball, be more polite to your neighbor, or play somewhere else.
Amy I think you are one of those parents whose children never do anything wrong. And you feel that an apology is enough. I imagine that if your child fell in a neighbors yard and landed on something (a rake, a pointy stick, a beartrap...)and got hurt, you'd sue for damages against the homeowner. "how dare you leave things like that in your yard, there are children in this neighborhood!"
We live in a country where we can't take the law into our own hands.
That being said. She should have called the police if the kids were on her yard without permission.
The kids shouldn't have been there.
She shouldn't have taken the ball.
She did take the ball and refused to give it back, I think she needed to be taught a lesson. I do not discriminate/show favoritism based on any factors.
However I do think the kids need to learn some respect.
I really don't think either party did the right thing here.
THE FOOTBALL WAS IN HER YARD. HOW CAN SHE BE CHARGED WITH THEFT? SHE HAS REPEATEDLY ASKED THESE CHILDREN NOT TO PLAY IN HER YARD. THEREFORE, THE CHILDREN & THEIR FOOTBALL WERE TRESPASSING. WHY WERE THE CHILDREN OR THEIR PARENTS ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING?
Damn kids. Let them use the park. Dig a few holes in the yard, place the claymores and wait for the party to begin..
JD,
This being the United States and not Russia (which thank you for reminding me, I nearly forgot) we have a court system for a reason... Besides the idea of her protesting, if she felt so strongly about the charges she could have gone to court and plead not guilty..the case probably would have been thrown out because of how stupid this whole scenario is and that would have been that (wait isn't that was happened to a lesser extent??)
I agree, the kids should respect her...but this whole argument of "it landed on her lawn and now its her property" is wrong. The ball is still property of the kids... she has the ball and claims its hers...she has broken the law. Both parties in this scenario are wrong.
The way I see it, I was an extremely careful and respectful kid (in the '80s no less). I expect the same level of respect from children that I showed to my elders when I was their age. If I get it, great. If I don't, there's going to be a problem.
These children are behaving in ways I would have found repugnant at their age. Therefore, I side with the lady of the story. God bless her aged heart, she remembers a time when children were not hooligans tromping all over other people's property, and she refuses to submit to the faltering standards of today's America. Good for her!
I suspect that those of you who support the children in this do so for one of two reasons. Either you behaved this way yourself when a child, and thus feel there is nothing wrong with it, or you have little monsters of your own and refuse to parent them properly, and thus feel annoyed toward anyone who draws your poor parenting skills into stark relief.
It is about respect. And there parents did not teach there kids any. If they get hurt playing on her proptery, she could be sued.
I am a mother of a 10 year old boy and i teach him respect. respectfully go apologise for the accident and ask for your ball back. not that this has ever happened because my son is not alowed out of my own yard but if it did and my son went and apologised and asked for his ball back the old B*tch better give it back. if not i would go over there and i would call the cops too.. there would be hell to pay. She would have a barrage of things to complaine about. not just a ball. it is not a matter of the ball it is a matter of self entitlement. she isn't entitled to be a jerk any more than the rest of the world. no matter what her age.
Bottom line, a majority of kids are no longer raised to respect others. And reading these comments I realize that there is a general lack of maturity and manners in adults also. Name calling, threats....geez I wonder where kids today learn this behavior? Weird huh?
So Amy, you're saying that you're afraid of what the neighborhood kids will do to your house if you don't give the balls back? So you condone being terrorized by kids because its not such a big deal, its all in good fun? Where is the limit for you?
This is just stupid. When I was a kid we had one neighbor whose yard we didn't touch. Deal with it kids! And for you parents who think the world should be accomodating to YOUR children contantly, show some respect for others. I am so sick and tired of battleing the breeders of this world. Whether it be the kids balls, strollers, or fit throwing children at the groceery store. Its not always about YOU! We live here too.
It's outrageous this woman was ever charged. If anyone was going to be charged, it seems to me that a charge of malicious trespass against the children and/or their parents was more appropriate given the repeat nature of the offense.
First of all she should have never been arrested and second of all the Blue Ash Police Department must be the laughing stock of this country. The cops are idiots.
If she had asked the kids continually to stop trespassing and the father took no action then she had every right to take that football and keep it. I also heard that the father was also involved in making verbal threats toward the lady. If that is true then the boy needs to go jail for trespassing and the father needs to go to jail for making physical threats. You go lady and teach that jerk of a father a lesson and you keep putting that a**hole kid in his place. If I find anything on my property it's mine and I'm not telling you more than three times. So stay the h** off my property. I am also not an "old fart" as some have been posting on this blog.
Much ado about nothing.
We had an elderly woman like that in the neighborhood where we grew up. We played a lot of wiffle ball on the street by her house. We all knew that she didn't want us in her yard so we made it an automatic out if you hit it in her yard. One kid really got a hold of it once and banged it off her front window. No one wanted to go into her yard and get the ball so she beat us to the ball and kept it.
Our parents didn't call the police. They just told us that us kids knew how she was and should have known better.
The next day the wiffle ball was in the yard of a kid who lived across the street from her.
Too Funny.... I live in a small town in Illinois and when I heard about this it made my day. I couldn't stop telling people about it or laughing. Not that my opinion matters because it really doesn't but since we are all talking crap I might as well join in. The way I see it yes,.. she could have been a picture perfect 89 year old woman that everyone likes. The precious woman that lives down the street and welcomes all kids into her house because she has fresh baked cookies just out of the oven for the whole neighbor hood.AND, .. Yes, .. those kids could have been the polite kids that everyone welcomes into there home no matter what is going on and if your not home your back door is open so that if they want a juice or something to eat they are welcome to come in and help themselves to whatever they want because it is such a good world out there that everyone leaves there door unlocked and property open to all the kids. WAIT ... I am thinking of Leave it to Beaver times. DUH>..
Its the year 2008 people. Its a sueing world. If one of those kids would have fallen and broke something she could have been sued and in todays world she probly would have been. I know plenty of older people that just don't want to be bothered with young kids in there yard anymore. I don't blame them. ITS THERE PROPERTY.... THEY PAY THE BILLS THEY MAKE THE RULES... IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT TO FREAKING BAD. Plus SHE WARNED THEM>>>>>> IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO LISTEN THEN YOU GET IN TROUBLE. What a bunch of A--holes. It has nothing to do with the fact that she is an old lady. She has every right to keep people out of her yard and if the kids won't listen and the parents won't make them listen then do it yourself.
I am on her side.!!!!!!!!!!!
At what age do people go from being funny old men and nice old ladies to becoming raving lunatics? She called the police on kids over a football in the yard? Propertiy rights? Respect? CPS? It's just a stinkin' football that went in a yard!!
I agree the now infamous ball should go on ebay where she can sell it for big bucks to move from a crummy neighborhood where kids have no respect for their elders! Perhaps a nice over 55 community w/ NO KIDS!
"Possession is 9/10 of the law" only refers to situations where you don't know who the actual owner of the property is.
GET OFF MY LAWN
Look, I am a father of 3 with ages ranging from 2 to 8, bottom line is that parents must teach children to respect others property, period. We tell our children, if it's not your yard STAY OUT....consequences?? Losing your football
All of this is just bull. I lived in a culdesac when I was growing up, and our favorite game was to play baseball in the culdesac. Of course we used a tennis ball to avoid damage to anything. But we had on neighbor, who would be considered placed in right center field, who would always take and keep the balls that were hit into his yard.
We accepted this, he ahd a nice yard and did not want it damaged by us kids goofing off, and we mace a rule that if it goes into that one yard, it was an out.
none of our parents cared, we were all taught to respect this man's property and if we put the ball in his yard, that was our loss, our punishment, and us being held ACCOUNTABLE for our actions as kids.
Mystery Meat can't give out his address, since it's prison.
First off, why was granny arrested for petty theft? It is not like she literally took the ball from the kids. According to news report, the ball "landed" in her yard, thereby becoming public property on private property. Maybe there has been an ongoing dispute between granny and the kids, but one would think that kids would have played somewhere else.
If the kids intentionally kicked the ball into granny's yard to provoke her, as far as I am concerned, she should keep the ball till the next millennium.
I am amazed that people are saying "This didn't happen when I was a kid". Give me a break, people do not fundamentally change. Kids will destroy things, like windows & fences, tear up flower beds, walk in your yard, etc, and they always will. It is a cost of living next to people. If you are so in need of privacy and so concerned about your property, move to the country on a nice big piece of land. I can guarantee, no one will bother you again. Of course, it is a bit lonely out there.
No see if she was a 20 year old we wouldn't be having this discussion. you are letting her age be a facter in this. when in reality she is wrong. If she had something in her life she wouldn't be bothered with it. But obviously she doesn't. I draw the line at respect. if they respectfull come ask to get there ball let them. no one in any of the articles said these kids were disrespectfull. no one! she said her self she waits in the door till it happens and runs out to get it cause it is hers. now if yout 10 year old was doing that you would make them give it back and make them do something else. but because she is old she is different? No not in my book. She said this is on going in the neighborhood not with these kids in particular. she is a joke and as time goes by it will onlu get worse for her cause the kids will hate her and more things will happen to her home.. i am thinking eggs on halloween.. at least in my suburban neighborhood that is what would happen. hence i give back the balls.
I mean the alledged ball that you may or may not have in your possession.
"I believe the saying is 9/10ths of the law is possession. But even that aside, there is no law obligating her to return the ball."
You are dangerously ignorant on this subject -- please stop dispensing the garbage that is your pitiful misunderstandings. She is ILLEGALLY in possession of the football. The kids can sue to get it back, and the cops can force her to give it back. Title to personal property does not change when it lands on somebody else's real property. "Possession is 9/10 of the law" is just an ignorant saying with no basis in fact. .
Whomever arrested the old lady needs some time off. You don't know how many times she tried to get the kids to stay out of her yard. Maybe they
ran through her flowers, etc. etc.
Also, kids, once they know they are
'getting to ya' can aggravate you
even more.
I think the parents could have resolved this very easily, by telling their kids to 'keep out of her yard, or you're grounded"!!!!
While in her yard, and in her house,
she has the right to be 'Cranky'.
Ebay the ball Granny!
Just wanted to add to my response to Matt. Taser her? Punch her in the face? Ok, fine. But then let's rename our President to Emporer and we'll call Hawaii: Taiwan. We can build a wall between us and Mexico. We'll be the United States of Wannabe Chinese.
Maybe they should go see Judge Alex or Judge Judy or any of those TV Judges and get this behind them. The parents should make their kids make this right for this old lady and kick some young butt. Maybe DSS can come over and help with the yard work to make sure the kids aren't being unfairly picked on. Leave the old lady alone and repect her right to privacy.
So where do you draw the line Amy? Fives times, twenty times, a daily game of flag footbal in your yard, a rest break from the game in your living room. When the rights of some individuals are no longer absolute and immutable, but determined by the personal wishes of others, we fail in our ability to maintain a functioning society.
Parents of these kids:
Give us your name and address:
How about we come and throw crap into your yard, and see how you like that.
Well, from what I've read, this has been an ongoing thing! How would YOU like it if kids constantly threw things in your yard, whether it was intended or not? I wouldn't. It was a freaking FOOTBALL fer crying out loud! And she got arrested for that? It was on HER property, and all she wanted was for it to stop. It's an 'invasion of private property'. I think the decision to drop these insane charges were the right ones, and it should never have gotten this far in the first place.
Someone mentioned age,and that they have nothing better to do? What does AGE have to do with this? Even **I** wouldn't want kids toys constantly landing up in my yard, either. Some people take great pride in their yard, and they don't want it ruined by 'trash' or items being thrown, tossed or dumped in it! So I say GO GRANNY! I would have done the same thing!
Phfffffffffffft! That's what I say to those who feel Granny was wrong!
Glad something finally could Ron. Hard to find something to be proud of as a Canadian.
"blithering ignoramus"? Can't avoid name calling to prove your point? I believe the saying is 9/10ths of the law is possession. But even that aside, there is no law obligating her to return the ball. There is however laws that define the limits of her property. If the ball is inside those limits, it is hers. The children are essentially giving her the ball. It is their responsibility to remain in posession of the ball, if they cannot do that and it lands within her possession, it is her's. The parents can flash the paper receipt all they want. My point would be ever more valid if she had a fence. Society, the Community, and the City do not own her land. Kids will be kids, but parents must be parents.
Yes i believe every word of it. I own a home and have property and if a ball alnds on my property i let the kids go get it. it is called respect. respect goes both ways. poop happens. balls get away from you. as long as nothing is broken give them there stuff and let them be. be glas they arent out doing drugs or haveing unprotected sex. they are playing ball in front of their homes.. there is a lot worse they could be doing.
This reminds me of the movie The Sandlot.
next time she should insist on admission charges for use of her property as a playground
Matt... written like a true lawyer. Careful what you recommend. Last I checked people who advocate punching old lady's in the face are even higher on the list of intended targets for most, than lawyers or those who try to sound like one.
Every neighborhood has an old woman like this. When I was a kid one of these old ladies called the police on us because we were playing basketball in a friend's driveway. It was 4 p.m. The police showed up and kept shaking their head that someone actually called them. When he confronted her she said she just didn't like hearing children playing outside. I believe he eventually told her that if she didn't like children she should move to a retirement home.
wow tax dollars at work jailing old people cause kids with no respect cant keep their ball out of someone elses yard
hey ya all, you make me proud to be a Canadian!!
I think it is absolutely foolish to even consider arresting this woman. The police should have instructed the Parents of these children to stop playing in her yard, and avoid causing balls to go into her yard. I know we lost many balls [over the years] into certain yards which we knew we were not supposed to go into because of 'cranky-old-ladys'. Never lost any sleep over it. Sometimes we would go in and get balls back, sometimes not, but we never formally complained about the lost balls!
Hey Amy, Did you really believe it when you wrote "This woman found a piece of power something she thinks she has control of and she is gonna do what ever it takes to hang on to it."? Read the Constitution. Its called property rights. The right is hers by law and not something "she found".
If I was the old lady and the cops got involved, I'd take my kitchen knife to the ball before giving it back. These kids have no respect for an old lady. If you can't figure out how to keep the ball on your property, take it to a park.
"Fairness, reason, and simplicity aside, this lady had every right to keep that ball."
No, she doesn't. You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about --ownership of physical property does change title because it lands on somebody else's land. You are a blithering ignoramus. This lady needs to be taught some respect for the law. Haul her down the the station and punch her the face a few times -- I'll bet she'll change her tune them. Or use the taser. Or just throw her in jail and burn the house down to the goddamed ground -- she's clearly of no longer use to the society anyway.
Andrew,
BTW beating it into them somestimes does work....
First. Who said these kids were being disrespectfull? Nothing ihave read says the kids did anything but ask for there ball back. there are bitter lonley old people in theis world who have nothing going on in there lives. who have no power over anything. This woman found a piece of power something she thinks she has control of and she is gonna do what ever it takes to hang on to it. it gives her something to do and talk about. It gives her much needed attention. She should get a life at a seniors center and leave the kids alone. If the kids werent out ther playing she would have nothing to sit in her door and watch. She needs to get a life.
Violet - you need serious therapy. You have obviously had a miserable life and let yourself become hateful and spiteful. What a pity...
Good point Andrew. Just frustrating to know that me and my friends fought for years defending people that willfully ignorant.
RLTW
Frankly, I thought everybody in this country knows that if your ball gets kicked into the "crabby old lady down the street's" yard, it was gone. Pure and simple. It's a rite of passage, isn't it? You're supposed to respect other people's property, and if that ball is in her yard, it's gone. Possession is nine-tenths of the law, and all that.
The parents of these kids are idiots: to charge an 89-year-old woman with petty theft because she refuses to give back a ball their kids kicked into her yard...it's ridiculous, and they should be ashamed of themselves. You teach your kids respect of other people's property, not that they can run roughshod over other peoples's rights because "mommy and daddy will sue." That raises a bunch of self-entitled snobby brats, and we don't need any more of those in this generation.
Kids have no respect for anyone these days. Even if the lady sits in her window looking for an excuse to yell at the kids and the kids know it they should just avoid annoying her. On top of that maybe the families of the children could also be more respectful of the grumpy old neighbor...maybe make a cake and go over and have coffee with her once in a while and make her feel a part of the community and offer a gesture of friendship. These kids should be helping her take out the trash or shoveling her walkway or carrying bundles for her from the store. Maybe she wouldn't be so pissy if the kids and their parents had an ounce of respect for others.
I woulda wacked the ball with a garden rake making numerous punctures, then given it back with the explanation the ball "landed" (wink wink) on the rake.
This has been an onging dispute. So I am guessing she is having a lot of problems with the kids. Two words, properity rights. The police are completly wrong here. She never should have been arrested in the first place. It sounds to me like the cops ordered her to return the ball, they have no right to do that. Since they could not get thier way, they arrested her, way to go. Instead of enforcing her rights, they tried to walk on them, and she would not have it. Good for her. The correct solution is for the parents to teach the children some respect and have them play ball somewhere else, like a park maybe.
James
What she did is called non violent civil disobedience. It used to be an accepted form of protest. Why should she merrily accept a written summons for keeping something that repeatedly shows up in her yard despite her requests to keep it out? Demanding to be arrested was ehr right to raise the profile of the issue and hilight that her rights as a property owner were being violated and last time I checked this is not Russia.
JD - If you really are an Army Ranger, you should already know you are better than Mystery Meat and should just ignore him. You cannot beat common sense into people.
Mystery Meat - I too live in Texas. The law states you CAN shoot someone if you feel your LIFE or PROPERTY are in danger. Excuse me while I practice "Officer...I was soo scared...he was coming after me." Your ignorance of both Texas law and United States law is disgusting. Unfortunatly, due to my respect of the Constitution, I both feel the lady in this story is right in her guarding her property and everything therein and I also feel you have the right to say your ignorant remarks without being beat to a pulp by JD.
Fairness, reason, and simplicity aside, this lady had every right to keep that ball. She owns the land, she makes the rules. Although the situation could have been resolved quickly by her returning the ball, it also could've been solved easily by the parents buying them a new ball. We are not communists, we are Americans. We are free to do as we want as long as it does not infringe on others right's. The Consitution labels one of those rights as Property. The children relieved their right to property when they "gave" the elderly women the ball by throwing it onto her property. She is not obligated to give it back.
Here's the solution, the snobby parents can pay TruGreen or Chemlawn or Scotts to create a lush lawn for the lady to fix the trampled grass and holes, then take care of the yard (mow it, rake it, etc.) all year long for free, pick up the balls and toys that are left in her yard all night long (or possibly could have been left there a couple days), and then we'll need a lawyer to draw up a contract that indemnifies her if one of the kids gets hurt on her property. Isn't there an attorney named Deters that can take up this frivolous matter for the parents? Why don't we know that family's name?
Wow. I think this whole thing got handled very poorly. I feel bad for the police who had to come out to settle this. The parents should have hauled the kids over to her house and made them apologize. Unfortunately I rarely see kids who have even the slightest idea of what private property and respect is. I moved from my last house because 4 kids from the house up the street would come down and throw blackcat fireworks into my horse pasture to try to spook my horses into running around. I called their father and walked over to their house on several occasions. He said that it wasn't his kids. So I put up a camera and showed him video of his kids doing it. Then he told me if I didn't stop harassing his kids and that he worked 12 hours a day and so what they did when he wasn't around couldn't be helped. I left a paper in his mailbox that stated the laws and penalties in the state that had to do with the harassment of livestock. The kids stopped for a while, I guess they ran out of fireworks. Then it started again. Finally I called a deputy out and he talked to the dad and kids, they stopped throwing fireworks and started climbing into the pasture and waving sticks at the horses. We had to move. I can understand this woman's frustration. Some parents just refuse to believe that their children can do anything wrong. More frightening than that, some parents are so busy just trying to keep food on the table that they never have time to see their kids, much less monitor their behavior.
"I'm in my 60s so the cops think of me as 'elderly' and therefore, somehow, 'frightened and mentally decrepit', which, believe me! I would use to my benefit, should I ever feel like blowing away a trespasser. "Oh boo hoo! I was so scared! I'm just a little old lady with no one [but my guns] to protect me!"
That kind of thinking will get you sent to prison for the rest of your life. You must see a weapon or be verbally threatened to shoot a trespasser who does not actually enter the house. So go ahead -- you'll be in jail. Or hopefully, in the electric chair. I'd love to be there to smell your skin burn, you old sack of useless sh!t.
Hey JD, maybe you should read the story first. She said she doesn't like the fact that the play ball in the street and their own yard, she doesn't like the noise. And when did it suddenly morph into them having a round robin tournament on her front porch? They were playing somewhere else and the ball flew (yes, they do do that) into her yard. There was no harm done to her or her property, she just doesn't like anyone else around her. I love how all these people act like they're being raped because a ball goes in their yard. Get over yourselves. And yes, I live next to a public pool and often find balls, frisbees etc in my back yard. Do I cackle fiendishly while running their playthings through a tree shedder, taking vampiric joy as their cherubian eyes fill with tears? No, I throw it back over the friggin fence and go about my day.
The bottom line of this is that yes kids should be allowed to have fun. No one has said otherwise. A once or twice ball in the yard should be addressed with respect both ways but after once or twice the parents should have told the kids to play differently to avoid the ball going in the lady's yard. The kids parents could have avoided this whole issue by simply teaching their kids to respect others property and talking with the lady. Instead the chose to support thier kids disrespectful behavior and made the situation worse. If the kids lesson learned was supposed to be don't take crap from people then why should the lady have to take crap from the kids?
Hey Mystery Meat,
Sounds like your the father of these juvies.
People blaming the kids and sharing stories of "blah blah blah my uncle used to come out and threaten kids with a shotgun if a ball went in his yard" disgust me...
Seriously? Its a couple of kids playing football, granted everyone should respect their elders and neighbors even these kids, but elders and and grown men/women must also follow the rules of society.
Its one thing to yell at the kids, and call the parents to complain, but to do this and then make a point by asking to be handcuffed... in my mind that takes any validity out of her argument because shes gone beyond making a point, to just making a scene.
And before everyone jumps on me saying "you don't respect your elders or neighbors and your a bad person" "In my day something something something would happen if you did that" let me just reiterate my point that we all must respect our elders and our neighbors but we all must at the same time have a little respect and understanding for our youth...their the future of this world and if we treat them like garbage and then ask them for respect...well were not gonna get it.
Violet Weed: Go die slowly from cancer. Thanks.
i had a neighbor like that for years. she was a retired school teacher too! i lived on a quiet cul de sac and she would watch the kids (the few who actually lived on the street!) play out her front window and then would complain that the kids were making too much noise, were riding their bikes all over, leaving toys all over, etc. at one point we had a dog that would run all over (he would wait for someone to open the door and then tear outside before we even knew he was anywhere near the door) and we would be having to run around trying to catch him. this woman complained that the dog pooped all over (not true) and about a month after he died we came home and there was a large pile of dog poop on the front stair. this woman had gone around the cul de sac collecting dog poop and then dumped it on our doorstep. my mother confronted her and the woman admitted what she had done - and then my mother proceeded to tell her that our dog had died a month prior, so there was no way any of the poop was from our dog. the woman was highly apologetic and embarrassed, and rightly so! she was a mean person and i don't recall her ever being nice to anyone.
Frankly, I share Edna's frustration. When I purchased my own home I invested in surrounding my back yard with a 7 ft privacy fence so my yard could be the one place I could relax and garden in peace. Then a large family (actually, more than one family) rented the house next door and the barrage began. Their kids -- and some adults -- play soccer morning till night. My fence, which cost me good money from my limited budget, is little more than a goal now, with soccer balls booming off them even into the night. And the balls sail over the fence, too, making mincemeat of my fruit trees, destroying my flower gardens, breaking the windows in my garden shed, even hitting my poor old, half-blind dog in the face. How do you restore trees and flowers that took years to cultivate? I'm even afraid for my dog to be out in my own yard. I've tried and tried to be reasonable and have had numerous chats with the neighbors -- and have always returned the balls -- but believe me, I fully understand where Edna's coming from. Their kids have even thrown their bookbags, umbrellas, etc. in my yard while "playing". Then they either climb over my fence or bang at the door wanting me to retrieve all the stuff they've kicked or thrown into my yard. This can happen several times a day. What in the world are folks like us supposed to do?
I'd of kept the football too. When my neighbors children were young they knew if they kicked a ball over my fence then it was considered lost. I didn't give them back, instead I gave them to my dog to play with. Neighbors should be respectful, they should try and keep their children off her property if they don't want to lose their ball.
Why haven't the brats been charged with trespass? And their parents hauled into court for child neglect?? A resonably well brought up child is taught to respect other people and their property. Is there such a child anymore??? It is sinful, even obscene that an old woman is not allowed the quiet enjoyment of her home in her declining years because parents are unable, or unwilling, to control their children, and to top it off, typical of the way our legal system now operates, throw the burden of the incident back on the victim. Lawyers have successfully managed to destroy the 'resonable man standard' in the US; no wonder stupid things like this are allowed to happen.
This seems very simple to me. The parents of these kids are not teaching them respect, rules, and boundaries. They have no business on the elderly lady's property, it isn't theirs. To expect the elderly lady to explain, respond, or being put through citations, arrests etc is harrassment. These kids will have a sense of entitlementand be a burden to society. Shame on the parents!
I am in a neighborhood where we do let kids retrieve balls like this, but ONLY because we all agree it's OK. We do not allow them to climb the fendes, they must go through the gate. Having said that, if anyone had a problem with it, we wouldn't allow our kids to go in neighbors yards. It is their yard not ours. I can't understand the thinking of those of you that do not feel this woman has the right to control what happens in her yard. Are we in a communist country suddenly. You are not supposed to infringe on the right of another american to persue life, liberty and happiness. If I don't want balls in MY YARD it is my right. ESPECIALLY when the parents could have told the kids to play elsewhere. The cops are complete idiots for even attempting to charge her with a crime. She went to them previously and asked them to stop this and they ignored her constitutional right to control what happens on her property. The city, I'm sure has signs at city hall and various other buildings that say "No roller blading or skate boarding". If they can control what happens on city property why can't she determine what happens on her property? Also, if it's OK for the kids to throw their balls in your yard does that mean they can throw the dog crap in your yard too?
P.S. I happen to live in a state where I could just shoot your a** if you stepped onto my property. I'm in my 60s so the cops think of me as 'elderly' and therefore, somehow, 'frightened and mentally decrepit', which, believe me! I would use to my benefit, should I ever feel like blowing away a trespasser. "Oh boo hoo! I was so scared! I'm just a little old lady with no one [but my guns] to protect me!"
Of course this sort of thing happens in Ohio. But here in Virginia children are taught by their parents to respect the property of others. If that woman had asked the children in the neighborhood to stay out of her yard, in VA they are taught by parents to stay out. Figures!!
Hey Daryl, that's great, and that's your belief, but it doesn't mean that everyone else in the world agrees or is wrong if they don't share your philosophy.
For the record, I don't have a problem with kids playing in my yard either, but I have the ability to see things from someone else's point of view and if someone doesn't want you going in their yard then don't impose yourself - it's as simple as that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C...h?
v=C1sE1E3z7jU
The idiocracy of America. It's sad, but this is probably not too far from the truth.
Johnnie,
So, if my wife and I are walking down the sidewalk in front of your house, and as is customary for a gentleman I am walking on the street side, and my wifes purse strap breaks having her purse fall to the ground and unfortunately rolling just inside your yard, that makes her purse and all the contents then your property?
AGAIN! stop saying the kids went into here yard. Unless you have a quote from the woman or someone else involved in the incident that says she did.
How does it hurt you if a ball lands in your yard?
If your able you can retrieve it and say hi to the kids, it's a way to get out of your chair and have human contact. If your not able then smile and waive as the kids retrieve the ball and say "sorry". Damaging a fence to get a ball would be another story, but none of the articles says that. And if the kids did retrieve the ball so what? Is your lawn made of 24K gold? Will a few steps a couple times per week really destroy your lawn? Kids are safer playing near their own home. They shouldn't have to go to a park or down the street. Can't she be the nice old lady across the street? Instead of a bitter jerk?
Dear Johnnie:
Actually, there is NO state where you can shoot a trespasser, unless they brandish a weapon or otherwise give you a reasonable belief that they will cause you serious physical harm. Likewise, other people's articles and affects do not become yours merely by them landing on your land. Please cease attempting to dispense legal advice, as you clearly know absolutely nothing about these issues and are possibly borderline retarded. Go back to cleaning the monkey cages, you irrelevant, troglodytic fool. IK think someone shoudl burn your f*cking house down on Halloween.
If a kid kicked a ball into MY yard, I'd keep it too, or better yet, I'd puncture it with a knife then throw it out of my yard. I despise kids (and therefore their parents, aka 'breeders'). My property is my property, posted with "NO TRESPASSING" signs. I don't like my neighbors and want them to stay away from me. If they enter onto my land, I will feel 'threatened', but then, that's what the 9-round double-action 44 is for. If their brats' ball lands inside my property line and I keep, give away, or destroy that ball how is that an issue for the GESTAPO (aka 'pigs/police')??
Children are part of life and no one can expect them to behave perfectly all the time. That said, some parents allow their undisciplined children to run wild and expect everyone to simply tolerate their nonsense. When I was a child in the suburbs, I lived next to an elderly couple who did not want anyone walking on their grass. My parents instructed us to stay out of their yard. By and large we did, but occasionally the wind would take a frisbee where it was not thrown and the elderly couple begrudgingly complied with our requests to step on their grass. The article was a little vague; were these kids playing on her property after she's requested that they not or did they simply want to retrieve an errant ball?
Way to go Granny!!!
I haev had issues over the years with the kids on my street trampling my flowers, ripping up my grass, pulling down tree limbs. Even had some kid break a window in my house that I had to pay $400 to get fixed.
I talked to the kids and asked nicely that they stay out of the yard. I have talked to the kids parents and shared my concerns.
The parents did nothing, the kids chose to ignore my requests. I started taking the balls and bikes that have been left in my yard, my drive way and found on my deck. I wasn't trying to be mean, but if these kids and their parents don't respect my space, my yard, my things, I have no great need to respect theirs.
Everything I took was returned when it was asked for. But the message was clear and the distructing of my property stoped.
When parents won't do their jobs, when kids don't get it and when it's not a big enough deal to call the cops something has to be done.
Taking balls, something the kids vaule teaches a lesson that parents don't want to teach.
And FYI .. When all this was going on I had two small kids (teenagers now) who played outside in the proper areas and didn't wreck my flowers, my garagedoor and break any windows.
It can be done and should be done, but only if someone is willing to be an adult and set boundries.
Granny did the right thing and I support her 100%.
it's a ball. just buy your kids a new one and teach them to respect elders staying out of their lawn. what happened to common sense and manners?
Matt,
You're a retard. If it's on her property, she should be able to keep it. If you leave your personal property on my private property, without my consent for however long, (I don't care if it's 30 seconds). It's going to cost you something to get it back. Otherwise, you yourself are breaking the law by trespassing, and is some states, I could just shoot your a$$.
$5 ball = $1000 fine, $500 cost to police department. Lawyers charge both parties $5,000 each. Go America!!! Land of the free.
Hey Alexandria,
read Mommy of two.
I do own property and my wife cant have children so we dont have nay, and yes it is hard sometimes, but I certainly would never take away some innocent childs youthful fun because of something painful in my life. God forbid, someone should walk through someone else's property. It is people like you that care more about private property than nurturing kids dreams and aspirations. Think about if Mickey Mantles neighbors made sure he never was able to play ball. You are so incredibly arrogant.
Mystery Meat,
The lesson of "don't take crap from people" is really going to serve them well when they try to get employment in any field other than hermit....
JD - I'm 50, butthead. And if you think you can take me out, name the time and place.
Hey April, Daryl and "Mystery Meat"..... Using your rational we should just put you out of our misery now because if you are this stupid at what is clearly your young ignorant age, then you will clearly be a burden to society should we allow you to get any older....
This appears to be an ongoing harassment. A ball of some sorts landing in the yard, a knock on the door, have to get up, answer the door only to hear a request to go fetch. How often? How many times a day, week, month? I don't know, but its not something that should be happening in the first place. It seems clear that ball play is being held in an inappropriate area. If a judge were to find her guilty of holding the ball, I would be happy to join a line of hundreds at the judges house. Knock! Knock! Knock! on the door. Excuse me, my baseball is in your yard, return it to me or its petty theft. 2 minutes later.... Knock Knock Knock! Excuse me, my football fell in your yard, return it to me or its petty theft. 2 minutes later.... Knock Knock Knock! Excuse me, my coffee cup landed in your yard, fetch and return it to me or its petty theft. I think you get the idea, and local police don't think its harassment, they seem to think that the home owner is obligated to go fetch.
Besides, once the police were called, I'm not sure that it was possible to simply hand over the ball until the claimant to the ball could demonstrate or prove to a judge that they are the actual true owner of the ball. If another were to come to the door the next day and claim that the ball was theirs, and she already gave the ball to another, she could actually be held liable for the loss of the ball unless she could prove to the judge that she exercised due diligence in determining ownership of the ball when she released it from her care and custody and that any loss was the result of the true owner not presenting him/herself in a timely manner.
If it's her property, she should have counter charged them with trespassing.
Daryl, you do realize that unless your stupidity prevents it, you will be elderly someday too, and will likely have a completely different outlook. You also must realize that one of the great things about this country of ours is that you have the freedom to own property and have the expectation that people stay off your property unless they have permission to be on it. By your logic people should be able to do whatever you want to do and if other people don't like it then they should be bullied until you get what you want. Seriously, what if someone lost a child and it troubles them to hear kids playing in their yard? You couldn't just show a little respect and stay off their property even if you don't agree with it or understand why? What is so hard about that?
"Torch her house on Halloween" ??!!!!
"Matt" you are one of the scariest people on the planet!
Rodney: And the ball was their property, and didn't become hers just because it bounced into her yard. She was the one who wouldn't climb down, and the kids did in fact learn a good lesson: Don't take crap from people.
does anyone even know the real story? maybe if you have had your garden ruined you would be upset, maybe if at 89 you had almost been hit by a football in your own backyard you might get upset, if the football had gone through a window would that have been grounds to keep? just remember we all will be old some day and maybe just maybe you might want some peace and quiet in your own yard!!
I'll say one thing about her - she's got balls.
For you folks who can't understand why it is such a big deal when a few kids run repeatedly into your yard, just think about your frustration when arthritis makes yardwork painful but the pride in having worked and created a nice yard is worth it. Then think how you would feel when you see that work destroyed because of broken plants, crushed grass, worn paths, broken fixtures etc and the offenders are supported by those adult neighbors who are supposed to be teaching their kids respect for others property. Those same parents will be ones filing suit if their kids got hurt in the lady's yard or shocked that their kids gets arrested for a major crime as an adult. If you don't teach your kids to follow the rules required in a functional society then how will they ever learn that as they get older the punishments get more severe?
the lady had obviously made it clear to the kids that she didn't want balls being tossed into her yard so it amazes me that the kids weren't more careful to not let it happen. i don't blame her for keeping the ball - i would too if it were me. i don't think she should be brought up on charges but i do think that she should have spoken with the kids parents as obviously talking to the kids wasn't working.
I am not remotely ashamed of myself. She is a thief who has been given special treatment by the law. When the criminal justice system is broken, vigilant citizens need to exact justice on their own.
BURN THE WITCH!!!
Hey April,
Shut Up!!
If I am harassing young kids at that age, YES!!! Put me out of my misery.
Why does she care if the ball lands in her yard?
Isn't she inside drinking metamucil and dipping her teeth in Wild Turkey? So who cares if Johnny walks past her window to retrieve his ball? God have mercy on the poor sap who spent his life with her.
Mystery Meat, I'm sure that she was there LONG before those kids were. Besides you and several other "meat" heads just can't seem to get it and that's unfortunate. She doesn't have to give a reason. That's her property and those kids don't belong on it, PERIOD.
Some of these comments are ridiculous! Which of you said "get a life?" Are you crazy? SHe's almost 90! Her house and yard probably ARE her life, you heartless creep!!!!
And whoever of you said, "don't live in a neighborhood with kids". Again, she's almost 90! She's probably lived there most of her adult life. THEY moved into HER neighborhood.
I hope I'm that spry when I'm 90.
I've read some dumb posts, but these take the cake.
The lesson that should be learned here is not that the "old lady" should be charged, but that the kids need to be taught to respect others, no matter who they are or how old. That is the problem with today's society - it's all about me, but the last time I checked, the "Earth" revolved around the sun and it is not called "Planet Me".
my parents taught me to respect my neighbors, regardelss if they are elderly or not. We were not allowed to play in other people's yard without permission. kids these days have no disipline or respect. to call the cops over a $15 football that didn't belong in her yard anyway is ridiculous. and please think about Karma, those of you who are wishing harm on this old woman ("her house should be burned on halloween??????), you should be ashamed of yourselves...
I have two small kids, 3 and 5 years old.
We live next to an elderly woman like Edna, who complains about EVERYTHING.
If my kids play in our fenced back yard in the morning, she complains the noise bothers her reading the morning paper.
If we play outside in the afternoon, we're bothering HER naptime.
She complains about our Christmas lights. (single string around roofline)
She complains about the tree in our front yard (it drops leaves in her yard)She actually asked us to cut it down!
She complained when we put up the privacy fence in the back yard to keep the kids safe (she said WE didn't need one and it was a waste of money)
If my husband barbeques on the weekend the smoke irritates her.
She complained when we painted our house. Noise ordnance in our city says it's ok after 7am. She didn't want them in OUR yard before 9am.
She complained about the noise during my son's birthday party. (six 5 year olds playing pin the tail on the donkey at 3pm on Saturday!)
She complained when we planted flowers in our front yard. (she didn't like the color.)
When we had a 4th of July party in our back yard with family, she complained.
NOT about the noise, but that my sister parked on the street in front of her house...
I could go on and on.
GET THE PICTURE, PEOPLE???? Not ALL kids are disrespectful brats, and not ALL old ladies are sweet.
When we first moved in we tried to be nice to her. We made and decorated Christmas cookies for the neighbors. Everyone loved them, except her. She wouldn't accept them because she said they were messy and didn't look very good. (the kids decorated them...)
If we could afford it, we would move.
Give the ball back granny. What a waste of taxpayer's money.
Honestly, I feel for this woman. I lived in a neighborhood for five years and some parents would let their kids do whatever they wanted. This included dropping all their snack and drink containers in anyone's yard (including the common playground) but their own. I don't know how many times I would go out to mow my yard and have to pick up kids toys because they're too lazy to clean up after themselves. In fact, I got to the point where I would throw the toys in my garbage because the kids obviously didn't want to keep them safe.
I hold the parents responsible because they are not teaching their kids to respect the properties of their neighbors. These kids would even wander into our garage if it was open! There was no reasoning with the parents because their kids never did anything wrong (that was their attitude).
they should lock her up for being a bitter old hag. her yard didn't look that great anyway
This is a joke and the parents of the child culprits should be brought to justice for wasting our time and taxpayers money. Also putting elderly woman thru duress for something totally insignificant.
When my neighbors kids throw their balls over my fence for umpteenth time, I chuck em into the woods. I am guilty too, come arrest me!
This hits so close to home. When I was a boy, we would play wiffle ball in our yard. Frequently, the ball would go into our neighbor's yard. She built her chain linked fence upside down so the stakes would face up and she also padlocked all of her gates. Additionally, she would watch us out the window and when a ball went into her yard, she would run out, grab it and take it inside. We never called the police, but it did become a game to see how fast we could jump the fence, get the ball, and get out. But, this isn't the end of the story. When she would leave, her husband would come over, hang out with us, and give us our balls back. Later, when I was in my 20's, the couple passed away and their estate sold the house. The new owners were talking to my parents and said they found about 20 wiffle balls in the garage when they moved in. We all had a good laugh.
Today, I have 2 kids, 8 and 6. We play wiffle ball in our front yard. Our tree catches most of the balls, but occasionally, a ball will go in a neighbor's yard. The difference is that all of our neighbors have welcomed us and our kids to play outside. All of our neighbors are older and get a kick out of watching the kids play outside and do not mind at all if an occasional ball ends up in their yard. Our kids also talk to our neighbors and show them the respect they deserve (our neighbors address our kids by their first names and our neighbors are always addressed as Mr. or Mrs.). We are trying to teach them to respect other's property, but the key here is that they are welcomed into their yards and driveways to play and talk. We have good neighbors and we try to be good neighbors. In fact, once, when we sent our kids to deliver our next door neighbor's mail that was inadvertently delivered to us, they both came back with individually packaged cups of ice cream. We love our neighbors.
All this aside, we still had an issue once but we dealt with it as good neighbors. Three sets of parents sat down with their kids and got to the bottom of the incident. The truth came out and the situation was made right. The police were not involved, no one placed blame, and the parents of those involved took responsibility for the actions of their children. All said, I think we became stronger neighbors after the incident because we faced the incident head on and resolved the issue to everyone's satisfaction.
I guess I would conclude by saying that everyone should get to know their neighbors. Welcome them into your life and hopefully they will welcome you into theirs. A yard is just a yard, but good neighbors are a gift. Be a good neighbor, establish good relationships with your neighbors, and all of this maybe could have been prevented.
You people who are talking about tresspassing and rights need to re-read the article. You are assuming things that are not in the article. In all 3 articles about this incident I read, there is not one mention of her accussing anyone of ever entering her property, either to play, to retrieve a ball, or for any other reason. If they were playing in her yard against her wishes that would be terribly wrong, and I doubt the kid's parents would be supporting them on this. And if the kids were entering her property without her permission she wouldn't now have the ball. So the only thing that we know happpened here is that occassionally a ball accidentally enters her yard (footballs bounce funny sometimes). The kids asked for the ball back and she wouldn't give it. Why? No matter how old she is, she's a jerk.
You people who think we should euthenize the elderly make me sick and are a disgrace to the human race... YOU will be elderly someday, dont you want the same rights and repect you have now? This woman just wants to be able to have some privacy and the mother who called the cops on her should be ashamed of herself. what is this world coming to? That mother should have taught her children to respect others and stay in their own dam yard...
This is absolutely ridiculous. This woman is a criminal and should be treated as such. She is getting special treatement because she his old, white and female, and this is not acceptable. She needs to be charged and given a trial like everyone else. And since there are no disputed facts in this case, this old bag needs to be sent to the slammer. Maybe then she'll think twice before stealing other people's property next time. I hope her house is torched on Halloween.
Idiocy all around but at least, according to this story, the kids weren't playing in her yard the ball just went over the fence I'd have to say the problems lie not with the kids (who are just kids and wanted their ball back. You know, like a bunch of KIDS!) but with the old woman, the police, and the kids' parents, who obviously played a roll in what happened. I doubt the kids wanted this old lady arrested. The police definitely didn't want to arrest her. The parents involved the police. Classic overreaction by all parties involved.
Hey jerks, quit blaming the kids and talking about how lucky they are they don't grow up in your neighborhood. I guarantee that if there are in fact any children growing up where you live they routinely do things just as stupid as letting a ball go into a grumpy old lady's yard. So get off your high horses and give them a break!
I lived in Augusta, GA for 20 years and had a neighbor with two children (boys), that consisently kicked their football onto my yard. I had a five foot high cyclone fence, where the boys consistently climbed the fence to retrieve their football. Eventually the fence was damaged as a result of the boys climbing over my fence. I talked to the father about his boys climbing over the fence, and now there is damage to my fence. The father stated I mas making a big thing over nothing. After that discussion, I kept every ball that I found on my property. I believe the father realized it was geting too expensive to continue to buy new balls for his boys, the problem ended. To beat it, we had a ball field across the street where we lived, which they "never" played on. I guess I just don't understand the law, and the charge of theft. The granny did not go over on their property and steal the ball, it was onn "her" property...you go Granny.
cant the kids play a bit further down the block ? I grew up in a similar situation and we were told not to play in front of the woman's home or go to the park. What is wrong with that ?
Wow Woz, what a poisonous attitude you have... If someone doesn't want you in their yard then stay away - it doesn't make them right or wrong, it just means they don't want you in their yard. You think someone should be killed because they wouldn't let kids play in their yard? Unbelievable... The sense of entitlement and lack of respect that people have is mind-blowing. We had people in our neighborhood like this growing up too, and after you were warned once, you knew that if you let your ball go into their yard you just might lose it, and that was that. There could be reasons or events that have happened to this person throughout their long lifetime that have given them an aversion to kids that you have no idea about, so at the least you can show some respect for rules that people set on their own property whether you agree with them or not.
The true story goes something like this: The grandmother asked if she could play ball with the kids. Granny went on a slam dunk festival that rocked the entire neighborhood. The kids actually gave her the ball because they were so impressed
Euthanize the elderly and turn there bodies into a low cost high protein fertilizer to grow crops in Arizona.
If you have so little going on in your life that you become riled up over a football being overthrown and landing in your yard, you are obviously of no use to the world anymore.
This woman lives in Ohio, has she seen the Browns or the Bengals play? They cant exactly throw a perfect pass.
I agree that we should euthanize WOZ, today if not sooner.
poor old lady ... Give her some privacy . and for heavens sake , its just a ball .. The cops shud have just bought that kid a new ball and done with the crap ...
The parents and the kid , need to be arrested on grounds of harassing the lady ...
Freak , what crazy things happen in this country , coz of stupid people and laws attached to them .
too bad the lady did not file trespassing charges against her neighbor(s). i would not be surprised if the neighbor is a public servant who has the know-hows and the connections. this could be a nice case for an attorney who wants a 15-minute fame. too bad neighbors can't be neighborly?
Woz and Kevin are walking arguments for abortion. I bet those two little losers are boyfriends in federal prison. Say hi to Michael Vick for me, losers. I bet Mikie the dog murderer played in the neighbor's yards without their permission too.
Charles Bro: Actually what the kids learn here is the difference between right and wrong. The old shrew was wrong, refused to accept she was wrong and turned a "problem" that could be solved by tossing the kids' ball back to them into a national issue.
If you hate kids that much - don't live in a neighborhood where some of them are growing up.
Is anyone else really afraid of C. Orrell? Sounds like a water heater about to pop to me. Where is national security when you need it?
Children of the ACORN.
We have neighbor kids that once in awhile accidently send a ball over the fence. Since we are complete jerks, we have no problem sending it right back over.
I wouldn't have filed charges over a ball, but this woman needs to get a life. Kids are just kids, and a finders keepers attitude won't teach them anything worth while.
1. Stay out of her yard, you little whippersnappers.
2. Yes, this situation is not ideal...a world where the elderly's desire for peace and quiet could be balanced by a child's desire to run and play shouldn't be that hard...but if nobody makes the effort to mend fences, or be kind, that's the world you get.
3. If you are a parent of one of these children, and you are so stupid as to force the issue instead of finding a reasonable way around it, and your kids are right in the middle of it, the lesson you teach your children is that:
A. Don't respect the elderly (She's almost 90, people!)
B. Every conflict should be escalated.
C. Small issues should be grown into large issues in your life, creating massive stress over nothing, while ACTUAL problems get no focus
D. If you don't get your way, just continue to whine about it until, hopefully, somebody in 'authority' get s tired of your whining and takes your side just to shut you up.
Quite the formula for success in life.
When I was a youngster this wouldn't have happened. We were taught to respect all our neighbors, especially the elderly. All she would have had to do was make one phone call to my Mother or Dad and that would have been it.
My neighbors all went out of their way to help one another. We had an elderly next door neighbor, I brought her paper to her, mowed her lawn, helped paint her house or helped her anytime she needed something. I also respected her property and absolutely have that same respect for other peoples property to this day.
Our neighborly attitudes would have solved the problem long before it became an issue and granny would probably welcomed her young "friends" to use her yard. Those "precious" kids, don't blame them, the problem is with their parents. More than one of the brats has already posted here.
Those kids better be glad they didn't live in Georgia around my uncle ! He lived next door to a small ballfield, and his garden was between his house and the ballfield. Woe unto the person who went to retrieve the ball cuz out would come uncle with his shotgun ! No he never shot anyone but believe me,over time, those people KNEW they could play ball but they couldn't trespass.
Gee I think we need more old-timers.
Wow Kevin! Blowing up an elderly lady's mailbox and mowing down her flowers. That's something to be really proud of. Does that make you feel like a big man now? Unfortunately you are exactly what those neighbor kids are going to become. What a sad sack!
The Texans who would shoot the children for trespassing need to remember to make sure the bodies are kept on your property when the police arrive and be sure to shoot them from the front and not in the back. Follow these tips and you should be all set. Go Obama!!!
The world is full of nasty people. That old biddy is one, and so are a lot of posters here.
BTW, I live in Texas and we DO NOT (thank God) have a law here that allows you to shoot trespassers on sight. The jerk from DFW doesn't know anything.
Sorry to hear about the grannie going to jail. So much for respect of the elderly. The parents are the ones who should be talked to for raising such little brats. Face it we all know how kids CAN and DO go out of their way to irritate someone. And yeah, the old lady wants piece and quiet. So do I and I am not that old. Come on! Get a grip people!
Yeah, true. It's her property and whatnot but.. she doesn't have to be such a witch. I had the same thing happen with me as a kid. Some whiny old hag of a neighbor would keep our balls (soccer balls, footballs, etc...) and sometimes even destroy them in front of us. I don't see why people throw such a fit if a kid runs across the yard to retrieve a ball.
Although, I suspect there might be more to the story though.
Also, just because you have a small yard does not give you the right to go into a neighbors yard if your ball goes too far. You should by a bigger yard, or a yard with no neighbors. If is not the fault of the old lady that these people could not afford a bigger yard for their kids. At 89 years old it's not easy to get up all the time and get a ball outside for some kids, I would probably do the same thing at that age.
Sounds like the people with these kids need to get a bigger yard.
Property ownership is just that, you can do what you want under the law with your property. And if you don't want balls or kids coming into your yard that is your right.
Say a ball comes into my yard, my dogs will chew it apart. So what do all you dumbos think, my dogs are responsible and I should buy you a new ball? WRONG, in fact I could hold you responsible if any injuries occurred to my dogs because of you ball landing in my yard (ex. My dogs fight over the ball and get injured). Also in NY state my dogs can legally kill you if they are protecting their property, so get it through your thick skulls. A neighbors yard, is not your yard. Props to the guy in TX that shoots trespassers, every state should have this law.
Stephen (Upstate, NY)
You people who agree this woman should have kept the ball need to get a life. Older people wonder why no one comes to visit...If they weren't so crabby maybe people would.
It's a ball not a bomb! Give the ball back to the kids!
Hey Woz
Your parents clearly should have used a condom instead
"Let me not critize my neighbor until I've walked a mile in his shoes".
I really think the parents who filed should be brought up for harassment charges. They could have simply spoken with Edna Jester to get the ball back with a written promise from the kids that they would play ball elsewhere. I also think there is no case because according to Blue Ash Police Capt. James Schaffer, "The actual rule is if you take the property of another and convert it to your own use, it's theft." Was Edna planning on starting her own team, or what? Edna should get a lawyer and sue the parents who filed a complaint AND the city.
Hey Woz! Perhaps we should euthanize people like you. Do you not have any respect for other people and their belongs. You know . . . that's what's wrong with our society today. No one respects anyone anymore. When you meet a very well behaved, polite young person, you know for sure that they were taught to respect others. I feel sorry for you . . . and I feel sorry for anyone that feels as you do.
This is why I have a 6 foot privacy fence around my property.
Boy oh boy, where do I begin. First of all to those of you who take up for the those bratty kids and their parents thinking the old lady was in the wrong, you are apparently from the same breed as the kids' parents who threw the ball. You think "awww, poor little junior lost his ball to the mean ol' granny....even though the granny TOLD my kids to stay out of her yard......who is SHE to take my kids' ball and be the queen of her own domain (even though she has the deed that shows ownership, I'm sure)......poor junior would never be the same if I actually DISCIPLINED him for misbehaving....no, I think I'll let him do whatever he pleases in life and let him turn from a mini-troublemaker into a big troublemaker someday that just might land himself in jail for a bigger offense than an errant football.....then I'll be SO proud of my little munchkin"!! Oh puullllleaaazzzze....give me a friggin' break. RAISE YOUR KIDS TO BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS AND THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM. We have had similar problems in our neighborhood. A couple of years ago my husband was out by the shed and there were two boys (who didn't see my hubby) throwing rocks at our house and put two huge holes in our siding. Guess what? Not only did my husband call the cops but the cops marched down to juniors house, told his parents about it and told them that we would press charges immediately if plans were not made to fix our home themselves. Lo and behold, the next day the boys' dad came down to our house and made him apologize and made arrangements to make his son HELP the contractor fix our house. And he did it. And the boy will someday be better for it. He hasn't bothered our home or anyone else's since (and we didn't even know them before so no, there wasn't any previous animosity....just two boys up to mischief).
The most recent thing is our neighbors next door. Now I live in TN....not all of us are classified as hillbillies.....but yes, there are some of them, too, and some moved in next door (the worst day of living in this neighborhood was the day they moved in). Their FOUR kids (ages 5 - 9...their mom is only 25 and doesn't know who the father is to one of them and cheats on her now-husband every day while he's at work with a different toothless hillbilly....not rumor....I see it myself out the window!!) are CONSTANTLY using our yard as a "sidewalk" to another neighbor's yard, playing in our yard, throwing things in our yard, etc. We have told them repeatedly to stay out of our yard as we have a large dog that would love to get a piece of them (good girl, Cheyenne) but do they listen? No. And the hillbillies next door think we're just being mean to their little brats. So! Anything that comes into our yard, we don't just keep, my husband retrieves it and throws it away now. He used to give it back. Until the day we SAW them throwing ROCKS INTO OUR POOL from their yard (the older two of the brats can throw pretty far). And we will continue to keep things. And WE have called the cops on them ourselves who have talked to the parents about it. It makes it better for a few days but then they just start again. But at least if they come into our yard and get hurt or if Cheyenne bites the crap out of one of them in OUR yard, there is a record with the police department showing we have told them to stay out and they wouldn't. So I'd fight them in court with every tooth and nail. I'd move out of the country before I'd pay those people a dime!
So............YOU GO GRANNY!!
NO NO NO she is not at fault. The parents of those kids are. You MUST teach your children to respect other people's property. They could have gone over there and explained that if the ball goes on to her property they would retrieve it. NO NO NO it is not her, it is the parents. Look at the world, teacher want to carry guns in the class rooms, kids are not being taught to respect each other they tease, fight, act out and it is parental responisable. we are making them as stupit as we are. It is not her fault. IT is her property. This is still America. We should all have the right not want someone to enter our property at will
One thing missing here is that the woman ASKED TO BE ARRESTED. She refused to accept the summons, and SHE ASKED TO BE HANDCUFFED. Why people are bashing the police is beyond me. The only one who has escalated the issue is the woman in question.
Hey Steve in Houston... She didn't steal their ball they repeatedly threw it onto her property. If it is okay to ignore her wishes as a property owner then I can't wait until you actually work all your life for something and someone else acts like you wishes regarding your property are secondary to their desire to play wherever they want. She didn't care if they played ball, just that her rights to determine the use of her property be respected.
Drop the granny a pumpkin pie this Weekend. Ask to mow her lawn next year. Say nothing about the ball. The ball is not important.
Look, this was Edna's yard, she has probably sacrificed for years to have a comfortable home with privacy. If she doesn't want kids in it, she shouldn't be forced to have kids or thier balls in it. The parents of these kids have not done a very good job of teaching them to respect others, especially thier elders. This is elder abuse folks and these stupid parents and their kids are the ones who should be arrested. They owe this lady an apology.
I am a senior citizen, although not in my 80s. Both my front yard, and my back yard is fenced. Why? Because I do not want the neighborhood children or any animals in my yard. Why? Because I have all sorts of lawn figurines . . . statues, stakes, gazing globes, that I treasure and do not want broken. I have children living next door.
At one time, they were jumping over my fence to get their ball, etc. I talked to them and asked them to please not throw their balls towards my yard because I didn't want my things broken. I also told them if I caught them in my yard again, I would keep their ball. I did tell them that if they came to me and requested that they have their ball back, I wold give it to them. I just didn't want them in my yard. I don't want my flowers crushed by a ball crashing upon them. I don't want my pretty gazing balls shattered. I don't want my garden trampled. It is my private property. Yes, the ball is their property, but when it is on my property, they need to ask before jumping or climbing over my fence. Likewise, the children should have respected the woman's yard and politely asked for their ball the first time it happened. Then, perhaps the woman and the children would have been able to get along. I get along very well with the children living next door . . . now that they know that my yard is off limits. My yard is my little corner of the world, and I can keep it private if I so wish.
And one more thing. I love these ultra liberal posts from people wondering what's wrong with the kids retrieving the ball from her yard. Yeah, everything's ok until something gets broken or somebody gets hurt. Then what? I'd like to see some of you who believe this is ok get the pants sued off of you for once. I'll look forward to your reaction then. Wake up and be part of reality for once. What a bunch of sheep.
So what do you do now, Kevin? Break into houses. Where are you writing from, prison? You were a worthless little creep as a youngster and now you're a worthless big creep. I hope you enjoy your future life in hell, creep.
I think she's right on....what about possession is 99% of the law? It's on MY property - prove it's yours. I don't mind kids losing stuff into my yard or running by but if they're doing it constantly and they're not modifying HOW they play, then yes, we have a problem! Go Granny!
This old witch needs to be euthanized. Where in the article does it say that this was an ongoing problem? What if the kids were playing ball in the street and it bounced into her yard? Aren't there any athletets out there who grew up playing ball? Or are we all a bunch of sissies who think walking on the grass is a felony offense? I think the kids should throw rocks at her until she crumbles...
I totally agree with the woman. What is this world going to be like when these little heathens grow up and control the world? They are being raised with the silver spoon you-know-where, and have everything given to them, so, they will expect the same thing when they reach "adulthood". Of course, they will be living with mummy & daddy, who will still be protecting their little "precious angels" who can't do any wrong.
I can't wait for the parents of these little demons to grow old and have the same thing happen to them. Although, by then the attitudes of the world might be so bad, that the neighbours will be expected to buy new balls for the kids, because it's the neighbour's fault that the kids ball landed in their yard.
So, to all you parents out there that expect everyone else to raise your kids, "Take responsibility for your own little brats, the rest of us were not put here to take care of your little monsters".
As I heard from an announcer that got in trouble for saying this...."IF YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEM...DON'T HAVE THEM!"
A flying football can do damage to anybody, especially an older person. She could have been afraid to use her yard. Who wants to be in the privacy of their yard and have any flying object strike without notice. I think she has grounds for charging the neighbor with assult or endangerment. The neighbors are jerks.
Hey Dee,
What the heck do you mean respect is earned? The problem today is that people like you don't think that they should be respectful to anyone unless they do something to earn it. Old people have put their time in on this earth and that is HER yard. I was taught that you have to give respect to get it and growing up I was taught that kids should always be respectful to elders. She has made it clear that she does not want them on her property and in the United States that is her right. Too many like you want to teach kids that old people have to respect kids and treat them like they would adults. WRONG! The kids should have been taught to say "Yes maam" and then comply with her wishes when it came to her yard. Lack of respect to elders and authority figures is a symptom of anarchy and can only end badly for us as a country. I think the lady is absolutely right.
I'd love to see the woman start having the police come out every time the kids invade her yard. I wonder how long the parents would dispute things if their kids were facing tresspassing charges every week.
We had an old bird like this in our neighborhood growing up. All she had to do all day was complain about everyone in the neighborhood. She hated when the kids made kid noises, she hated when a ball or frisbee would accidentally go into her yard. She made a huge fuss about everything.
She used to win all the time, take our balls, toys etc. Until we got old enough. Then somehow, someone kept blowing up her mailbox, and taking her out door light bulbs, mowing over flower beds... Life didn't get easier for her.
Last I heard she died about 3 months before anyone knew it. She had no friends, and people cared for her the way she cared for them. Goes around, comes around kind of thing.
How backwards can anything be? The kids should have been the ones charged for trespassing! She asked them repeatedly not to throw the ball into her yard! At 89 years old she be allowed to live peacefully and with respect. The parents of those children should take their kids to a park where they won't bother the neighbors!
I live in Georgia, but I'm tempted to get that lady's address and come up there and put a knot on that neighbor's head. It's amazing. We have to get licenses and approval for the most trivial of things, but any idiot can have a child. And then I end up paying for it when they are allowed to have as many as they want and write it off on their taxes.
C. Orell, don't be ridiculous. This thing has nothing to do with immigration or teaching Spanish in school. You have some great points but you are going "off the deep end." Your debate has no place in this particular post.
If this dispute has been going on for THIS long, the kids' family is just being mean to the old lady...MAKE them stay out of her yard!! There's plenty of places those kids can play where that ball wouldn't go near her house or yard. Give the woman some respect!
Give the old lady a break. We will ALL be walking in her shoes someday! Which is better than pushing up daisies.
Grandma, as we all are, is going breathe her last one day and the state of her yard is not going to matter so much to her.
Just think of the friendships she could have developed with the neighborhood children instead of guarding her precious yard.
The priorities we have sometimes in our society are hard to fathom.
I think Marvin Lewis needs to give her a call! She can actually hold onto the ball!
What I find so sad about this whole situation is that this elderly woman seems to think she has a right to a quiet life on her front porch. If that is the case move out into the country. The sound of kids playing in the street or front yard is something that is missing from way to many neighborhoods these days. Will her neighbors be very sympathetic or willing to help her if she ever needed help? It does not sound as if she is cultivating a good relationship with them.
Of course she has a right to not have people come into her yard, but then please explain how her life is in anyway harmed by the kids picking up their football. There is no indication that any damage was done, only that she seems to not like kids. To bad for her. Her life is poorer for that.
This is all the parents' fault for failing to come to some sort of agreement with this lady.
Next time, Edna should have some sort of a box cutter or something handy, and slash the ball before giving it back to the kids. "Here, you go sonny, have a nice game!"
Very simple, the cops were 100% wrong here. This lady could sue the Town/City for wrongful arrest especially now since they realize the mistake and dropped the charges before this got any worse for them (police are not lawyers, and obviously this police officer did not know the law). They should have never arrested her, in fact by the kids ball landing in her yard and her previously warning them, that is trespassing (yes the ball landing in her yard is Trespassing). If the kids wanted the ball back, they should have had their parents take the old lady to court which would be the only legal way to get it back if she refuses to return it.
The old lady should sue the city/town, if I live to 89 and I'm treated with such disrespect by the police I would for sure sue the heck out of the city/town and police.
How would the kids and parents handle it if that ball happened to hit that lady as she was sitting on her porch or was working in her yard? Seniors are not as sturdy as younger folks and a trip, hit or fall can cause a serious injury. I've lived next to kids who continued to tramp on newly laid grass, trash flower beds, repeatedly hit windows, etc. with balls and various other paraphernalia after they were asked time and time again to be careful and play away from my house. I agree with the lady who said that when she was a kid, it was drummed into her head that you respected other people's property and played in your own yard. I was taught the same thing. I was also taught to have respect for my elders and to be extra considerate. I also think there's a lot more to the story than has been reported. I saw a news clip on TV where she says that, now, maybe she will be able to enjoy her porch in peace. I have a feeling that this was not the only time that the ball either sailed over into her yard or made it's way onto her porch. If it was the first time, I agree....give it back with a stern warning. If it's happened more than once.....the ball is mine.
SAD!!!WE ALLOW THE POLICE WAY TOO MUCH POWER! THIS POOR LADY HAS BEEN UNJUSTLY EMBARRASSED IN THE TWILIGHT OF HER LIFE, AND IF THAT ISN'T ENOUGH, THIS TYPE OF STRESS ON SOMEONE HER AGE COULD CAUSE GREAT HEALTH ISSUES! THESE POLICE AND POLICE CHIEF SHOULD BE ARRESTED FOR STUPIDITY! REFRICKENDICULOUS! THIS POOR LADY WILL ALWAYS BE A GOOGLE SEARCH FOOTNOTE NOW FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE! EVERYONE IN AMERICA SHOULD BE PISSED OFF, IF THIS CAN HAPPEN TO HER IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOUR GRANDMA, GRANDPA, ETC! HEY MR. POLICEMAN, TOUGHGUY...HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF YOURSELF,,,OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO REAL CRIME IN YOUR AREA TO GO AFTER,,,HERO,,,HAHA
Wow, what a bunch of un-neighborly folks we have here! This seems to prove the axiom that old people don't know they're old. How mean and bitter do you have to let yourself become to steal a kid's ball? And from what I gather, they didn't trespass as so many seem to assume but rather asked for the ball back. This is nothing new though, every neighborhood seems to have some old folks that have lost their tolerance for anything other than a bird disrupting their day. We had a lady that just stood in her window watching to see if a kid stepped on her grass, then went completely ape over it. I also like how people just assume that the parents would sue the old lady if the kid got hurt on her property. That tells me what YOU all would do in that situation. When did people get so mean?
I live in Texas(DFW)and if your ball lands in my yard,it's mine.It is on private property and we shoot people here for trespassing!I am glad she stood up tp these kids who sound like brats.
Hey, if an 89 year old woman gets to the football before my child does, it is time to find a new sport.
Come on...respect is earned, I don't care how old she is! She is disrespectful. I don't have kids at my house anymore, but the younger neighbor kids are welcome to play in my BIGGER yard anytime. Come on granny lightnen up! Balls and kids don't hurt your yard and just because you have lived a long life doesn't give you the right to steal a kids ball! If she was an 28 year old neighbor who took the kids ball would you be giving her the same break!?!?! The ball isn't yours, give it back and try to be nice to your neighbors! Angi, why should the kids have to go somewhere else because they happen to live next to a grumpy old lady? Elders should respect kids as much as kids should respect elders...she is teaching the kids that you don't have to respect your neighbors, it is not what the parents are teaching them that is the problem here!
She's a nasty old bat. An ungrateful one, too, as her neighbors mow her yard and do other things for her, and she responds by stealing kids' toys if they land in her yard.
She's the one who made a simple ball in the yard into a police matter. If she doesn't want to live around kids, she can go run out the clock in some bitter seniors only apartment complex or such.
Bottom line: It's HER yard. It's HER right to decide who and what can go into her yard. If those kids don't listen and that ball lands in her yard one too many times, she has the right to take anyting that is physically sitting in her yard, police idiots notwithstanding. The kids and their parents should be punished for being idiots. This is what is wrong with our country. We shouldn't have to have other people's children shoved down our throats because the parents think their children are 'precious'. Raise responsible children that don't trespass into others yards when they are wanted there.
Go Granny!
I'd keep the ball too. It's evidence and she needs to preserve it. There's no crime in that.
If you throw a brick through my window and then ask for it back, I think I'm well within my rights to keep it for use against you in court.
If we weren't such a litigious society where neighbors sue the home owner if the kids get hurt while "trespassing" we wouldn't need the "keep off my lawn" mentality. Sadly we have to protect ourselves, old or young, and keeping kids off her property is a wise idea IMO. These are people who call the cops over a ball, they'd obviously be willing to sue for a sprained ankle.
Isn't there a park or playfield near the kids home where they can toss a football? It's ridiculous that the kids continue to annoy this old woman. And their parents are no better. They have obviously not taught them to respect the rights of others. These kids will grow up thinking that whatever behavior they choose to exhibit is okay and everyone else should just sit back and take it.
To Corey : Common sense. That vehicle on your property could be yours in a way. I'm not sure what business you are in. If you were to work on that said vehicle and the customer had refused to pay or abandoned the vehicle on your property, and after going through proper steps to contact the customer and paper work, that could be your vehicle. So the answer to your question is YES. I'm pretty sure the old lady had complained to the parents more than once about the ball situation with no success.
This is utter nonsense. As per this report there is a long standing feud between the neighbors. Why antogonize a old lady by playing in her yard, its totally unethical for police to arrest her and the parents of the kids to press charges. I am sure this is a tip of the iceberg and we dont know all the facts that went on between the two neighbors so far. Its such a same that the police force is used for this mindless incident while they should be chasing down drug dealers, rapists, wife beaters, robbers etc from the streets.
Its her property and no one should be tresspassing her property. Consider this, what will you do if your neighbors come and play in your living room without your permission? Will you accept that? Is it fair if you ask them not to do that? Is it fair to kick them out of your living room and lock the door?
She is a elderly woman and leave her alone and let her live in peace.
If u own a business there should be sign that says parking for customers only, if u park without permission u are responsible for what happens to you car u moron, if their parents told then not to go on her property they should not, she did not want then there and she has aright to it her property,kids need to be respectfull these days
Agree with Angi Hornsby. Respect your elders. People with children and pets need to realize that just because you love to have them around not everyone does. They should be kept off other people's property unless invited on. That's what makes good neighbours. Kid's balls have been contentious issues from the beginning of time.
The granny is 100% right in this instance. The brat children need to be taught a lesson as well as the parents of the brat children. Charges need to be brought against the parents of the brat children for failing to control the brat children.
Ummm, Exactly how many of you people actually saw Edna on TV talking about this???
You might want to see her speak about it before you slam the kids and their parents.
While I understand her right to ask and expect the kids to stay off her property, she was quoted on TV complaining about the NOISE SHE HEARS WHEN THE KIDS PLAY IN THEIR OWN FRONT YARD.
The TV story didn't mention ANYTHING about these kids wrecking her lawn, or landscaping.
It did mention this was an ongoing problem, because the kid's ball did land in her yard sometimes.
Read the other two attached articles. She plainly states that she objects to the ball LANDING in her yard, NOT the kids PLAYING in her yard.
She said she was mad because she was tired of HEARING the kids playing in THEIR OWN YARD AND IN THE STREET.
She said it was disturbing "her life" and the time she spends on her front porch.
Cranky old broad.
Jerome, you're an idiot.
How can children respect their elders when these elders use their age to steal what is not theirs and get away with it because the police don't want the publicity. I'm sure the kids whose ball she STOLE will be real respectful of her in the future. Handcuff her and let her spend time in jail. Just because she'd old does not give her any more rights than anyone else.
This lady is in her old age. Her neighbors are obviously way younger and do not respect her feelings nor thoughts. She probably has repeatedly asked that the neighbors show some respect because she probably deserves it. She's been in the neighborhood far longer than the neighbors. And too the kids have to be the biggest brats to not respect her wishes. And the father is just as bad. What a disgusting situation. If I had been her, I would have taken an axe and chopped that damn ball to pieces and then slung it over in that yard. BRAVO to that lady for standing up for her rights as a citizen of the USA!~
I live next to an elderly lady who thinks because she is 88 yrs old she can say and do as she pleases. It's nice to show people that jail has no age limit on it. It was an accident. Then people wonder why children are violent and over weight these days. They can't do anything outside because of the neighbors. I guess they would rather them walk the streets and get into mischief than play ball in the yard fear it will land in their yard.
What's really sad, and this has been suggested by a few people, is that these people just aren't talking to each other. So many disputes in this country can be resolved if people would just simply talk. Instead one group has to be "evil" and the other group "good" or there needs to be "police" or whatever. People in this country today are just cowards or lazy or both and don't want to step up and handle problems face-to-face in a civilized, neighborly way. My God.
The bottom line on this one is that they are kids and she is the adult. She needs to act like an adult and play nice in the sandbox. Boo hoo, the ball went on her lawn. They're kids. Probably not bad kids. We expect them to behave like a museum exhibit and then decry that all they do is sit and play video games. To the 89 year old, I say "grow up" and be bigger than this. Gosh!
Indeed a sad day in America. We have indeed turned into a police state where even a 89 year old granny is arrested. To all those nay sayers eventhough the ball belonged to the kids the property still belongs to the granny. Las I heard trespassing was an offence. So why were the pesky brats not arrested? The corrupt cops warned her for what? protec6ting her property. I wonder how much bribe the cops received? What allows the kids to trample her rights. What makes her a second class citizen?
To Corey,
I too am an NC resident and I graduated from college. Yes, if I parked on your business property and you had it posted not to trespass then you have every right to have me towed. You are real mature to call names when you are ignorant of the law.
As for the elderly woman, she should return the football but the police should give a citation to the neighbors for trespassing.
And they're dropping the charges because...? She still has the ball. She is still refusing to return the ball. Therefore, the ball has been stolen.
Its very sad to see an older person become so hardened to children. She should be outside enjoying youth, instead she is inside mad, a dried up old prune of a human. very very sad
How sad. What a long, sad way we've come in raising children. 40-50 yrs ago the neighbor parents would stand behind this woman (to their children) and teach the lessons of respecting your elders, and respecting people's property. Eventually, the ball would be given back to a parent. No harm done - relationships remaining neighborly.
Has anyone in this neighborhood ever thought/tried to be neighborly to this woman, I wonder? Instead of thinking of themselves, or their selfish, disrespectful children - they may do well to think of others. Even in small ways - thinking beyond yourself can do amazing thing... for everyone!
Hasn't anyone seen the kids movie, "Monster House". She is the monster. Those kids lost their ball too..... well until the end. he he
The football isn't her property unless the kids have abandones it. since they were asking for it back, they had clearly not abandoned it.
Kids shouldn't be on her property, but if they were playing near her property and the ball ended up in her yard, then be respectful and give it back. At most, ask to talk to the parents and give the ball back to them. If your property isn't being respected call the cops on the trespassers.
The point everyone is missing is that if the kids are injured on her property, grandma could be sued by those kids' parents. We can all claim she's some fussy grump who hates kids, yet id she let them play there we'd have no problem holding her accountable for negligence if little johnny skins his knee on her sprinkler while playing football in her yard. It's sad that the only way to not get sued is to shut the world out (though I'm sure personal injury lawyers will eventually find a way to weasel culpability into that as well).
When I was a kid I would never go into another person's yard becaues my parents drummed it into head not to. Now this lady has to put with these kids her yard and she obviously has no right to keep them out. If however one those kids gets hurt on her property then the parents will sue her. There is absolutely no respect for people anymore. I hope each one of those kis lives a long life living next door to ball thumping, drum playing neighbors.
One question so if I own a buisness and you park your car in my parking lot. I have to right to take the keys and claim its mine because its on my property? Did you even graduate high school you moron?
Wow does this story hit close to home for me. My girlfriend lives in a condo complex that is predominately elderly people here in the Toledo area. Her son and my sons usually will play catch out in the street. All of the outdoor areas are common grounds. One time they were playing catch with the football in the street and the ball was thrown out of the reach of my older boy. He saw that a car was coming so he steped out of the street to let them pass. The car stopped next to the ball and an elderly lady got out, picked up the ball, returned to her car, then drove off. The kids were so shocked at what had happened that they did not know how to react. All they could do was laugh and return to the condo to tell us the story. We all went looking for the elderly woman to ask her why she did that and if we could have our ball back. We never found her or the ball. Seems she was from Blue Ash and was in Toledo for a visit! =)
Seriously though, if my kids had been trespassing on someone else's lawn and the ball was kept, I would personally take my kids over to apologize in hopes of retreiving the ball. I would make sure that the kids knew that if they repeated the same actions, I would not help them retreive the ball a second time.
I think there was probably more to the story than has been reported. She is probably fed up with other issues as well. She has no right to keep the ball, but I do see why she would try to do it though.
She had every right to keep the ball, if she chose to. But the ball accidently landed in the yard, it was not intentional. So what if the granny and the kids had beef, she should have handled it like an adult and confront the parents. I highly doubt the father was getting in on the "terrorizing". Kids will be kids, and old people will be grumpy 24/7, trust me, i deal with them on a daily basis. No matter how nice you try to be to them, SOME (not all) will still be grumpy. Thats how it is. Calling the cops was totally uncalled for. To the kids, keep on playing, just apologize next time and get your ball.
Clearly the cops knew they were wrong because they wouldn't handcuff the lady. What the hell is a "Major's court?"
This lady did not steal anything. If something is placed on your property, it is yours. How ignorant of all of you folks who think she should be put in a home. You should be ashamed. What if she were your mother or grandmother! No one has the right to intrude upon another person's property. I assure you these parents would be having a fit if she overshot her driveway and parked her vehicle, if she has one, on their grass. Then she would be the senile old lady intruding on their property. Instead of appreciating her as an elder, you are mocking her for achieving the age of 89. I once had a nice collection of baseballs that were hit into my yard. I didn't have anyone trying to collect them because they never knew when one of my dogs would be in the yard. I kept them for years and finally threw them out and I am no where near the age of Ms. Jester. The police and her neighbors need to do the right thing and apologize to her. She did nothing wrong!!
Where does it say that the ball going in her yard happened more than once?
1) The parents of the children should not have allowed them to play in Ms Jester's yard. Period. She had asked them not to play there, and as a property owner she has the right.
2) I think stealing a ball from children to make a point to their parents is pretty mean.
This is so dumb! I face this same sort of thing every day- I teach the 8th grade- You tell a kid not to do something 50,000 times and when you finally have to enforce cocequences for those actions, parents get bent out of shape. I can not tell you how many times I've had to defend myself to parents when their child is constantly misbehaving and finally gets written up. The kids aren't held accountable because the parents are telling them,"It's not your fault, baby, don't worry about it, she's just picking on you." Kids need to be diciplined... Not just told it's not thier fault.
And as far as Granny is concerned, YOU GO GIRL, way to stick up for what's right!!
Funny- I experienced this same thing and my brothers and friends from Brentwood NY will back me. We laugh about it now, but the Esters were an older couple who really didn't get along with the neighbors. And Paul Ester did this exact same thing when our tennis ball landed in his yard during one of our stick ball games. He ran out to his front yard to get the ball and would not give it back to us. Funny how times really haven't changed. We were taught to knock on someones door before goign on their lawn, out of respect. That is why the older gentleman could beat us to the ball. We respected is wishes and moved down the block a little more. Funny-- brings me back to my childhood
This woman has every right to say she does not want the kids playing in her yard. The parents should respect that. SIMPLE! If one of those kids gets hurt in her yard, the parents will sue her. Keep the kids out. People need to teach kids to repsect other people and their property.
I'm only in my late 20s, and I'm amazed at the change that has taken place in the attitudes of kids just in the last couple of decades since I was younger. The other day, I saw the kids from down the street digging in another neighbor's yard with a shovel...then they picked up the shovel and walked into my yard to start digging there! Of course, I ran them off, and they acted like they weren't doing a thing wrong, lying to me and telling me that they weren't digging holes even though I had just watched them through the window.
These are the same kids that run or ride their bikes through my yard as a shortcut, steal apples from my neighbor's tree -- not to eat, but to throw around in his yard and mine -- I caught them doing this and made them pick up every single one before leaving.
They climb on a tree in their backyard that's part of a line of identical, well-manicured trees bordering the common area of the neighborhood, breaking off huge limbs in the process and leaving them to rot in the yard. They beat on the tree trunk with baseball bats and basically tear the thing to shreds...it looks absolutely awful compared to the rest of the trees in the neighborhood, and the parents obviously don't care -- they don't even bother to move the 10-foot limb that's been sitting there for weeks as an eyesore.
No matter how much trouble we got into as kids, we managed to respect other people's property and show respect to adults in the neighborhood, especially if we screwed up once and got yelled at for it. These kids don't even think that there's anything WRONG with digging up someone else's backyard for kicks, pulling half the apples off of someone else's tree just to make a mess in their yard with, or riding a bike around on someone else's freshly-mowed lawn...when you catch them in the act, they just lie, make excuses, and give you attitude, acting like you're a jerk for intruding on the good time they're having at the expense of others.
I've considered talking to the parents of these kids, but I don't think it would help -- obviously, the parents don't care, or the kids would be out there cleaning up the tree limbs they destroyed in their own backyard. I've tried to be reasonably nice to the kids so far, but I think I'm done with that. If they aren't afraid of getting in trouble with their parents, they will at least be afraid of me.
after 89 years, I think the woman deserves to dictate what is and is not allowed on her property....tresspass warning? Not enough...if this has been an ongoing problem, that means that the neighbors have been habitually tresspassing in violation of her property rights and should be charged for harassing an 89 yr old lady. Whoever signed the arrest warrant should have their authority suspended. My 5 yr old son was able to judge this situation more approptiately than a supposedly educated adult judge...
Read CS at 9:36 am.
To Jim and Patrick and anyone else who posted a like-minded comment: You just don't get it do you? What all these other good folks are saying is what America has been for two hundred years. I did not read all of these post because I was sure everyone would have the same opinion, until I came across the two of yours. You were raised by the parents "EVERYONE" else is talking about! If you live to make it to 89 you will find yourselves being ignored in a corner of an understaffed old folks home drooling on yourselves and wishing you were dead because you never got it until finally no one on the planet cared about you and it was your parents fault. Please, whatever you do, do not have children! The rest of us want to thin out the heard and get rid of your kind. And "I'm" a liberal socialist!
Cant wait till this cranky old generation is gone! Kids were playing and a ball went into her yard BFD!..let the kids get their ball back you old cranky witch! Radio Age are a bunch of cranky old stubborn folks!
-Gen X
I think the parents and children should be ashamed of themselves. It says that they have been in an ongoing dispute about the kids playing in her yard. If the kids can't play in their yard without going into other yards then they need to go to the park to play. Its one things if the neighbor doesn't mind but from the sounds of it she has repeately asked them to stop. She is the OWNER of this property, she has the say in what does or doesn't happen in her yard. The parents are just to busy trying to be their kids friend instead of their parents. My parents certainly taught me to respect other people's property and my elders.
We don't know all the facts of the story. I do know, however, that people today (especially the younger ones)have much less respect for each other. Please don't blame the police. I work with cops, and they have little choice sometimes about charging people. To make it worse, you should see what they are asked to do by parents as far as straightening out their spoiled kids. Cops shouldn't have to raise other people's children, that's the parents' job, and it's not being done. "Generation Me" needs to have their collective butt kicked.
mike e. cooney...
get back on your meds.
I also had redneck neighbors who totally let their brat kids run wild and wouldn't lift a finger to teach them to respect other people's property. It was always passed off as "boys will be boys" and of course when the single mom was confronted, she would get aggressive and say "I raise my kids right" but of course would do nothing. They would kick balls into my yard, trample the line of bushes on the property line, roll old tires down the hill behind my house, and tear up garden stakes. I finally called the police, and built an 8-foot fence. It was one of the happiest days of my life when that family of trash moved out!
I totally support the old lady. Kids can be a nuisance and need to be taught boundaries at some point. If they don't learn respect for boundaries, they end up robbing liquor stores or selling meth at some point. Parents, teach your kids to respect others! It's all very well to say "Oh they're just kids playing ball, what's the big deal" but see how that attitude changes when one of them gets hurt on your property and wants to sue, or breaks something of yours even by accident. So many problems are avoided if they don't go where they don't belong. Not to mention, some people value their peace and quiet and don't want to be around a bunch of screaming kids. You had 'em, you deal with 'em, don't pass 'em off on me! The kids and parents are the ones who ought to get a trespass warning.
USA, whimp nation. You either learn to throw, or lose your ball. Someone tells you: don't throw your ball in my yard, and you do it anyway, repeatedly. Do it once too often, and they've had it. Your daddy goes to the house and asks for your ball, he apologizes because you are a brat, takes it home (if he gets it at all)and you don't get it back for a month because you are a brat who can't throw. People called the law for this? OMG!!! Dr.Phil is a douche.
All this over a ball. She should have just given it back. When she didn't, the parents should have just accepted the loss. It's a ball people.
I can assure you that the Cops are Demonrats,the prosecutor is also,and the kids parents are.This is typical behavior of Dimbulbobrats,and their spawns!
i totally agree with ron eckhardt...
parents are such enablers.
if this had happened within my neighborhood then we'd of apologized (bet those kids were never asked to do that) and if she wanted to give it back fine, if not then we would WORK TO EARN A NEW FOOTBALL...
a country of enablers and way, way too laxed on supervision and monitoring of the kids...
hey! lazy parents!!!
get off the couch and go play with your kids!!!
Refusal to return lost property? Owners of property have a bundle of rights, it is a basic lesson in property from L1. From a legal standpoint the moment the ball passed without consent onto the property or for that matter broke the plane of the property even in the air, a tresspass was committed. If a person without permission gained entry to the property then a second tresspass was committed. If the ball had stayed for a reasonable period of time on the property it would become chattel of the land, and since possession is often referred to as 9/10ths of the law, the rights to the chattel now on the land, could revert from the original possessor to the current property owner. If this has happened there is now a tresspass to private property, a tresspass to chattel (the ball), and an unlawful taking of chattel if the ball is removed from the private property after a reasonable time had passed of course.
Of course there is always the argument that this elderly woman has had or currently has a fear of falling and hurting her hip, and if she could prove this to be "common knowledge" even to the neighbors, it would be a stretch, but the elderly property owner might argue IIED, but I digress, this would be a great crossoever exam question for Torts and Property>
You really can't judge this woman unless you're over the age of 70 and living alone. My mother was brought to tears by kids who kept using her yard as a playground. The unexpected noises they made scared her, especially at night. And they flatly refused to heed her request to stay off her lawn and driveway. In other words, they had no respect for her boundaries and she was powerless to stop them, which was quite upsetting.
The parents of these kids should teach them about respecting elders and property rights.
THEIR FOOTBALL WAS HER PROPERTY AND THEY HAD BEEN WARNED NOT TO HAVE IT ON HER PROPERTY SO THEREFORE IT IS HER FOOTBALL NOW. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IDEA OF PRIVATE PROPERTY? why DO YOU THING WE PAY FOR PLAYGROUNDS AND ATHLETIC FIELDS THE KIDS ARE WRONG AND THE PARENTS NEED TO TEACH THEM TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS. DO YOU THINK IT IS THE LADIES FAULT FOR LIVING THERE!
Typical of todays parents; 'Not MY child!' Like many of you said, the parents let it go until someone says something, then they're all bent out of shape. Whether it's in school, at restaurants, etc. My neighbors kid, 13, punched my 13 year old daughter a few weeks back. No apparent reason according to my daughter and her friend who was standing right there. Kid has a history of being a little freak. Father wouldn't even appologize; this after the kid even started to threaten my wife in fron of his mother!! Total state of denial. Kid is adopted and mother is supposed to be a 'good' Christian. Hey, ever think God was sending you a message when he wouldn't let you have kids of your own?
this is just another case of parents unable to control or monitor their children. if they had stressed to their children to play in a park or just not play around this neighbor's yard, we wouldn't have this article to post about but noooooo...
these parents, in my opinion...are to blame!
These are great comments - both sides of the stick. However, one observation seems to be missing. The day of "Our Greatest Generation" is slowly passing by us. We have become a nation of takers and self-indulgent mental midgets. We are the generation (this includes our children) of failure and waste(look at our Congress). We have an economy sinking because of our generation. We fail to teach our children right from wrong and teach them how to make excuses for everything. Seldom do we mention taking responsibility and teach prevention. One of my neighbors suggested that I build a fence, so that they could connect to it, but I feel that a fence is another tool of excuse for the absenteeism of parental responsibility.
Police can do whatever they want in the field. They have only ONE duty to perfor. Arrest poeple! And they don't care beacuse once they do arrest someone their job is done. It's up to the District Attorney to follow through. So with an "I don't care" attitude they're free to do whatever they want. Can anyine say Amerika?
If the ball was in her yard, then its her ball. She didnt steal it.
If she can snag a football, and not lose it, she should be signed by the Bengals! Way to go!
I had a similar problem a few years ago. I asked the kids to keep their ball out of my yard numerous times. They trashed my shrubs and flower beds retrieving their balls. After the windshield on my car was shattered, I retrieved their ball. I could not prove they had busted the glass. The parent came over, got really nasty and threatened to hit me. His attitude was I had a bigger yard, the kids had a right to play ball in the street in front of my house, or any place else they wanted to and I should try to prove they broke the windshield. The police were useless. I did not return the ball......
I finally sold my house to get away from them.
I feel bad for this elderly woman, children need to respect their elders and parents need to be accountable as well.
Send her to a retirement home,,, her useful days in the community are over.
For crying out loud, at almost 90 years of age, give the woman a break! She has earned the right to sit quietly and enjoy her property in peace and solitude. I would imagine there is not a lot of activity that she can do anymore.
It's pathetic that it even came to calling Police over the matter. The parents should have confiscated the ball themselves after the first few times, to teach the children to respect other people's property.
In my day, if I had been annoying the neighbours, the punishment I would have received would have made me much more careful.
I do think that today's permissive society is going to **** in a handbasket, and we are now seeing the results of allowing children to do as they wish and have no thought or respect for others.....bad idea from the beginning.
She told them over and over to stay off her property. HER property. Obviously the kid parents are "those" parents. You know them, because their little darlings are angels, EVERYONE should love them...therefore give them whatever they want. They should be able to play where ever they want. They should be able to do whatever they want. We wouldn't want to crush their spirit or dampen their individuality by actually PARENTING them or punishing them!
Personally, I think that if the parents want to be this way, then the woman should absolutely file trespass charges against the kids/parents. Because you know damn well that if one of the little darlings got hurt on the woman's property the parents would be suing her!
The fact of the matter is that the kid kept kicking the ball into her yard. She repeatedly told them to stop. She has a right to keep people off of her property and the parents should have taught the kid some respect.
The other fact is that if anyone gets injured on your property, they can sue you. It doesn't matter if you have told them repeatedly to stay off or if you have "No Trespassing" signs posted. Let's say she was doing some work in a flowerbed and left some of her tools outside while she took a break. Then here comes the neighbor kid over again to retrieve a ball and steps on a small gardening rake and punctures a foot, or trips over something, etc.
The next thing you know, that lady would find herself in court because the parents sue. This is ridiculous! I think the kid should have lost the ball a long time ago. I think the parents are teaching the kids to be rude and disrepectful. They were wrong, wrong, wrong!
What is America coming to where people have the right to tresspass on other people's property and do whatever they feel like with no recourse. And if they get hurt while on your property, even though they are in the wrong, you are still sc'ewed. It sounds to me like the parents and kids are punks. Glad they aren't my neighbors.
Trust me, I know exactly what this elderly lady feels like. I had a similar problem. I have no problem with kids playing, but when their ball(s) starts to hit my house, my windows, etc. I have a problem. Let one of those kids get hurt on your property while retrieving their ball...I'm sure their parents will sue. I went to the parents on several occasions, to no avail. I even posted NO TRESPASSING SIGNS. Even when the Juvenile Agency stepped in to help mediate the situation, to no avail. (This was done as a means to keep the child from having a record). However, the parents didn't show up for the meetings. Therefore, it went to court. I took the parents to court (child was a minor). As the Judge told the father, it was my right not to have my property trespassed on.
I found out that the kids were coming on my property while I was away. I guarantee if they had done some damage while I was gone, no one would have come forth to admit it. I've come home to find bicycles, shoes, baby dolls in my yard and you think I should have remain silent. NO way.
If she told the parents not to keep the kids out of her yard, they should have respected that. Don't you think that's how kids get on the street, is when they start to disrespect others, rules, etc.
I don't know how close the proximity of their property is, the fact still remains she asked them to stay out of her yard and they should have done that. Glad the charges were dropped against her. They took advantage of her age.
Even if their ball went into her yard, show some respect, apologize and listen and obey when someone tells you to respect their property.
it's simple, keep the football off of HER property. She should post a NO-Trespassing sign and have the kids arrested for coming on her property. I hope she sues the hell out of the city.
You know, i have seen the comments about how this elderly woman is silly for snagging the football. I sat with my husband as we watched this story on the evening news the other night and we both looked at each other and nodded. We agreed that if she asked them multiple times to not do that and it continually happens, its only right for her to teach them a lesson. I'm not old...i'm 32 yrs old and when I was kid we listened to our neighbors and respected them. The entire neighborhood knew each other personally and parents stuck together on issues with their kids doing something that an adult asked them not to do. Plain and simple, if a neighbor doesnt want you or your football in their yard, you do as your told. What's wrong with that. I mean gosh, if parents take issue with the lady keeping the football, then they couldn't have dealth with where I lived. It was common place to be spanked by neighbors and then go home and get spanked by your parents again.
Many people are writing about this and I tried to read most - don't know if anyone mentioned what had happened if those kids got hurt on her property. Then let us see what the parents would say - then they would sue the 89 year old. Are there parks around?? Do these children have their own backyards??? While I fully support recreational activities (I am a high school and college official) I also respect the property of others. Maybe next time she should take the air out of the ball and give it back - hey you got your ball back now pass and kick it wherever you want.
Anyone who brings charges against an elderly lady over a football should hang their head in shame. What a disgrace.
How do you know your old and crabby? When you steal a kids ball because your too out of touch to work the issue out among parents and the community like a adult. Ship her off to a senior center so live with other people that can reflect on how their generation was so much better.
We don't know all the facts; the police report doesn't say how many times in the past the kids have traspassed into the lady's frontyard, probably backyard too. There's many people who don't like nobody walking on their lawn; I have to assume that this is an ongoing situation and that the lady is tired of others stepping on her yard, especially when she has told them so many times not to do it; on the other hand, the kids may do it on purpose to get ont he lady's nerve... Let's not forget that today's kids are not as respectufl as in the old days; In conclusion, this lady is a bit too old to be dealing with problems caused by those kids and I'm glad that the police gave her a break.
This story is so ridiculous that it makes me want to puke. The officer that ordered this woman's arrest should be fired immediately. But I am by no means taking her side. There is SO much we do not know here. How many times had the kids been asked to keep the football out of the woman's yard? How many other times had the police been called for this same reason? Why were the police called to begin with? Couldn't the kids' parents have confronted the old lady privately to try and resolve the problem? This is like a cliche Saturday-morning cartoon gone horribly wrong. There is too little information here to make a rush judgment on who is wrong. The old woman sounds mean and vicious. BUT So many parents out there let their kids run absolutely DOG WILD in neighborhoods and pay no attention to them, but get violently angry when you call them on the carpet for it. Sounds like one thing missing here... regardless of who was wrong... was parenting.
Good fences make good neighbors.
Let the old lady sit in jail. Apparently she is the wicked witch of the west.
Not sure how it is now days but when I was growing up I was taught to respect other people's property. If we didn't have the room to play football in our own yard we went to the park or playground. If this woman didn't want kids running thru her yard with a football she had a perfect right to tell them not to, and they should have been taught to respect this.
I want to know, how can a granny snag a football quicker than the kids? Those kids must really suck at football.
Well, weren't those kids guilty of trespassing? Especially if she told them to stay out of her yard, which last time I checked was her right. And if those parents didn't reinforce that; than as far as I am concerned, they are equally guilty. Those kids don't have carte blanche to trash her yard. She should have pressed tresspassing charges against them.
You people have to be kidding!! Kids out playing football, not terrorizing an old lady, not doing drugs, not vandalizing someone's property. Kids playing ball!!! It's great that these kids are outside having fun. Do you people really have a problem with a child coming into your yard and retreiving a errant ball? I can't imagine a mindset that when a stray ball from neighborhood kids enters your yard that you would refuse to give it back. You people need to focus on issues that have some importance. What terrible neighborhoods you all must live in.
Hopefully Paul Harvey will tell us "The rest of the story" until then there is a whole generation of parents that are raising children with the attitude of entitlement. Parents who are intimidated by their children.
Somebody wrote earlier about not griping until you know all the facts. Yest, everbody continues to gripe about police without knowing all the facts. There's much more to this story than meets the eye...We'll just leave it at that.
I agree that people should be able to protect their property and not allow kids to run all over it. I have a neighbor that lets his grandchildren play in my backyard because the previous owners of my house would let them. I can't tell how many times I have looked out and seen kids on my kids swings and such. Not just little kids either. I have owned that house for 6 years, I try to be nice about it but must admit I am losing my patience. What happens if one of them gets hurt? I don't allow mine to play ball or run through the nieghbors yard.
Well I am happy to see that the local police can catch the really "BAD" criminals after all!! This lady should have the right to protect her property and if that father and son can't play in their own yard why don't they go to the local park to play ball. Those parents are not teaching their child right from wrong, respect of other people and their property. Mark my word before long we will be reading that that boy is into worse crimes in this location! Parents take responsibilties of your children as they are the future of this country.
What happened to the right to property and protection of it? Not to mention these kids are trespassing on her property. Why werent THEY charged for a crime? Do we need another instance of someone getting mad enough to shoot, stab, or (God forbid)plant a land mine on their own property to protect it? Its all happened before right in our own "little town". Its not an instance of a mean old lady taking a ball, but maybe a case of bad Mom and Dad for not teaching the kids to respect property of others, and a little respect for people in general.
I recently viewed this on MSNBC while stationed in Korea. I considered there may be more to the story so I researched this through the Blue Ash, OH website. As a fellow L/E Officer, this should be an embarrassing situation for the polcie there and I am blown away that a patrolman would actually arrest this woman. What the hell happened to officer discretion?! They should not only be embarassed, but ashamed of themselves. Recommend you look into replacing that Police Chief or Sheriff!
THE LACK OF PARENTING IN THESE TEENS LIVES IS VERY EVIDENT.
THIS ELDERLY WOMAN HAS NOT STOLED A THING. THE TEENS NEEDED TO PLAY ELSEWHERE OR FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP THEM BUSY.
THE POLICE - IN THIS SETTING - HAS REALLY OVER-STEPPED THERE BOUNDARY. AND SHOULD HAD NEVER TAKEN HER IN PERIOD. THESE OFFICERS SHOULD BE THE PART OF THE "KEYSTONE COPS".
MAY BE NOW... WITH ALL THAT ARE WANTING HER FOR TALK SHOWS AND OTHER PUBLIC VIEWING SHE WILL MAKE ENOUGH TO MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE MORE SUITABLE FOR HERSELF.
I have a 91 year old Grandmother that is totally paranoind about her community. She lives in another State yet she deals with a lot of things we don't have to deal with because we actually have a Police Dept. in most areas that are not afraid to put their lives or jobs on the line to do what is right. Kudos to them. We are in a lot better shape then some states. Her state pretty much catters to the ' Druggies, Child Porn, etc. because they do not have the same resources Ohio does.' Which is a shame.. Why can't every state in the "WHOLE USA" have the resources it needs to deal with these same problems? Why?? Because of the USA GOVERNMENT we have today 100 years ago it was not this bad!! Why now? We have become 'COMPLASSENT' we let every refuge, etc. come into the country AND TELL US we need to TEACH SPANISH, etc in our schools, WE need to STOP SAYING OUR PRAYERS in our SCHOOLS, And Public, 'Because it offends them... SOL.. I was here before YOU, therefore ADAPT TO MY WAYS as you EXPECT ME to ADAPT TO YOUR WAYS while in your country... LEARN my ENGLISH, my Technology, on OUR TURF, and if I come to your 'TURF' I will return the same 'RESPECT' . Until then function in my world as I do! Otherwise keep to your own culture and make out the best you can...SOL...And if it makes you uncomfortable GO BACK HOME, you only left because you could see the Freedoms and advantages in the USA. And the oppresion in your own country, don't change mine, learn from us and return to your country to change it for the better.
I apologize to all who have contributed to this small but very realistic concern, I have just vented because I feel and have felt for many years the oppression of the 'Foregnors' trying to change the USA for thier benefit and not really realizing, We made this Country, They are visitors, We still control and maintain our Forefathers beliefs...yet we have let that go by the wayside to "Accomadate" them as visitors, WE have compromised our beliefs and selves for them instead of believing in our own integrety and sticking to our Constitutional beliefs...If we even have those anymore...I am very very sad..