Protecting children

[Marianne]

There's two kids I know, that I'm worried about.

1. I helped a nearly nonverbal autistic girl I work with go to the toilet. I'm new there. She was weirdly frightened when I helped take her pants off. I immediately sensed something was off. My colleague confirmed she was always scared to have people wipe her or help with her pants. And said she was taken to her homeland and they suspect she was circumcised. She said the kid freaks out too much to check on her. And her parents are avoidant. I don't know what to do. I told them I feel something is off and should be done. They vaguely confirmed that. Should I do something still?

2. I had a "friend" for a long while who was odd. I was very dissociated at the time. He was superficially very kind and helpful. And kind to his kid. But he was strange.

He told me he was autistic and psychopathic/callous unemotional. It didn't sink in.

I always had an unsafe feeling around him deep down, that it took me years to listen to. He listened to very dark and scary music. He said he had no feelings, but anger, that he didn't show. He felt better than everyone. And other weirdnesses.

The kid had issues. He said she told him shecwas cared for, but not loved, at home, and that she wanted to die. I saw her make a suicidal gesture. He was pissed off after and pushed her. The kid was narcissist-like (insecurity covered with superiority).

She was taken to a psychologist and it was all blamed on giftedness.

I quit contact with him...and he seemed to use my biggest fright against me.

It took me forever to process things and understand that the girl might have been in trouble. I really don't know though. I didn't see anything cps would do something about. I called them several times and they don't interfere.

What's your thoughts? What to think? I knew her mums friend and reconnected to her through social media. Should I still check and voice concern? I'm a bit frightened to mingle in things I don't know much about, years later. But there was something really off.

[Kizzie]

The problem is if you haven't seen the second child/youth for years anything you bring up would likely not be taken with any credence by the CPS.

As for the autistic child (is she a child?), if you have concerns you could contact CPS and tell them  about her reaction and that you talked to the parents. The fact that they vaguely confirmed something is up gives you a bit more confirmation of a possible problem. 

It's never easy to say something when we think something might be going on. We are hesitant to get involved in other people's business and so many children are left to their fates. I personally don't think we should look the other way, but it takes social workers/police to take us seriously and check on the child's welfare.