The Neighbor Boys Just Chased My Kids with Knives!

     I cannot believe this.  My kids came home from one of their many walks around the block to tell me that the two boys next two, 12 and 9, were after them with knives!  I asked them to calm down and tell me one at a time what happened.  Apparently the older boy wasn't really involved, but the younger boy told my daughter, "I could kill you if I wanted to!"  She said, "Well, what if I called the police and they went after you?"  He said, "I don't care.  I wanna die anyway!"  Yikes.

    Then the same boy chased my 7 year old, who was on his bike, down the road, thrusting the knife in his direction and teasing him by pointing the knife at his bicycle tires, saying he was going to pop his tires.  I brought the kids in and saw the older boy outside playing.  I said to him, "J----, are you threatening my kids with knives out here?"  He said, "Not me!  S------ was!  But I carry a knife on me at all times anyways."

    I called 911, and the deputy came out.  He said it was the second time he's been out here to deal with these two boys, especially the younger one, in as many weeks.  Last time it had something to do with shooting out a window.  The mother was at work and they got her to come home.  So the deputy talked to them all and of course the younger boy denied it all, but the deputy said he could tell he wasn't telling the whole truth.  He asked if we wanted the boys to come apologize and so I left that up to my kids.  My daughter said she wanted them to, so the deputy had them come do so.  He then told the younger boy that if he has to come out here a third time, he will find a reason to take him back with him!

   It's a sad situation.  The dad is not around -- he is an alcoholic and is in and out of jail, and in and out of state.  Technically the state says he cannot be around the kids, but he lived there for around six months before they found out he was back and went after him with helicopters at night and the whole nine yards.  Apparently there was some abusive behavior towards his wife to where the kids had to call 911 on him in the past.  I know the wife is decent folks -- she is trying to hold what's left of her family together, working hard and all.  But the kids run around unsupervised when she isn't home.  I told the deputy I hate to make her life even harder but I can't have my kids being threatened in their own neighborhood.  He totally understands, of course. 

   I told my kids from now on I unfortunately can't let them play outside without me going with them.  You would think there'd be safety in numbers (3-4 of them at a time, never less than that) but now I will have to take the baby in the stroller and go with them to keep them safe, and I think I will take our larger dog with me, too.  The world has certainly changed since I was a kid.  Unbelievable!