I keep hearing a child crying, an adult screaming, and lots of banging noises from downstairs neighbor?

Question

This past week it has been a lot noisier than usual from the neighbor who is below me (I live in an apartment). The TV has been on loud and I've heard lots of banging noises. For the past few days I have heard a child crying constantly... then I hear an adult woman screaming. I have already called the leasing office and they said they would take care of it. At first I thought the child was locked in alone or something but then i began hearing an adult voice yelling.
When I have seen the child outside playing, she is pretty little and pretty rambunctious... she may be a handful, but the noises really bother and scare me.
After I called the office I was vacuuming and they started banging on the ceiling to tell me to stop... I am wondering if they suspect it was me who called the office. What do I do, do I call the office again? Should I call the police? How do I deal with their wrath?

Answer 1

you should call your local social services office to make a report. you dont have to prove anything but you are required to report it. everyone is mandated to report any and all "suspected" abuse but even above your civic duty to report, you could be the one that gets help for the child. It doesnt matter if the child is a handful and there may be a very disturbing reason why you observe her to be a bit wild/outta control, too. If you can't locate the number to your local social services office, call the police and they will provide it to you. You can remain anonymous just dont remain a witness to possible mistreatment of a young, defenseless, innocent and extremely vulnerable child among potentially harmful adults. Call today, if it illegal for the social worker to reveal their reporting source so just tell them you do not want your name released. (they will want your name only to be able to contact you again in the future if they seek additional info) but the neighbors will never know (they may try to trick you and make you think the social worker told to get you to admit if they suspect it is you but you don't have to tell them anything!) good luck to you and God Bless you for caring enough to take a stand against the possible abuse and neglect of children and for doing the right thing!! :)

Answer 2

If calling the office hasn't worked and you really think something bad is going on, then definately call the police. They can't say who placed the call, and they can check things out and decide if there's a domestic abuse problem happening. If there is, they have the means to contact the right officials to protect the little girl and help the family. Even if it's not what you're afraid it is, if nothing else a visit from an officer might calm the noise down a bit and make the Mom not so quick to scream at her child.

Good luck hun, and kudos for not being one of those people who "don't want to get involved."

edit: I was looking through some of the other answers, and the responses of talking to the Mother first actually make a lot of sense. Can you ever hear WHAT she's screaming? It's true that parents get overly frustrated with rambunctious kiddos, and every parent makes mistakes and needs support. It's entirely up to you if you're comfortable talking to her though - and HOW you aproach her if you decide to. If you do, definately DON'T bring up the screaming and noise first off, you'll only make her defensive and she'll shut you out.

Answer 3

A genius would NOT be needed to figure out WHO made what phone calls to whom...... I would have spoken to the neighbor FIRST before going to the leasing office. You still could manage to discuss this with your neighbor....... Normal every day noises, like a vacuum or walking across a floor should NOT be getting responses of banging on the ceiling to get you to stop.... and, if NORMAL things were going on in the apartment below yours, there would NOT be a child crying all day NOR an adult screaming... I'd sure want someone to check it out if that were MY downstairs neighbor doing that stuff.

Answer 4

I think you should call the police if you hear that, because obviously that means the adult is abusing a child. If you hear it again you should call. Also, maybe it would help if you would talk to the adult. I know that might sound scary, but it helps. Here is a few questions you can ask her: Are you divorced? Do you have a child? Can I see it?, and so on. But make sure you get to know her 1st! (and if she shows you the child, then look and see if it has bruises, cuts,etc.) Also tell her about the noises you have been hearing in her apartment. If the baby has anything on it, then make sure you tell the police about the cuts, bruises,etc.

Answer 5

You can call the police with a clear conscience. Children are not able to defend themselves, and they need help sometimes. I know that parents get more and more scrutiny for the way they discipline, and some of this is irrational, but if your neighbor is really a loving parent they will ultimately be grateful that you were looking out for their daughter, even if nothing is wrong. And if something IS wrong, you could save the child's life, no matter what the parent thinks of you. Of course, most times, even abusive parents are not MONSTERS, they are simply out of hand with their kids and need some help themselves. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way that things are considered serious is if they get reported, investigated or arrested. This is often what it takes for the family to get help.

You can also try to lend your support, lots of parents of toddlers get frazzled. You don't know what the family is dealing with, even though there is no excuse for child abuse. Maybe just a kind word in the elevator, invite them over for a cup of coffee, or whatever.

Answer 6

Sometimes we think that we do not make any noise but even the slightest noise we make might be irritating.I have suffered for more than a year beacause of some indian idiots doing unecessary prayers and creating a havoc banging pots and pans upstairs my house.Now I changed house.But every movement upstairs and I can hear it downstairs.I know their do not pursposefully do it so I just ignore it.Maybe you can try talking to them?Or move house if the problem gets worst.

Answer 7

Call Social Services, they wouldn't need your name unlike the police. If they know you called, things may get uncomfortable. DO NOT go and speak to your neighbor, because they may take it the wrong way. Social Services will investigate (drop by unannounced more they once) unlike the police who may just come by just one time. And some officers are not trained to spot certain things that a Social worker is.

Answer 8

Call the police the next time you are concerned for the child. Ask them to treat this confidentially if possible while they investigate your complaint. Tell them everything that has happened already. They will decide whether to bring in Child Protective Services.

Answer 9

I would call the police, too. The people in the leasing office usually don't give a crap as long as the rent's paid.

The police won't tell them who called -- just "a concerned neighbor".

Answer 10

Maybe you should try talking to the mom first. I wouldn't want to get cps involved unless I was sure that some abluse was actually takin place. If the mom is not willing to talk to you then yes I would call CPS.