The result of this social experiment conducted by YouTube prankster Joey Saldino is particularly disturbing. As parents of a young boy, me and my wife often warn our child not to speak with strangers. However, this video below shows us that sometimes, constant teaching is not even enough – especially if the stranger is carrying a cute puppy.
Saldino approached various mothers in a park, telling them that he is conducting a social experiment. He began by asking them if they often teach their kids not to go with strangers and then he eventually challenges them if they’d be willing to put that to the test. The parents agreed and much to their shock, it didn’t take long before their children immediately agreed to walk away with the man who simply told them he had more puppies to show.
Watch the video here:
The video entitled “CHILD ABDUCTION (Social Experiment) – Child Predator” has received over 9 million views on YouTube and has been heavily-shared on social media since it was first uploaded.
Fathers and mothers, the danger is real. Let us all do our best to watch over our kids and protect them from potential harm. Perhaps what we should teach our kids should go beyond speaking to strangers but more specifically, not going with strangers whatever they offer.
Child Abduction Statistics
Child abduction is definitely a reality that every parent should really be concerned about. Parents.com tells us that the “first step in protecting your child from potential abductors is to know what you’re dealing with.”
The website then goes on to share child abduction information in the United States. According to the details they’ve gathered, one child is reported missing or abducted every 40 seconds in the country.
Perhaps more alarmingly, only a small percentage of these abductions were done by strangers. The reports specify to us that “family kidnapping” (kidnapping by the victim’s relative) makes almost half of the figures at 49% while “acquaintance kidnapping” and “stranger kidnapping” are respectively at 27% and 24%.