I live in a duplex and my apartment is the end unit which is next the garage that belongs to the people in the apartment on the other end. Every night at about 2-3:00 am Im awakened by the noise they are making in the garage - whether its someone knocking on the garage door or them scuffling around. Its about 10 degrees outside at that time of night. I have suspicion that they are using drugs (Im not the kinda person who is suspicious of everyone) and so does everyone else who knows whats going. They have 2 small kids that are left in the apartment by themselves and I have 2 kids that are in the room next to the garage. Im not only worried about their kids but mine as well. Should I call the police next time they are in the garage at that time and call CPS or mind my own buisness?
2007-01-19 11:15:48 · 36 answers · asked by Kristin Pregnant with #4 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
To colleen: i know I dont know for sure but what if something was going on and I ignored it and a drug deal went bad and kids who's wall is next to the garage get caught in the middle?
2007-01-19 11:25:49 · update #1
Neither parent works.. the guy is a known meth user.
2007-01-19 11:26:21 · update #2
I agree about not calling CPS until I know for sure thats why I havent called yet.
2007-01-19 11:27:45 · update #3
I would do something, but I am not entirely sure what. 3 years ago, I lived in a large house/apartment. There was a cruddy little house next store where cars were in and out at ALL hours of the night. we were not stupid to what was going on, but we did not think we could do anything. We told our landlord, but there was nothing he could do either.
I woke up one new year's day at about 4:30 to the sounds of yelling and fighting. The walls were pretty thin and I clearly heard the words "no, don't shoot!!!"........that was all I needed to hear. I hit the floor just as the gunfire started outside. And I stayed on the floor til it stopped.
Thankfully none of the bullets hit the house, and no one in my building was hurt. But we were not wrong about what was going on over there.......
you need to do something. move. try to find a way to report it to the police so they can at least patrol a little more often. anything to make sure that you are safe. my situation ended up okay. the guys were arrested and the place was eventually condemned. None of us knew they guy that was shot. we were all lucky. but it could have been MUCH worse.
2007-01-19 13:02:33 · answer #1 · answered by ShellyLynn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well you never know what they are doing in there garage. Maybe they ar enight owls and do a hobby at night when the kids are asleep. I don't see a problem leavin ghte kids in the house while we go outside if they are asleep. Not for long periods of time though.
If you think they are making drugs or selling drugs than yes. But unless you know for sure they are using drugs then no. YOu wouldn't want to look like an idiot if they dont use drugs.
I don' tknow what CPS would do, there isn't anything wrong being outside in the middle of the night. It is there garage. I mean what it the differenc ebetween the garage and the porch or bathroom or basement?? Just because they arein the garage doesnt mean they are doing drugs...they could do drugs just the same in the house.
And if they are doing them at least it is in th emiddle of the night and not in front of the kids.
2007-01-19 11:23:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most of the conflicts in the world are caused by people trying to "control" everyone else so they can feel "safe". That is simply not possible. No amount of attempting to force others to conform to how we believe they should behave will ever create safety.
Instead, trying to control others only causes rebellion and increases fear. There are just as many or more reasons someone might do something in their garage at night as the fears you have about what they're doing.
Each of us can only control ourselves. Whenever you are considering taking an action, think about how YOU would feel if someone took that action AGAINST YOU.
In this scenario, for example:
What if you were a night owl or had insomnia and not wanting to disturb your sleeping family you worked on your hobby out in the garage. Your neighbor calls the police and CPS. Even though you did nothing wrong, your children are "temporarily" taken away while they "investigate". A report is filed on your name and address. Even if it turns out you did nothing wrong, here are the consequences:
1. The children may be traumatized. (How would your children feel if strangers came and took them away from you and their home and put them somewhere else with more strangers?)
2. You may feel that you have failed your children and cannot keep them safe.
3. Now that computers are so common and data storage is cheap that Police report may haunt you for the rest of your life.
If you don't feel safe where you live do what you can do - move. I would suggest moving somewhere without a common wall to a neighbor. However, realize that no truly "safe" place actually exists. Even if you wanted to stay safe by never leaving your house something could fall on the house, a drive-by shooting could occur, or a tornado could wipe it out.
You create the feeling of safety in your mind by what you focus on...not by controlling the entire world outside of you.
I wonder how the people in Nazi Germany felt when they found out what happened to the neighbors they reported.
2007-01-21 11:18:46 · answer #3 · answered by flyingrosetb 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Why wouldn't you call Children's Services? Something crazy is going on in the freezing cold garage at that hour. If he's a known meth user he could have a lab there. And, be doing his bidding at that ungodly hour to avoid detection.
It's not your job to be the dective - it's the social worker of CSB (Children's Services Board). You could be putting your life in danger. Meth users are crazy in the head when they are high...so don't go poking around or appear nosey.
I'm a children's advocate at juvi court in my area. I can tell you many a child has been saved by a simple annon call to children's services. Please call!!
PS: Cowboy knows "a little about the law" and that's it. I'm a paralegal. And, yes the polic need proof but they can get a search warrant - you can't. They also have guns to protect themselves. You don't have that either. Let the police/children's services investigate. Just make a call - annonomously.
The police can J6 them - meaning take immediate custody of the children if they are in harms way. I really feel this guy has a lab in the garage...
2007-01-19 11:40:22 · answer #4 · answered by Baby #3 due 10/13/09 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
While I generally scoff at the people who say "better safe than sorry" when a question is asked about a baby who has been crying for 20 minutes and they want to know if they should rush to the er or other such nonsense, this is a case of better safe than sorry. The reason: if its a meth lab (which can be set up in a space as small as a car trunk) it can be highly explosive. So yes, call the police when the suspicious behavior is occuring, and call CPS and explain and have them do a welfare check on the kids. Something about this does not seem right so get it checked out.
2007-01-19 11:24:56 · answer #5 · answered by Heather Y 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Call the police the next time you hear it. That way they can deal with it. If they are using drugs then a. they won't live in your house anymore and b. the kids won't be exposed to it anymore. Also look at some of the serious help risks to meth exposure. If they are cooking meth in there they are risking everyones health and could end up blowing that house up.
http://www.no2meth.org/dangers.htm
Try that website they have information about it. I would not risk it again and but I wouldn't call CPS just the police.
2007-01-19 11:53:29 · answer #6 · answered by Heather 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Next time they are making noise at 2-3 o'clock in the morning call the police tell them your neighbors are being extremely loud and that it is not the first time. Don't make accusations to the police through. I think it is considered a disturbance of peace, something like that.
2007-01-19 11:27:31 · answer #7 · answered by The Invisible Woman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Knowing a little about the law, you need proof of any wrong doing. The police need probable cause but at times they will go out to investigate a possible problem. As for the landlords you can complaint to them and they should warn the unit with the problem. If you think the children may be in danger, call child services.
2007-01-19 11:31:08 · answer #8 · answered by cowboybronco01 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I agree with calling the police and tell them you think someone is breaking in. It looks like you care and the police hopefully will see if they are doing something bad. People who make drugs in the garage are dangerous to you and your kids.
2007-01-20 05:11:40 · answer #9 · answered by GabrielleC 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would call the police next time they are in the gargage and say it's suspicious activity or disturbing the peace...if it's nothing..the police will go away but if it is something...they will get into trouble...there is no reason why they should be making noise at that hour of the night...it's common courtesy...they might be hiding something...i would defintely call espically with kids involved!!!
2007-01-19 11:43:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋