Offbeat: Boy, 7, taken into care over alcopop

[TheGuru]

A seven-year-old boy was taken into foster care in the US - after his dad accidentally bought him an alcopop at a baseball game.

Police and child protection workers said Christopher Ratte should have known that Mike's Hard Lemonade contained alcohol.

But Mr Ratte, 47, a professor of classical archaeology at the University of Michigan, insists he had no idea, reports the Detroit Free Press.
"I'd never drunk it, never purchased it, never heard of it," Ratte insisted. "And it's certainly not what I expected when I ordered a lemonade for my seven-year-old."

A security guard at Detroit Tigers' Comerica Park stadium noticed the bottle in young Leo's hand, confiscated it and contacted the police.
An hour later, Mr Ratte was being interviewed by a Detroit police officer at Children's Hospital, where a physician at Comerica Park had dispatched Leo - by ambulance - after a cursory exam.

A police officer estimated Leo had drunk about 12 ounces of the drink, which is 5% alcohol. But a blood test 90 minutes later detected no trace of alcohol.

But it was another two days before Mr Ratte's wife, architecture professor Claire Zimmerman, was allowed to take their son home, and nearly a week before Mr Ratte was allowed to move back into his own house.
Mr Ratte has filed a formal complaint with the CPS ombudsman's office.

"I have apologised to Leo from the bottom of my heart for the silly mistake that got him into this mess," Mr Ratte wrote in the complaint.
"But I have also told him that what happened afterwards was an even bigger error, and I would like to be able to say to him that institutions, like people, can learn from their mistakes."

I little bit of an over reaction

[Nutty_ZA]

Honestly... some people just have no common sense... this is the Noah's Ark 2008 joke in real living colour

[hellcat]

Talk about over reacting....sometimes Americans take things to the absolute limit where P.C. takes over and common sense just seems to go right out the window....
If the man asked for a lemonade why wasn't the Vender questioned?????

In Ireland it is illegal to sell alcohol to persons under 18 but it is also illegal to buy alcohol to pass onto or for persons under 18.

America get a Grip....would love to hear the outcome of the ombudsman hearing...

[Nutty_ZA]

I think the legal age to purchase alcohol in the States is 21 and yet they allow there kids to drive cars from the age of 16

Interestingly (or not), I was reading an article in Time Magazine (in a dentists waiting room) last week about the incidence of alcohol abuse in 15 year olds and younger... Britain fared the worst in Europe with at least 48% of 15 yo's stating that they had gotten drunk on at least one occasion with France faring the best with only 6%... they encourage their kids to drink wine from a young age in France don't they???

Once again, this just goes to prove that either
a) Not creating the "forbidden fruit" syndrome will actually decrease the incidence of abuse
OR
b) the French are just weird

[hellcat]

I know the Irish have a reputation for drinking a lot but I agree with you Nutty, the forbidden fruit syndrome.....I remember when I was a kid and say at christmas or such when our relations and family were in our house, my nannas and grandads would be having a drink or two....
My granda's both drank guinness and I would ask for a taste.....they would always give it so there was no big mystery to alcohol..
My mam is the same with her grandchildren, she likes to have a glass of wine with her dinner on Sunday and if any of the grandchildren ask for a taste....she gives it to them.
the reaction is usually aaaaaaagggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh...and they usually don't ask again.
THE MYSTERY IS GONE....

OR ELSE your right Nutty and the French are weird but then so are the Italians....

[fifi2004]

I agree. I think some people, like my mother for instance, tried a drink when they were young, and NEVER asked again. The awful taste alone put my mum off drinking for life.

And yes the french are weird !

[TheGuru]

Originally Posted by Nutty_ZA

b) the French are just weird

Being English I totally agree with that

And lets not mention America and guns

[fifi2004]

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Being English I totally agree with that

And lets not mention America and guns