how could they not have known

Category: Let's talk

Post 1 by sugarbaby (The voice of reason) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 11:50:43

last week a man was given a 3 year sentence for sexually abusing a 12 year old girl. He had befriended her, and had talked her into letting him live in her bedroom, under her bed. He lived there for three months. Her 10 year old sister knew, but her parents had no idea.

The fact he was able to commit this crime is bad enough, but what I can't understand is, how could her parents not have known! How could someone live in a house for three months without anyone's knowledge!

Post 2 by PorkInCider (Wind assisted.) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 11:59:57

I'm kind of stunned by this. surely it's not possible. well, it must be I guess, but how did he survive? he'd have had to eat, and wash otherwise they'd have noticed the smell. he'd need to go to the bathroom, and still he managed 3 months undetected. that's mind blowing.

Post 3 by sugarbaby (The voice of reason) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 12:04:52

apparently she brought him food, and he sneaked in and out of the house when the family were out during the day. But I do find it incomprehensible how someone could hide for three months and not be detected. It was only when the girl aan away with him that her 10 year old sister raised the alarm and told her parents and police what was going on.

As a parent I would seriously question my relationship with my daughter that meant she could hide a grown man under my roof for three months.

Post 4 by PorkInCider (Wind assisted.) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 12:10:22

Why did they never check under the bed? either they clean her room, and s should clean under the bed, or she cleans it and they should be checking it's done propperly. It makes you wonder how much the parents payed attention to anythin that went on with those children.

Post 5 by Twinklestar09 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 12:45:11

Yeah. I cannot see how her parents couldn't have any idea what was going on. Maybe the man was that good at not leaving physical clues, and of course the children were convinced not to say anything. But it's just weird that it took three months for them to find out what was happening in their own home. They probably had a feeling about it but did not take their feelings seriously by investigating/talking to their daughter, and/or they never went into the daughter's room to spend time with her or talk to her. That's pretty messed up.

Post 6 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 13:21:53

I really think a lot of parents don't pay enough attention to their kids these days. I remember four or five years ago a 9-year-old boy was shot at 2:00 in the morning. He was just outside a few doors down from his own home, and it was a random drive-by shooting. But his parents went on the TV news crying their eyes out about how someone had stolen their litttle boy from them. My first question to these parents would be why the hell didn't you know he was out at 2 in the morning?

Post 7 by b3n (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 13:21:56

bloody hell, makes you wonder how devoted her parents were.

Post 8 by sugar (Entertain me. I dare you.) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 14:15:29

this is just, absolutely crazy. I don't think anyone in their wildest dreams would believe that could be true. Maikes me think the parents must have known. If they truely didn't, I echo, what kind of parents are they?

Post 9 by sparkie (the hilljack) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 17:27:11

I agree, it's all about the parenting.
Troy

Post 10 by OrangeDolphinSpirit (Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?) on Monday, 13-Nov-2006 17:40:49

Um, do we really have all the facts straight here? Or is this just what's been reported? I just can't fathom how something like this could happen without the girls' parents being aware of it.

Post 11 by sugarbaby (The voice of reason) on Tuesday, 14-Nov-2006 4:25:44

these are the facts not only as they were reported in the media but this is what came out in court ...

Monster under the bed: Scott Jennings hid in a 12-year-old's room for weeks

A fugitive paedophile seduced a girl of 12 then secretly lived under her bed for three months.

Scott Jennings, 22, cut a hole in the bottom of the youngster's divan and used it as a secret den. He then systematically abused her, a court heard.

The girl's mother was 'totally unaware' of his presence because he would hide whenever she was about to come into the room.


Jennings, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester, met the girl on a bus in November last year.

He began talking to her and persuaded her to give him her mobile phone number, Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, heard.

But when they met again, Jennings said he was on the run from police and needed somewhere to live.

The girl was always aware of his true age, the court heard. Jennings - who was wanted for a minor offence - managed to sneak into the girl's house without
being noticed.

He cut a hole in the bottom section of the bed and removed some of the wooden slats so he could hide there.

Jennings managed to sneak about the house undetected for three months, the court heard.

The alarm was raised in January this year, when the girl left a note saying she had left home and that her parents need not worry.

Police went to the house and the girl's ten-year-old sister confessed that Jennings had been hiding in the 12-year-old's bed.

Jennings was found with the child at a flat in Fallowfield, Manchester, later the same day.

He denied abducting her and any sexual involvement, but admitted he had been living at the address for three months. He was jailed for two years and three
months after he pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for ten years and banned from working with children.

Detective Constable David Don-lan, from Ashton CID, said yesterday: 'This is an absolutely unbelievable case that has had a huge impact on the victim and
her family.

'The girl Jennings abused was extremely young and vulnerable and he took advantage of this vulnerability for his own personal gain.

'Not only did he live in the room for over three months, but he also systematically abused her.

'I hope the family can now start to come to terms with what has happened to them and move on with their lives.'

Post 12 by Angel with Attitude (Account disabled) on Tuesday, 14-Nov-2006 6:51:44

Wow! What can I say. this is absolutely sickening. It shows absolute neglect in my opinion on behalf of the parents. I just wonder what must be going through that poor girl's head.

Post 13 by Goblin (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Tuesday, 14-Nov-2006 9:39:17

Unless the parents had a hand in her abuse, or maybe they just didn't want to see the obvious. In a truly sick scenario, they may have enjoyed her distress. Believe me, some bastards enjoy their children being miserable, it makes them feel good about themselves.

Post 14 by Puggle (I love my life!) on Tuesday, 14-Nov-2006 10:19:42

look, while I agree it's crazy i think everyone is way to quick to blame the parents, and not see how sickening it is that this guy did what he did in the first place.

Post 15 by shea (number one pulse checking chicky) on Tuesday, 14-Nov-2006 10:25:32

Krystel, i was thinking the exact same thing. This guy was a freak and i'm sure we dont have all the facts.

Post 16 by Rune Knight (Ancient Demon - Darkness will always conquer Light!) on Tuesday, 14-Nov-2006 10:41:55

Well some parents from what I seen and/or understand either give a fuck about their children or not (which is kind of sad in a way). I mean something like this would have never got passed me if I were a parent.

Of course this guy probably was sneaking out early of the morning and returning late at night, that could have been another possibility. Can't rule that one out. Still the parents had to of get up to use the bathroom and check on the kids in the middle of the night.

This is just wierd.

Post 17 by sugarbaby (The voice of reason) on Tuesday, 14-Nov-2006 11:26:01

Shea/krystel I don’t think though that anyone is disputing that what this man did was despicable and vile. IMO 2 years is not nearly enough of a sentence for the crimes he has committed. And I don’t think anyone would be blaming the parents for the abuce this girl suffered, but …

He lived in her house. Under her bed. For three months. He came and went by day and night. He wandered round the house. He used the toilet. He ate their food. He sexually abused this girl. And no-one noticed! Did the mother never change the sheets on her daughter’s bed? Did she not notice that there was a hole in it and slats missing? Did no-one ever hear this man sneeze, talk, cough. This wasn’t a hamster this girl was keeping – it was a grown man!

I do think that to label the parents as having been neglectful is perhaps too harsh, however if this scenario had occurred anywhere else then serious questions would be asked – how did her guardians/carers not notice – how was this girl able to conceal this man undetected for so long, and I think similar questions should be asked of the parents. If nothing else they should be given counselling to come to terms with the fact they obviously do not have a close relationship with their daughter, as they had no idea what she was doing.

Post 18 by Goblin (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Wednesday, 15-Nov-2006 8:35:06

I think they were in on it, or getting a sick thrill from letting it happen, either way, that child must feel as if no one cares in the whole damned world.

Post 19 by changedheart421 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Wednesday, 15-Nov-2006 9:09:15

This is so wrong. It is a shame what people look over.