While enjoying a wonderful Saturday afternoon at Navy Pier’s Winterfest I failed a child.

Like dozens of other people standing in line to return skates I witnessed a woman striking a young girl who looked to be four years old repeatedly in the forehead with a tube of lock De-Icer. In a stabbing motion she hit the child repeatedly saying she would #@%% her up if she went in her purse again. She looked up to see my shocked face and said “What? What if she went in my purse and lost $400?”

Well first of all, your child should be much more important than any amount of money is what I thought but clearly I wasn’t dealing with a rational human being so I said nothing. The child did not cry which leads me to believe she felt fortunate to only receive a few lumps on her head. I can only imagine what happens to her behind closed doors. This lady was not embarrassed or worried about her actions at all.

I will never forget her standing there, a chocolate skinned woman in her late 20’s with her hair styled like a Beatles bowl cut grown out, candy striped Coogie shirt with nails meticulously done. Her arm extended for all to notice her knock off purse hanging and wearing jeans made for a woman two sizes smaller than herself while her children looked ragged as orphans.

This is not ok. I feel guilty for not reporting her but how would I report her? No one else spoke up because they were probably thinking the same thing I was “no good deed goes unpunished, take care of your own, and don’t get involved”. I am not that person, I hold myself to a higher standard but Saturday I failed that child and her siblings.

Going forward I will react to child abuse and ask you to as well. If you see someone mistreating a child, contact the proper authorities and say it is not ok.