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Subscribe to RSSIn Philadelphia, Penn., a mother was issued a $50 public urination citation after her 2-year-old son peed on the street. WCAU's Doug Shimell reports.
A Philadelphia mom is peeved that police gave her a $50 ticket after her 2-year-old son peed against a street light post.
“I’m absolutely going to fight it,” Caroline Robboy told NBC News on Thursday. “It was a potty-training accident.”
Robboy’s legal hassle began Sunday night, she said, when she was out with her elderly in-laws and her three children, ages 9, 6 and 2. Her husband, an ob-gyn, was on the job, delivering babies.
After eating at a Johnny Rockets diner five blocks from their home in a high-rise, the family went across the street to a clothing store.
Robboy said two of her children told her they needed to go to the bathroom, but the store operators wouldn’t let them use their restroom. They headed back to the diner, but the 2-year-old couldn’t hold it.
“I told him to go over to a grassy patch and make pee,” Robboy told NBCPhiladelphia.com. “Next thing you know I have an officer giving me a police ticket for public urination!”
Related: Is potty training on the go a no-no?
“Every once in a while a 2-year-old catches you off guard,” she said.
“If this were my 9-year-old or 6-year-old I would have been mortified and would have had a much more adult conversation with him,” said Robboy, a licensed social worker and sex education counselor also trained in early childhood education issues.
Robboy said she's been surprised by the strong criticism painting her as "some negligent parent" that readers posted on a story about the incident that appeared on NBCPhiladelphia.com.
“These people must not be parents – or maybe they are suburban parents,” she said. “We live with homeless people sleeping in our park across the street,” she said. “People defecate in the park, they don’t get tickets.”
Among the comments was this one from a poster identified as James Riggio Sr.: “I do not care if it is a 2-year-old or a 20-year-old, urine stinks and I for one do not want to smell that while in a high-traffic area. Does this moron of a mother think it is OK to let her son pee anywhere they feel free to?”
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Another critic identified as Laura Burger said, “I'm sorry but a 2-year-old does not just spontaneously run and pee on a pole. Clearly not the first time. I also think mom needs to be better prepared if she runs into these situations.”
Robboy received more-supportive comments on her own Facebook page.
See more news at NBCPhiladelphia.com
A commenter identified as Marion Bargman said, “What a hoot! Of course, fight it. You made the news because your kid had to use the potty! How funny. and of course you handled yourself serenely. ... You're pretty good at not overreacting like the rest of us !”
Robboy told NBCPhiladelphia.com that Nathaniel, the 2-year-old, is a bright child who, aside from Sunday’s misfire, is doing well with his potty training.
A police spokesperson told NBCPhiladelphia.com they allow officers to use their own judgment and discretion in issuing tickets. They're currently trying to contact the officer who issued the ticket to get his side of the story before taking any action.
NBCNews' Jim Gold contributed to this story.
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A fifty dollar fine for a two year old peeing outside is the stupidest thing I have heard of late. Just shows how perverted the justice system is...bankers crash the economy and not one has been held accountable for the theft of billions, but a ticket and fine for a toddler's potty training accident.
When I was younger my family was on it's way to the lake in Ogallala. My little brother, who was about 4 at the time, had to use the restroom. Yes he went prior to leaving, but sometimes kids just can't control their bladders. There were no rest stops on the way, and he didn't want to pullover on the interstate. He picked up the speed a bit and was pulled over. We were lucky to get a very understanding police officer. He gave my dad a warning and allowed my little brother to tinkle right there next to our van on the side of the interstate. He gave my brother a gentle reminder about using the bathroom before road trips, had a little chuckle with my parents, and sent us on our way.
The point of my story is that sometimes children have emergencies. I am not a parent, I don't even really like kids, but I see nothing wrong with what this mom did. Would it have been better to have the child tinkle in his pants so that mom would have to remove his wet clothing and carry her bare butt child around in public? I'm sure people will criticize her if that happened too. Children can be potty trained and still have accidents or emergencies. Shoot, adults have accidents too! It can't always be helped. This police officer could've let her off with a warning, a little understand, and a gentle reminder that this really isn't appropriate.
Lets look at the medical side of this shall we?.. A 2 year old's bladder is SMALL. DUH!!.. They have to pee more often than an older child or an adult. Anyone in public service should know this... Aren't they required to take atleast BASIC Alliied Health Science Classes?? ... I don't fault the Mother at all.. I don't think she told him to go PEE on the light post. He made that choice while the mother wasn't paying attention.?.. I would have led the boy behind some bushes.. Etc..
As far as peeing in public....HAHAHAHA poor little guy had to deal with seeing his mommy get a ticket. I taught my little boy to pee on trees in the yard so he didn't have to run in and out of the house all day long, BUT we live out in the country where you can't see anyone. If we were in town I always made sure he used the restroom where ever we were at. I can't imagine seeing him peeing on a city light post. Teaching your kid to pee in public, in front of strangers, I don't know if I am for or against this....It's just too weird. Kind of like breast feeding in front of others....IDK
As far as getting a ticket??? HAHAHAHAHAHA I am really thinking that the police officer should have just told her to NOT let her son pee in public....I can see if she fought against him saying something then ticket her but still.....
The awesome part is that Philly is so crime free that the police can now focus on this type of criminal...
its an absolute utopia...............compared to hell.
Maybe there should be a law against businesses NOT allowing customers to use their rest rooms. Maybe every business should be REQUIRED to have a public rest room. It is crazy how few businesses allow people to do their "personal business" in their establishment.
Maybe there should be a LAW against police stupidity ?
Yeah I like that law very much !
We have four children and until they were reliably trained we either used pull ups or we didn't go out. It is disgusting to walk through pee, regardless of the depositor.
Most people think that society should conform to their behaviors - not that maybe they should make some changes when it comes to their children. Some parents think that every thing that their kids do is OK, without regard for others. I completely understand that the little boy really had to go, and I also understand what the police officer did, she should pay the ticket and move on. We all know that won't happen because she has to prove that she was right - after all she's a doctor's wife - and you know they do no wrong. Unfortunately you cannot take little children everywhere - they're whiny, tired/sleepy, they kick and scream when they don't get their way, and their bladder control is non-existent - not the kids' fault because they're just little kids, it's the parents that need to change.
Aaaaw how difficult your life must have been ? Are you still in therapy ?
Good for you Caroline Robboy and you have my full support! This is just another instance of the lack of common sense. If this officer had just considered the circumstance (if he has any common sense that is), he would not have issued this mother of ticket. Geez....
I was going to back the parent, but geez...put some shoes on your kid! Who knows what is on the ground in the middle of the city. Gross!
"Blessings on thee little man, barefoot boy with cheeks of tan with thy upturned pantaloons."
Bet you numbskulls never had a summer of barefoot fun.
Also bet you have no clue who wrote these words and the rest of this great poem?
Ignorance in your case is NOT bliss.
There are two things wrong:
1. That store operator who didn't allow the boy to relieve himself at the store's restroom. I think there should be laws that stores that sell merchandise or services publicly MUST have their restrooms accessible to their clients.
People could boycott the stores that did not allow the boy to use the restroom.
2. The city needs to have public restrooms.
No, the store operator should not be forced to let customers use the bathroom. She was not a customer, she went in and asked to use the bathroom. There should not be a law because most money and merchandise is kept at the back of the store, plus what if someone goes to the bathroom and never comes back out and something happens to that child and parent. That is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
And like others have said she should have taken the kids to the bathroom before she left the restaurant regardless if they said they didn't have to go. You know how kids are, take them to the bathroom before you leave. That is her problem.
my opinion is that she should have told the kids before they left the restaurant that they were going to go to the bathroom, i have 3 kids and when it is put to them like that they usually realize they have to go. I see too many adults who will just pee anywhere and it is disgusting. I had one pee against the wall by my front door this summer because he was too lazy to go about 10 doors down to his own house, my grandson was walking up with his mom and they saw him doing this. Too many kids today are not taught by the parents.
I know my opinion will not be a popular one but kids like this are ones who grow up to be lazy arses like the one who used my front door wall because he didn't want to go somewhere else. It starts with childhood for the parents to train the child. Tell me, if this kid had to go on a plane and the bathroom was full would the mother have let him just drop his trousers and use the side of someone's seat? Would you who think this is nothing find that funny as well? I don't think so... use common sense and train the kids to go before they leave.
Thank you, you are correct. This woman did not use common sense because she has none.
of course she could tell the 2 year old he will use the bathroom. however, in reality, telling a 2 year old soemthign does not magically mean it will happen. she coudl have walked him into the bathroom, waited 20 minutes, threatened a spanking, promised candies, or whatever and the kid still might not have peed inside but then had to go as soon as they got outside. sometimes stuff just happens no matter how good (or poor) of a parent you are.
I was stuck on Rt 78 with my 8 year old grandson and we had to go! Bumper to bumper at a dead stop for 2 hours. We held it like good citizens through the whole ordeal. We finally got off the road and went to a 7-11 where I asked to use the bathroom. Of course they said, "no". Then I told my grandson, "This is what you do when people won't allow you to use the restroom" and we both took a good long pee on the side of the 7-11.
Somebody has watched too many Adam Sandler movies-way to parent
Outside ? hell I would have done my work INSIDE.
I recently had a muscle car speed up and ride my tail in the passing lane, so I went about 10mph over just long enough to change lanes and slow down; the unmarked car promptly pulled me. Then there's that other article about the officer who yanked the old woman from her car for not producing her license fast enough. Were the toddler arrester, the grandma arrester, and the 5-second-speeding-mom arrester wrong? Technically no...but while we all represented a clear and present danger to the public, I have to believe from other news stories that their time could be better spent. And while I would personally prefer to collar a two-year-old over a murdering rapist, they might want to rethink their line of work.
I hate to characterize a whole city based on the actions of a few but judging by the behavior of fans of their pro teams is anyone really surprised that this happened in Philly?
I see you have NEVER been to "Philly".
The cop must not have children. Does he realize/remember that when a 2 y.o. is potty training the time he gets between when his brain realizes he has to pee and when it actually has to come out is about 30 seconds? That's not because he's a bad kid or she's a bad mom - it's just biology. The fact that this kid had the presence to tell his mom he couldn't wait, instead of just peeing himself once it was too late, means that she's doing a really good job. Bravo Mom, ignore the haters.
And that is why you keep them in pull ups until they have better control
This just proves how cash strapped cities are, that they are willing to ticket this mother. Had she not taken the child to the “grassy area” he simply would of lost his urine on the sidewalk. When a tiny one needs to go, they just go. At least she removed him from urinating on the sidewalk. Would the cop given the mother a ticket if he saw the little kid dripping down the sidewalk!?!?!?! What a jerk!!!!!
You know what it sucks the lady got a ticket but maybe she should have her child in pull ups, I am a mother of a 3 year old and you can't tell me she doesn't know what her son is going to do when she tells him to go pee in the grass, She can't claim her 2 year old "caught her off guard" She should know how boys pee at her age. Is it a little lame they didnt give her a warning? yes, but I doubt she handled the police respectfully so why would they do her any favors? She isnt doing her son any by showign him he can pee anywhere-have fun with that when he gets to school-thats gonna go over great. Just in the article she comes accross as a snooty name dropper because what her husband does for a living has nothing to do with her sons bathroom habits so it is irrelevant.
I've been a cop for 20 yrs. I've been a father and step father. That is one REALLY stupid cop. Kid should haved peed on his shoes !
In other words, dogs have more rights than children. Is that cop working on commission?
Horses and cats also !
Where did this lady think she was? Time Square?
Ridiculous. Fight the ticket...this cop was a total asshat.