Has your child ever been lost?

Me, DH, my Mom and my Dad took Ava (7), her BFF and Brody (almost 3) to the beach on Saturday.

That is 4 adults watching three kids. My DH went to the restroom, my Dad went to the cooler and my Mom and I were digging with Brody, while Ava and her friend were knee high in the water about 20 feet away.

In the blink of an eye, Ava disappeared. I nearly died! Did she get pulled out in the under tow? Did a pervert snatch her? OMG!!!!! I couldn't breathe and I felt like my heart was going to come out of my chest.

She was lost for about 10 minutes and the life guards were starting to search. She came out of the water and instead of walking straight out to us, took a left turn and got confused. She was walking the beach crying.

All I could think of was - it was her birthday and that I would be going home with out her and all of her gifts were there waiting for her unopened.

I will never forget that feeling, and don't think we will be going back to the ocean any time soon.

Anyone else been through a situation like this?

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Thanks God she is ok and safe.

And yes DS and my Nephew were lost at the Air Show at Jones Beach. We were all walking onto the beach with all our stuff. The boys were walking together, they got ahead of us and just kept walking. I was scared becond belief. My brother found them.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

No experience with it, but just wanted to send some ! I can't even imagine the terrible feeling! That must have been so so so scary! So glad she is ok!!

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Ugh, I can't even begin to imagine how terrible that must have felt. So glad she is okay!

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Not yet... But I remember being lost in A&S when I was about 4 or 5.. Scary for me and being a Mom now, I know how my Mom felt.. It took a split second for us to be separated. Didn't leave her side for a long time after that..

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

God terrifying

No I haven't had it happen with AJ (yet) but it did with my twin brothers .. a fear that is indescribable.

I think its that fear that has me such a hound about her.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

First, hugs to you because it's terrifying and I'm so glad she's ok!

Second, yes. This happened to me with 2.5 yr old DS in the mall a month ago. Our mall has a small open play space and it's enclosed on all sides but the entrance has no gate or closure of any kind, so annoying. So all the parents just camp out at the entrance just to block all the kids from coming out. Well I was holding infant DS on my lap and he spit up everywhere. I bent down to wipe the spit up off my leg, looked up and older DS was gone. In an instant. My heart sank and I started looking all over, he wasn't in the play space. I walked all around the outside of it calling his name, he wasn't there. Now I'm having a heart attack. I start screaming his name, screaming. I start running into all the surrounding stores, he's nowhere. People were asking me to describe what he was wearing, my mind was blank, I was just running and screaming his name. Finally, as I was running a man stopped and asked if he was barefoot. The playspace is no shoes allowed and I forgot socks for him . I was skeeved at first to let him go barefoot but relented in the end and was glad I did because that made him stick out to this man. DS had sprinted down to the carousel which was like, far away from the play space. I ran there and he was standing at the carousel gate, thank god. I didn't know whether to hug and kiss him first or scream at him for running off.

Worst. Day. Ever. I feel for you, it's completely traumatic.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Many hugs to you Worst feeling ever.

This happened to me just last week in Stop & Shop & honestly my heart didn't stop racing the entire night--long after we got home.

DS was in front of cart (he's 2) & we were just about done shopping--had to go back for 1 thing. DS at this point has an all out fit to get out of the cart (strap was broken) so he's literally climbing out of the front; screaming, kicking, red faced. I figure we were about to leave anyway so I take him out. He was walking so nice on the side of the cart. I even said, what a big boy walking so nicely. DD (4) was walking & decided to walk in front of the cart. Well she stops short & the cart hits her heel. She starts crying & I go to her. At this point DS jets. Like laughing, full speed, gone.....

I pick up crying DD & throw her in front of the cart & take off looking for him...not in next aisle or the next. I go to the last aisle by fruits/veggies that is very wide open & don't see him. AT this point I go to customer service & start yelling, my son is missing; he's 2; can the doors be locked. The girl said will he respond over the loud speaker to his name; I said I don't think so. And repeat again about the doors & she says hold on. I just take off at that point, calling his name.

I go back to fruits & veggies & don't see him. It was the scariest 5 minutes of my life & seemed like 2 hours in slow motion. The doors to the parking lot are right there...did he run out; did someone take him??? I've never been so scared.

Then as I'm looking I see him up against the glass at the donuts/muffins glass. I've never been so relieved. I first pick him up & spank his hiney & then couldn't put him down.

Also sort of ironic as my son has eating issues & donuts are the only thing he eats.

SCARY SCARY SCARY stuff..So much goes through your mind during that time.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

I know that "heart in the throat feeling"

At Wildwater Kingdom in Virginia, my 5yo DS went up one of the kiddie water slides (on the open water play part) and DH and I were waiting for him at the bottom...When he came down a huge crowd of people were passing and within a blink he was gone...He apparently turned the opposite way of where we were waiting for him and fortunately panicked and went to a lifeguard...We got him within 2 minutes but it felt like 2 hours




When I was little on a school trip , same EXACT thing happened to me at Sesame Place...I was seperated from my group for what felt like an eternity ..And no-one bothered to realize I was gone !!!

Message edited 7/18/2011 8:02:35 AM.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Yes - at Disney!

We were waiting on line for Its a Small World and my f-i-l was holding DS's hand at the end of our group. We got on the boat, DH turns around and says "Where's Billy".

F-i-l was sitting alone.

DH told the attendant not to start the ride and stood up to get off to go find DS (we assumed he was still on the line hanging on the bars or something) and they STARTED the ride! He started screaming and someone waiting to get on the line said they had him. But we didnt know this person and STILL they would not stop the ride. THANK GOD m-i-l did not come on, so we called her and ran in and got him.

That minute of not knowing where he was was a nightmare.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Oh God reading your story I just teared up at work. I cant even imagine the panic you felt. Praise God she is okay

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Not my child, but me when i was 4, at the beach also...my mom and her friend were at the water with me and my 2 year old brother and her and her 5-6 year old boy and 2 year old boy...our fathers were up by a grassy picnic area separate from the beach/sand...well me and 5-6 year old decided to go to where our fathers were and when we got up to the picnic area we couldn't decide left/right...so we kept walking and then a woman must have realized we were lost and brought us to her "friend" a cop/security who brought us to lost and found...which was like a jail...lol i was fine up until we got there and kids were crying...i started crying and a little while later our moms came to get us from there...my mom was crying too.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Yes- At the ecology site about 3 weeks ago. 5 adults, 4 pre-teens/tweens and 3 kids under the age of 3. My 2 year old was out of the stroller looking at the bears with DH, he thought she went with someone else. 7 minutes of pure hell until we found her by the horses. She just wandered off looking and the animals and with all the adult eyes we had there, no one saw.

So glad your DD was found safe and sound!

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

omg, my stomach sank when I read this. I'm SO glad she was ok!

Posted by Michelle1123

Yes - at Disney!

We were waiting on line for Its a Small World and my f-i-l was holding DS's hand at the end of our group. We got on the boat, DH turns around and says "Where's Billy".

F-i-l was sitting alone.

DH told the attendant not to start the ride and stood up to get off to go find DS (we assumed he was still on the line hanging on the bars or something) and they STARTED the ride! He started screaming and someone waiting to get on the line said they had him. But we didnt know this person and STILL they would not stop the ride. THANK GOD m-i-l did not come on, so we called her and ran in and got him.

That minute of not knowing where he was was a nightmare.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

Not yet, but my heart skipped a beat reading your story, the same thing happened to my uncle when he was a child. I am so, so glad your DD was found safe and sound!

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

No, she hasn't. I cannot even imagine your terror.

The same thing happened to me on a beach in Florida when I was about 8. My whole extended family was there for Thanksgiving. I took a dip in the water and took my glasses off. When I came back out I missed my family because I couldn't see- everything was blurry. I just started walking and was gone for probably an hour. My mom had called the cops and they told her all of these horror stories about kidnappers and stuff.

Thankfully a very nice man and his young daughter helped me when I just started hysterically crying because I thought I was lost forever.

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

This thread has me in tears because I can feel your panic even though it isn't my child.

Only once did I have that sheer panic. We were at a birthday party at a friends house. Chelsea was 2 and was playing with the kids in a gated area. I walked into the tent to get a drink. When I came back out the gate was open and she was gone. I freaked and started screaming Chelsea and ran for the gate. Luckily one of my friends was on the outside of the gate in the front yard and had her. The fear I felt took my breath away.

I really think we should be allowed to chip our kids with GPS devices!

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

We were at Sesame Place a few weeks ago. We had 3 kids and 4 adults with us (between 2 families, the 2 kids are ours). We were packing up the stroller after the parade and within a second, DS1 had walked off. He walked about 3 feet behind us to the kiosk and then got turned around and walked in the wrong direction. I immediately went to the "lost parents area" and they filed a report while DH started to walk around yelling DS's name while our friends stayed in the spot with their son and DS2. They shut down the park when a child goes missing and all the employees have a radio. Within 5 minutes, he was found but it was the longest 5 minutes of my life! As soon as DH called that he was "returned", I ran back to where we were. As soon as I saw him, I lost it . Ugh, I still tear up when I think about it!!

Re: Has your child ever been lost?

I haven't experienced it with my kids, but, reading your stories, my heart is racing.


It did happen with my sister when she was about 3 or 4 years old.
We were camping and I had just come out of the pool with a bunch of my friends.
My mom is screaming "your sister is gone, we can't find her"..Hysterics!

We had people looking all over, yelling for her!
I think it was a few minutes when we heard "She's in here". She followed a friend into their trailer and the friends mom thought my mom knew. UggghH!
This was a nightmare!
Happened over 20 years ago, but, still gets me!