A child molester in my neighborhood?

Question

I have been living in my apartment for four years now. One day when my daughter's baby sitter swung by we were driving out of my street, and she said, "did you know that there is a sexual offender that lives on your road?" My stomach felt like a bunch of knots at once! I was so angry that I never knew that, I have a child, whom is always near my side unless at daycare, but at home she is always around...anyways the point of this question is, should I be upset that my landlord didnt say anything? I guess it would make perfect sense that He wouldn't because WHo would willingly want to live down the street from mr. friendly pants???? What do you think? Is the landlord responsible for relaying the message? And just yesterday, my daughter said that there was a head in the window looking down at her from outside she could have been fibbing/playing but I'm still MOVING, so do you think the landlord is to tell me about these things?

Answer 1

Maybe the landlord doesn't know.  It's up to you to know what is happening in your neighbourhood and to keep your child safe.  Remember before you move, that there will likely be a sexual offender somewhere near your new neighbourhood too.  They live in all kinds of neighbourhoods whether we like it or not.  

Answer 2

Well, try to get more information before jumping into conclusions.

a. did the babysitter give you a name?

b. did she give the whole story in details?

c. try contacting the police for verification.

The landlord might not be aware of this, i don't know anything about the people around on my street and i rent out 3 houses, i like to keep to myself and to my home.

Try to get the full story just to rule out the fact that the babysitter might want to freak you out.

Additional :

oh d**n.... well, as another poster said they are everywhere, unless you move to a remote island.

at this point, my best guess of a good move would be to educate the children with the don't talk to strangers thingy, without though forbidding it in a way they will get curious and will wanna go and peak in the window or something.  

Or, talk to any other homes with children around the area and ask them how they deal with it. If there is some sort of neighbourhood watch or so..

Answer 3

It is understandable to be concerned when you find out a registered s*x offender is in your neighborhood.  However, don't jump to conclusion that this person is a child molester.  Even an 18 year old guy who has s*x with his 16 year old girlfriend can end up on the s*x offender list if her parents press charges.  Also, don't believe everything everyone says.  You can check out the National s*x Offenders List at http://www.nsopr.gov/.  See for yourself what is true.  It is not against the law for a s*x offender to live in any area he/she wants as long as no probabation conditions are being broken.  Your landlord has no legal directive to inform tenants about the neighbors and unless he regularly checks the s*x offenders list he probably doesn't even know.  It isn't like a registered s*x offender has to put out notice when he moves into a neighborhood, but it is quite likely your local law enforcement agency knows his whereabouts since he/she has to register with them.  Don't be in panic to move, there likely isn't any need to.  Little ones can have some vivid imaginations and if your daughter overheard you and the babysitter talking about this she may be reacting to things she heard that she doesn't understand.  Your best course of action is to teach your daughter appropriate responses to being approached by anyone when you aren't around (an alarming number of children are actually molested by people they know and not complete strangers).  Also, discuss openly and honestly with her what types of touch are consider "good" and "bad".  Do not jump to conclusions that the person on the registered s*x offenders list is on there because of child abuse as the category of "s*x offender" encompasses quite a range of offenses.  Depending on your state, you can probably find court documentation, which is a matter of public information, concerning the details of the s*x offender's case and what he/she did to end up on the national list.

Answer 4

Pretty much every neighborhood in America now has a s*x offender in it unfortunately.  I know I did a check of the city I use to live in and the one I live in now and they are just all over the place.  Ohio makes it easy to find out about registered offenders online and most states now have the same thing.  If they are registered then you can find out about them.  The worst offenders they will usually come around knocking on the door to let you know.  Most of the ones around me now are men that were convicted at 19-22 of having s*x with a minor under the age of 16.  The landlord doesn't have to tell you about it, most landlords don't even know if there is a registered s*x offender.  Unless they do a criminal background check they don't usually know.  I would just check the next area you move into and see if there are any listed for that area.  

Answer 5

It is not the Quote un Quote responsibility of the landlord to give you this information.  And you answered your own question, who would WILLINGLY move down the street from, "Mr. friendly pants (lol)?"

Since you are moving you should make sure that you check online this time about the area you are moving to, to see what s*x offenders live around there.  Because evidentally if you are on here you have online access.

But you have to ask yourself, just because there are none living where you are moving to now, what will you do if one moves in the new area AFTER you move there.  Will you move again and again and again?

Stay protective, find out about this person online (they say what his offense was), he may not be a child molester (doesn't make it any better though), it could have been consensual underage s*x for all you know.  

Count your blessings that you have the resources to move.  There are like 20+ s*x offenders in the community I live in and I have no way out for now.  

Answer 6

I used to be a property manager.  Legally, your landlord CAN'T tell you.  They aren't allowed to give out personal information on their residents.  It's part of the fair housing law.  Many landlords do not obey this law but if reported they would be held accountable...fined, etc.  They aren't even supposed to tell you if your "new neighbors" (were you to move in) have kids...  I know that sounds dumb but in the litigious world we live in, people would sue for misrepresenting the area if, say, that neighbor had moved out by the time you moved in and an elderly woman had moved in.  The bottom line, the law prevents him from telling you.

However, the law does not prevent you from learning in other ways.  Please refer to the website below for a website that will tell you of any s*x offenders, show you their picture, give you their address and tell you some details about their offense...just put in your area information.

He also may not have been living there when you moved in...and the good news is he may be gone by the time your lease is up for you to move out.  They don't seem to stay in any one place for very long, for some reason...probably neighborhood ostracizing...?

Anyway, in the meantime, good luck, keep your eye on your child as you obviously have been doing anyway and I hope the website helps you out! :)

EDIT: I see all of the answers that say he could have just been charged with statutory rape (18 yr old sleeping with a 17 yr old) and it bothers me...the reason is because, while I know that happens occassionally, it isn't very common at all, and it's the 'logic' that people use to fight for s*x offenders rights.  Everytime someone wants to do something to restrict those people even more or make them more obvious to us people yell, 'what about the innocent ones...the boys that were sleeping with their girlfriends and the girls parents got mad and pressed charges'...if that were the case the majority of the time or even close to half of the time, they may have a point, but that just simply isn't the case.  EVERY s*x offender listed in my town is clearly in his 30's and up and it says, "FIRST DEGREE s*x offender of a CHILD"...  I'd look on the site if I were you and find out IF a guy lives in your neighborhood and WHAT he did and to WHOM...that way you can make an informed decision, like I did, about what to do.  Good luck to you...I feel your concern!!  (And it's NOT unwarranted!)

Answer 7

well i think he should tell you as a responsible landlord if you so you can get some to watch yours kids i would tell him i was upset that you didn't tell me but in the future plz tell me

Answer 8

I don't think it's necessarily the landlords responsibility to tell you this, they may not have known either. As for  the rest of it I think in this day and age you need to treat almost every person you see as a potential threat, sad but at least you know your child is as safe as can be

Answer 9

I don't think he has to legally, but that is simply horrid.  I don't know if the offender is in your building or next door, but the landlord definitely can't control other buildings' renters.   That is shocking, my heart goes out to you.