Child's Alleged 'Ecstasy Trip' Posted Online

[snopes]

It's the video that's making the rounds on the internet.

Investigators are trying to track down a little girl seen in a home video, and other teenage girls

The video shows a little girl riding without a safety seat on the floor of what appears to be a mini van in the Houston area.

There are several teenage girls who claim the child may be on the drug ecstasy. The child's eyes are also seen rolling back in her head.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pa...Y&pageId=3.2.1

That is without question the most upsetting thing I've ever seen via Snopes. I couldn't watch it all the way through.

This child's safety and mental/physical health is being compromised on so many levels, even leaving aside whether she has been given ecstasy. I also wonder whether she may have a disability of some kind and that the other riders in the car made free to mock her inability to comprehend.

The saddest thing is that she appears to have placed trust in the people she is with and is literally looking up to them for some reassurance about what on earth is going on.

it made me sick that they thought it was so funny...
I don't exactly get emotional easy and, for some reason, this made me feel nauseated and almost cry (and I can say that, as a parent and a man, without feeling embarrased)... I think the child was given something (or like neffti said.. is disabled in some way)... it just gave me a bad feeling.. made the hairs on my neck stand up.

[Canuckistan]

Originally Posted by Neffti

That is without question the most upsetting thing I've ever seen via Snopes. I couldn't watch it all the way through.

This child's safety and mental/physical health is being compromised on so many levels, even leaving aside whether she has been given ecstasy.

Same here. That video was just far too upsetting to finish, regardless of what the girl may or may not be on.

I also wonder whether she may have a disability of some kind and that the other riders in the car made free to mock her inability to comprehend.

Interesting theory.

In any case, I hope they catch and prosecute those teens.

[kit_n_caboodle]

Nancy Grace was all over this last night. From what I could gather (they were playing the video repeatedly, and I was also finding it difficult to watch), there were in fact two adults in the vehicle at the time, and to top it all off, a 8-month old child can be seen in the background, being passed from person to person. As the vehicle was in motion (according to Ms Grace, speeding). Not in a baby seat.

Sickening.

They've found the people responsible for this.

I hope the child is placed in safer care. That video turned my stomach.

I really hope someone gets caught and seriously punished for it... it is just wrong...

ETA: looks like I'm too slow!

ETA2: "No charges have been filed." ....that BETTER change!

I am wondering about this case.

If they did give her drugs, I can see the outrage.

However, if their only sin is not buckling her up, I don't see this as a "take the kid away" level of offense. Fine/ticket them for not securing their kids, but don't take the kid away for just not being buckled.

As far as I know, joking about being on drugs is not a crime.

When I was a kid, I was never buckled up. However, my parents never gave me drugs...

[Canuckistan]

Originally Posted by Doug4.7

If they did give her drugs, I can see the outrage.

However, if their only sin is not buckling her up, I don't see this as a "take the kid away" level of offense. Fine/ticket them for not securing their kids, but don't take the kid away for just not being buckled.

As far as I know, joking about being on drugs is not a crime.

I would say that the way they were treating a girl in obvious distress is child abuse.

[Buckle Up]

Originally Posted by Doug4.7

However, if their only sin is not buckling her up, I don't see this as a "take the kid away" level of offense. Fine/ticket them for not securing their kids, but don't take the kid away for just not being buckled.

As far as I know, joking about being on drugs is not a crime.

How about posting video of a three year old online, regardless of her condition? I can see that as at least an investigation-worthy offense, if not a take-the-kid-away one. And sick jokes like that, I don't know...if I were the social worker, to me the whole atmosphere in that car smacks of neglect (no adult supervising the 3-year-old), exploitation (the video), emotional abuse (scaring her, forcing her to do things, etc.), and just a general pattern of abuse (no buckling up the kids - that's abuse in many states, not neglect), etc. I'd investigate even if the toxicology screen were negative - if it were me, that is.

[Syllavus]

Ok I just watched the video the whole way through, and to me it looks like the child on the floor is playing, making a funny face (the rolling eyes) because it's getting such a reaction out of the two older girls. She occasionally stops rolling her eyes, looks at them and laughs. I don't think it's obvious from the video that the child has been drugged.

Possible drugging aside, the fact that the child is on the floor of a moving vehicle is something that definitely needs to be addressed. I don't even want to think about what could have happened to her had they gotten into an accident.

[Buckle Up]

Originally Posted by Syllavus

Ok I just watched the video the whole way through, and to me it looks like the child on the floor is playing, making a funny face (the rolling eyes) because it's getting such a reaction out of the two older girls. She occasionally stops rolling her eyes, looks at them and laughs. I don't think it's obvious from the video that the child has been drugged.

Possible drugging aside, the fact that the child is on the floor of a moving vehicle is something that definitely needs to be addressed. I don't even want to think about what could have happened to her had they gotten into an accident.

And the teen's comment that they did this because she is impressionable and does whatever anyone tells her to, worries me a lot. What else have they tried?

It's hard for me to believe that anyone could be that stupid as to actually give a child ecstasy, then videotaping it, and yourself, and posting it for all to see. But of course, we know not to underestimate anyone's stupidity.

I'm glad the authorities have pledged to look into the big picture and I hope they stick to that pledge even after the firestorm has passed.

Originally Posted by Syllavus

Ok I just watched the video the whole way through, and to me it looks like the child on the floor is playing, making a funny face (the rolling eyes) because it's getting such a reaction out of the two older girls. She occasionally stops rolling her eyes, looks at them and laughs. I don't think it's obvious from the video that the child has been drugged.

Possible drugging aside, the fact that the child is on the floor of a moving vehicle is something that definitely needs to be addressed. I don't even want to think about what could have happened to her had they gotten into an accident.

At first she looks like she's having a seizure (maybe epilectic), but towards the end, she definitely looks like she's doing it on purpose. I agree that it doen't necessarily look like she's been drugged.

Okay I've watched it to the end now and whilst I agree that she seems to "come round" towards the end of the clip and seem more conscious, it doesn't really give me any reassurance.

The eye rolling still looks involuntary to me although YMMV. I don't think the child is doing it to entertain; rather, she seems happy to have unintentionally given the people she has placed her trust in something to laugh about.

I don't like the tapping on the head, slapping and pinching of the cheeks, etc. Whilst it would be hard to call that physical abuse, it does display a complete lack of respect for the child's personal space.

We do get a shot of the face of someone on the back seat very briefly. She is sweating and her pupils are very dilated. It's very possible given the context that other people in the car are under the influence of drugs such as ecstasy or LSD. It's just my opinion but I've seen that "look" many times and it usually tells me that this person is off their face.

What concerns me is that although I agree towards the end it looks like the child may be "faking"... she obviously has been exposed to drug use to even know how to act in order to pretend. If the guardians of this child are using drugs to such an extent that the child knows how to "act like she's rolling" that's alarming enough.

And even though I'm on the fence about the reality of this video... try rolling your eyes that far back over and over. It actually hurts. Why would a kid do that on purpose. And she could be smiling and laughing because of the drugs effect. Ecstasy is known for making people unuaually happy.

ETA: I'm agreeing with Neffti. I don't like the head smacking, face pinching bit either. It seems rough and careless and you can even hear someone saying "well she wanted it" while doing so. So I guess you have to give a kid whatever they ask for? Including X? *headdesk*

[Beldaran]

Originally Posted by Buckleupp

And the teen's comment that they did this because she is impressionable and does whatever anyone tells her to, worries me a lot. What else have they tried?

I find it interesting that for a girl who does whatever anyone tells her to do, that they told her to "stop rolling" and "look in the middle" several times during the video, and she would, and then went right back to the eye roll thing. So either she's making funny faces because they're laughing, or she did it because they told her to. I can't say I believe either choice.

Kids I've seen who make funny faces for attention can't hold them long because they're having fun and laughing along with everyone. This girl's face is pretty expressionless during the eye roll. She only smiles after she stops, and even then, I didn't really see her laugh.

I find it odd that her eyes do the same roll every time. I've seen kids try to roll their eyes back in their head, and the position of the eyes flutters as they try to hold it. This girls eyes go to the same spot and stay fixed there. I don't know what would cause that, but it struck me as strange.

So, to sum up, I can't say I know what's going on in the video, but it is strange and slightly disturbing.

Originally Posted by Beldaran

Kids I've seen who make funny faces for attention can't hold them long because they're having fun and laughing along with everyone. This girl's face is pretty expressionless during the eye roll. She only smiles after she stops, and even then, I didn't really see her laugh.

I agree. For want of another word, the child seems... vacant. It's not comfortable to watch at all.

I spend a lot of time with toddlers and I've only seen that kind of vacancy in children who are either disabled in some way, or are very ill, e.g. running a high fever.

Originally Posted by Buckleupp

How about posting video of a three year old online, regardless of her condition? I can see that as at least an investigation-worthy offense, if not a take-the-kid-away one.

Seriously? I shouldn't be able to video my children and post it online because I think it's cute or funny? Search Youtube and you'll find several videos of children doing cute things. Why is that an offense? America's Funniest Home Videos? Those parents should be investigated? I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous.

[Buckle Up]

Originally Posted by Trixie Tang

Seriously? I shouldn't be able to video my children and post it online because I think it's cute or funny? Search Youtube and you'll find several videos of children doing cute things. Why is that an offense? America's Funniest Home Videos? Those parents should be investigated? I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous.

Allow me to edit my post:

Posting an exploitative video of a three-year-old a) suggesting abuse or illegal activity, b) without the permission of her parent or guardian, and c)by a minor.

Originally Posted by Buckleupp

How about posting video of a three year old online.

Did you miss a qualifier in there? I've posted videos of my not-yet-three year old online. Because he's darned cute, and the world needs to know this .

I'm assuming you meant "a video that posts the child in a bad light", or... Although I can't imagine that child protection should get involved even if I chose to post a video of my kid throwing a tantrum online, which thankfully doesn't happen often. Yet...

-Tim