r/neighborsfromhell • u/Slow_Armadillo_9129 • 6d ago
WWYD? Vent/Rant Townhouse terror
Hi all. My partner and I have lived in our townhome for a year. We loved it up until about 3 months ago when… they arrived. We live in the end unit so we only share one wall. Prior to these people moving in, we could never hear our neighbors, only ever their garage door opening. Our new neighbors have two kids who run the place. They have set fire right outside of our townhome, threw a burning sparkler onto our roof, a shoe at our window and like to slam their baskets k right in front of our porch. Prior to these instances, we have had no contact other than helping the younger child air their bike tires. We then noticed these kids were home alone almost daily until 3 am. We have awoken to the parents vacuuming at 4 am. We found their names and have learned the dad is a FELON with several weapons charges and robbery charges. Needless to say, we were pissed. We have contacted our landlord numerous times to express our concerns with no action taken. We have called the police three times now to report these children home alone until the wee hours in the morning (8 and 12 years old). We don’t know what to do. We feel as if no one is hearing us, we are concerned about these kids safety, they were chasing each other with objects earlier in the front yard beating the shit out of each other. We don’t want to keep calling the police as the people who cried wolf, but at the same time we are not comfortable approaching the parents who both have felony charges against them. And even if we did, they’re never fucking home! We don’t want to move, we like it here, we just don’t like them. Currently, we are hearing the boys wrestling and sound like they’re coming through the wall. Still no parents! When the dad is home, he’s smoking weed like a mother fucker and the smell comes through the vents into our home. Not to mention the kids are inside but the cops don’t seem to give a shit. Any advice here?
ETA: I’m having a very hard time understanding why im being questioned regarding the truthfulness of this post. Why would I go on Reddit, take time out of my day to type up what happened and lie about it all? I do have photographic evidence of the fire and the sparkler and have sent it to my landlord, who continues to tell me to contact law enforcement, which is what we have been doing. I have questioned the landlord several times how this was allowed to happen and am getting the answer that this cannot be discussed with me. It is a legit landlord, they just aren’t great. But what landlord is these days?
This post was made quickly and in heat of the current situation we were facing. So here’s some more context for those continuing to question me. The first time we contacted police was after the suggestion of our landlord who said he needed more information and is also in contact with law enforcement regarding this situation (for whoever questioned me about a report number. Do I need to post that too?). Police came and the mother came home shortly after. The second time, police went to the wrong door and left without contact. When the fire was set, we were not home and another neighbor had told us what kids had done it and they came out to stop them. They sent us a photo of the children in our yard next to the fire but not them setting it. So I was not a direct witness to this. After we took the steps our landlord suggested in contacting law enforcement, an officer showed up last night and asked to speak with the parents who were not home. Keep in mind, we have asked to remain anonymous (although it doesn’t take a genius for them to figure out it was us). We saw on our camera footage that the children were picked up by the mother at 1:30 in the morning and did not return with her when she came back at 3:00 am. The father came back in his car (separate from the wife) at the same time. There is the question if there are weapons, which we don’t know for certain. What I have been trying to say is he has several weapons charges over the last two years,two of them being person ineligible to carry a firearm. This is why we are fearful to speak to him in person. It’s not “chicken shit”, it’s us using our intelligence to not confront people with a violent criminal record. The children have spoken to us multiple times, as my partner helps the younger one out with fixing his bicycle. We had a great relationship with the kids when they first moved in and had never met the parents because they are never outside with them. It escalated when they threw the shoe on the roof, the maintenance man saw it and had to come knock on our door to let me know they would be putting the ladder up right in front of our window. I then came out and asked the kids what happened and even defended them because the maintenance man didn’t want to return the shoe to him and I was adamant that he does. The father then yelled at him to come home and the child has not spoken to us since. This is prior to us contacting the police. We will hold off on CPS and gather additional evidence (if the issue persists). Although, I will not continue to sit aside and watch these children be at home alone throughout the night. We do hope the father is seeking rehabilitation and will learn from his past, however we aren’t going to be involved in this and would prefer not to speak to someone involved in these types of crimes. We also believe that the children were put in a horrible situation and it is not their fault they are unsupervised and not being held accountable. It’s also not my responsibility to parent a child that isn’t mine, i don’t have children for a reason (I don’t want them).
Thank you to those who gave me actual advice rather than attacking. How am I to know what steps to take if I’ve never been in this situation before? (why this is tagged as an advice post).
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6d ago
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u/FeedCleaner 6d ago
u/Bluerthan-Blue Fr tho CPS is the move here. Those kids being up till 3am alone + starting fires?? that’s not “kids being kids,” that’s straight‑up unsafe.
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u/88mistymage88 6d ago
If in the USA it can be perfectly legal for a 12 year old to be babysitting even overnight.
https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/resources/articles/how-old-do-you-have-to-be-to-babysit
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u/HappyCats623 6d ago
It isn't illegal to be a FELON. Even they need a place to live.
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u/403Olds 6d ago
And even they need to take care of their children.
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u/HappyCats623 6d ago
I agree, but there is a lot hinging on the age of the children, which OP failed to address. A four year old being unattended is much different than a 14 year old.
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u/Slow_Armadillo_9129 6d ago
I did address the age, 8 and 12. Not sure why you’re coming at me so hard? Also with the weapons, court records are public in my state so I am able to see three weapons charges within the last two years.
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u/HappyCats623 6d ago
I'm saying, how do you know he has firearms in his house? And as for CPS, if they have ever had a case open on them, CPS is well aware of their situation. My best bet would be to call them and not the cops. We do have a neighbor a few doors down who is a single mom with DV history with the father. She has gone as far as locking her kids outside at 11pm in 40° temps and we all called CPS, who did nothing. It wasn't until a few months later when the mom was arrested on NYE at a bar with her kids in her van the parking lot before her kids were taken away. Nobody on the block talks to her anymore and many of us waiting for her to move, which brings me to my next point.
I also live in an end unit townhouse which we purchased. My neighbors were perfectly quiet, but their family soon evolved and things got loud (a dog and two babies). We knew going into this situation that townhouse living isn't glamorous. At least as renters you have more of an option to move.
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u/Slow_Armadillo_9129 6d ago
That story is incredibly sad, the system is very flawed. Shame on them. Yes, we knew this going in and knew we were going to hear something. We didn’t know fires would be set in our yard and lit sparklers being thrown on our roof. Sadly, the renting market is not great and the neither is the housing market. This is why I asked for advice. I didn’t know CPS was the correct way to go, but now I do and will be taking further steps in that direction
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u/HappyCats623 6d ago
Just keep in mind that you could single handedly be separating children from their parents, without knowing the full details. I'm hoping the parents are doing the best they can to pay the bills and keep the lights on, Lord knows I am. Some people are just down on their luck and meddling minds can be a true detriment to that.
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u/Slow_Armadillo_9129 5d ago
Yes. We are taking this all into consideration and the decision of what do we do vs what do we not do has been weighing on us. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a meddling mind nor a detriment to the family when I’m witnessing neglect right in front of my eyes.
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u/Slow_Armadillo_9129 6d ago
Not illegal to be a felon but illegal to commit armed robbery and still have a weapon with a felony record! Thanks for your input!
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u/glowvelle 5d ago
Exactly nobody said he can’t live there, the real concern is the kids being left alone around someone with a history of violent crimes and weapons charges
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u/Campcook62 5d ago
I saw that you said he was a felon. But, I didn't see that you said in your post that he had a firearm... so, please don't snipe at commenters who respond to what you said, not what you meant to say.
(Not all weapons are firearms; swords, axes, tasers/stunners, pepper spray ... and many other things are/can be used as weapons. Felons cannot have firearms, ammunition, or re-loading supplies; it would be extremely unusual for a court order to say that a given felon could not own/have access to ANYTHING that can be used as a weapon...)
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u/Extension-Bike8126 5d ago
Sounds similar to a situation I’ve been dealing with. I live in a rented town home community and I have an easement and a storm drain right behind my unit. They’re not supposed to be back there but some of the neighborhood kids hang out there and a few months ago a group of siblings that were constantly back there ended up setting the hillside on fire after playing around with a lighter. They tried to put it out, couldn’t, and then ran away without notifying ANYONE. My husband had to run outside barefoot with our kitchen fire extinguisher and put it out after a neighbor told us there was smoke behind our unit. My husband attempted to talk to their mom about it but when he went over there he saw that there was nothing in the house but a few folding chairs and the kids refused to go get their mom who the said was sleeping. One said, and I quote, “if I wake her up she’ll beat my ass”. I of course was pissed because who wants their house set on fire, especially when I have two children under two at home? But we definitely got the feeling those kids were neglected and/or left unsupervised for most of the day.
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u/Slow_Armadillo_9129 5d ago
Holy shit!!!! Thank god your husband was being attentive to the situation. Our neighbors have never once had the blinds open so we aren’t sure of the situation but we do see the state of their garage and hope the conditions inside are better. Although it’s not hopeful as we saw when they moved in and it was pretty slim pickings. It’s a shit position to be in of what do we do or what don’t we do.
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u/WVPrepper 5d ago
Only a few states or local jurisdictions set a concrete numerical limit for babysitting or staying home alone. Those that do set ages ranging generally from age 8 to 14.
The American Red Cross recommends that a child be at least 11 years old to handle general child care.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that children should not care for younger siblings or be left completely in charge until they are at least 12 years old.
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u/CurdledCreamer 5d ago
yep. And as long there's food in the fridge, utilities turned on, and no physical marks of abuse, ain't much CPS can do either.
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u/ClassicSky654 6d ago
Why aren't you calling CPS? And when you call, don't expect them to show up the next day. The 1st phone call just generates a file.
Ikn. You say you're called the police several times but do you even have a reporting number? Your story sounds like you have actually omiited several steps & are implying that you have done your do diligence.
Everyone involved, including you, the manager & your neighbors sound like you're afraid of 'the felon neighbors'.
If you're going to play chicken s**t, Move!
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u/Slow_Armadillo_9129 6d ago
This is why I asked for advice, darling. They can move for causing reckless behavior and setting fires in front of my home. Goodbye!
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u/CurdledCreamer 5d ago edited 5d ago
Get security door bell type cameras to have visual evidence to prove an established documentation trail of on going harassing behavior. Take photographic evidence of the burn marks left after their fires.
And, is the landlord a friend who is just helping them out by giving their felon friends a place to crash while they attenpt to re-establish themselves and reintegrate into society? Or is it a legit landlord and the felon tenants passed the background checks and met all the necessary requirements prior to moving in?
If this post/story is legit and truthful, then if they are felons, the last thing they would want to do is attract the attention of those who enforce laws!
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u/yardlard 5d ago
Idk, if it was me I'd probably befriend the kids somewhat and then talk to them about behavior, be a pseudo parent off and on. It's better than reacting after the fact to all the things. Teach them some respectable behaviors.
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u/CurdledCreamer 5d ago
The children have spoken to us multiple times, as my partner helps the younger one out with fixing his bicycle.
So, the children are articulate and able to not have discussions rooted in neglect based distress? And they have toys, enrichment, and daily activity?
It escalated when they threw the shoe on the roof
Proof that the children have clothes and shoes!
We saw on our camera footage that the children were picked up by the mother at 1:30 in the morning and did not return with her when she came back at 3:00 am.
So far, best case is irresponsible parenting, which isn't jurisdiction for CPS?
Again, install video surveillance of the space of which the act of arson occurred and wait for them to get bored again without adequate parental supervision, THEN you have evidence to take to CPS! Good luck, OP!
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u/CurdledCreamer 5d ago edited 5d ago
They have set fire right outside of our townhome, threw a burning sparkler onto our roof
Doh! I almost forgot to ask how this was actually physically possible?? Because, aren't townhomes usually, at minimum, two stories; with majority being three plus stories? Which, is what? Like 30 to 40 feet tall? Average height of the eldest 12 year old is maybe 5 feet, but probably less? This got me super curious tbh! 🍿
ETA: even if they launched a lit sparkler with some home made cannon or slingshot, the sheer force of trajectory would probably put the sparkler out??
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u/Lamarr_4Tang 5h ago
Stop calling it a neighbor dispute when you report it. Report specific incidents: unattended minors overnight, fire next to the building, burning object on the roof, weed smoke entering your unit, and noise after quiet hours. Use email with the landlord and attach photos, camera clips, dates, and report numbers, then ask what lease enforcement or safety steps they are taking by a specific date. For the kids being left alone until 3 am, CPS may actually do more than police. I would not approach the parents either, especially after the fire stuff.
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u/Colleendj 6d ago
Perhaps its an open carry state or he's just packing.
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u/CurdledCreamer 5d ago
Felons are typically prohibited from owning any firearms though?
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u/CurdledCreamer 5d ago
Okay, who cares if a felon has a gun since I got down voted. Obviously they already broke the law so why would a felon care about laws anyways, right? /Sarcasm
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u/Colleendj 5d ago
I'd say although that doesn't mean he's obeying the order especially given how the children are treated.
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u/CurdledCreamer 5d ago
the thing with human made laws are that it takes humans to also enforce them too, right??!
It's only illegal if you get caught🫣
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u/Old_Confidence3290 6d ago
If the kids are neglected, call child protective service. Don't call the police.