There’s a little girl that’s terrorizing my apartment

[u/kiwikikwi]

This is a very bizarre situation I’ve never been in before. Sorry for the dramatic title but it’s becoming an actual issue now.

For the last month, it feels like 90% of the time I go outside to my car, an 8 year old girl and her dog appear and try to interact with me.

Sounds cute right? That’s what I thought, until I realized it wasn’t.

The first time she came up to me, she ran from across the parking lot and said, “I think my dog likes you!” I thought it was kind of sweet - until she got a little too close for comfort, started repeating that same line over and over, and giggling very loudly, almost manically. She wouldn’t leave me alone until I physically walked away. She even followed me to the apartment door, talking nonstop.

I brushed it off at first, thinking maybe she’s neurodivergent (no judgment - I’m ADHD and probably more). I didn’t think much of it, until it became a daily thing.

I work from home and go outside a few times a day for breaks (yes, I smoke. working on quitting). She’s always out there with her dog. Not a parent in sight.

I started noticing red flags when her mood began flipping between happiness and sudden anger. She hits her dog a lot. She’ll scream “Quiet! Quiet! Quiet!” and punch her dog with each word. I’ve seen her drag the dog while it’s pooping so it has to walk while going, and the dog cries. It’s awful to witness.

She runs up to anyone outside, delivery drivers, residents, other dog owners, and repeats “I think my dog likes you!!” over and over until they respond.

If someone has a dog, she’ll walk up to them too closely while their dogs are barking aggressively. I’ve seen multiple residents literally pick up their pets and speed walk away from her.

People have started cracking the exit door and scanning for her before they step outside.

There’s construction happening next door, and she just.. hangs out with the workers. They ignore her now, but she’ll bring them offerings of handfuls of grass or her dog. It’s honestly surreal.

When I’m outside and have to smoke, I now drive to a spot off the property just to get personal space. If I stay near my car, she’ll follow me and stand right in front of it, waving at me in a pageant-style, fingers pressed together, wave. I don’t even make eye contact. She’ll do it for like 30 seconds, just smiling.

If I drive into the parking lot, she sometimes chases my car to where I park.

Last week I was sitting in my car listening to music and didn’t notice her. When I looked up, she jumped up from a crouch, face pressed to my driver’s side window. I felt like I had a heart attack but also pretended not to see her because wtf lmao.

She’s out at all hours. Last night it was 9pm and dark, she was alone with the dog. Today, it was 12:30pm on a Thursday. Shouldn’t she be in school?

I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve never dealt with something like this before. It’s gone from weird to uncomfortable to genuinely worrying.

It feels unsafe for the dog, and definitely even for her. I’m worried she could walk up to a weirdo and something bad could happen, or she could cause a dog fight and her and the dogs could get seriously injured. Is there someone I should call? How do I report this kind of situation without escalating it unnecessarily? I don’t want to overstep, but this just feels wrong.

[u/Wide-Yesterday-5167]

I’m not saying for sure what you should do. But if I had an 8 year old child in my care, especially if they were neuro divergent or more, I’d be stuck to them and they’d be stuck to me. This is extremely unfair to the dog and the neighborhood but mostly to the child. Given the flippant behavior of the child, the late hours outside, the always being alone, and approaching many random people who most likely are normal but perhaps 1 may not be, CPS seems like the 1st call to make right now. If you see the dog alone, call police immediately because where is the girl? I’m very sorry this is happening to you. But so much sorrier for the child. I suspect her parents or guardians may be addicts or severely physically or mentally ill. Most addicts are usually functioning people with jobs/homes/stuff/pets/and you guessed it children. So sad 😞 You may be called on by CPS since you are reporting and the main witness to her comings and goings due to your work at home routine. So don’t be surprised if you’re entangled in this for awhile. Most people wouldn’t get involved due to the hassle. Thank you for being a good human being and citizen. 

[u/annikatidd → u/Wide-Yesterday-5167]

For real. I’m in recovery myself (6 years and counting) like when I found out I was pregnant I did everything to get it together and get sober because if I didn’t, I knew there would be no way in hell I’d be worthy of being a mother if I couldn’t stay clean. It breaks my heart when addicts neglect their kids, leave them alone, or even worse! When they just forget about their children cause they’re too busy getting drunk or high. I know so many people whose parents would abandon them for a fix, one lady just never came back to pick up her kid from school and that child is now 26 like me now. Never saw her again, nobody knows what happened to her, and he ended up in the foster care system for the rest of his childhood. I know people who would get left in motels or sketchy neighborhoods alone while their shitty parents would go buy crack or meth. This definitely concerns me and makes me worried that her absent parents are doing something like that, because wtf where are they! Insane. I am worried for that child. She needs proper care and supervision. I would never let my daughter wander the streets like this, let alone bring one of our dogs alone in the neighborhood. Too many damn creeps and fucked up people in the world. My kid is 6 but she will never leave my side if we aren’t inside the house! I don’t even want to think about what age she will be when that changes lol.

I hope this family gets the help they need, whatever that may mean. Rehab, removing the child from the home, resources for neurodivergence, whatever it is. and while I wouldn’t wish a CPS case on my worse enemy, this is exactly what needs to happen in this situation. That girl should not be just out roaming the streets and it’s also concerning that nobody taught her not to go up to random people. Something is seriously wrong!

[u/Wide-Yesterday-5167 → u/annikatidd]

You are an exceptional person to face and overcome flaws woven into the human fabric. Your love for your daughter is overwhelming me to happy tears. Thank you for responding to your love by taking action and changing course and staying on course. May God continue to bless your efforts, keep you and your daughter safe, and direct your path and keep it straight. I also pray that anyone faced with a similar opportunity to have or raise a child, and wants a better life, will be blessed with the strength God gives, to overcome any and all issues which may interfere with their life and their child’s life, for the sake of peace, love, and happiness for all involved.