Guess it's official, don't take pics of your kids bathing...

[BTM]

This is important warning for all the parents out there...

On the one hand, I understand the need to protect children, but on the other, I know that the often ham fisted ways of CPS and other government groups can do waaay more harm than good.  I guess the safest bet for parents is to err on the side of caution.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551760,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g2:r1:c0.283636:b27778464:z0

Parents Sue Walmart After Kids' Bath Photos Fiasco

Thursday, September 17, 2009

PHOENIX  —  An Arizona couple accused of sexual abuse after taking bath-time photos of their children and then trying to have them developed at Walmart are suing the state and the retail giant.

Lisa and Anthony "A.J." Demaree's three young daughters were taken away by Arizona Child Protective Services last fall when a Walmart employee found partially nude pictures of the girls on a camera memory stick taken to the store for processing, according to the suit.

The Peoria couple's attorney said Walmart turned the photos over to police and the Demarees were not allowed to see their children for several days and didn't regain custody for a month while the state investigated.

Neither parent was charged with sexual abuse and they regained custody of their children — then ages 1 1/2, 4 and 5 — but the Demarees claim the incident inflicted lasting harm.

The couple is seeking undetermined monetary damages from both Walmart and the state and have requested a jury trial.

Richard Treon, the lawyer for the Demarees, said the images of the girls were part of a group of 144 photographs taken mostly during the family's vacation in San Diego.

There were seven to eight bath- and playtime photos of the girls that showed a "portion or outline or genitalia."

"There was nothing sexual about it," Treon said. "This is a parent's worst nightmare."

One lawsuit names Arizona, Peoria and the state Attorney General's Office as defendants, claiming that employees from each defamed them by telling friends, family members and co-workers that they had "sexually abused" their children by taking pornographic pictures of them.

A second lawsuit, naming Walmart as the defendant, says the company is at fault for not telling Anthony Demaree that it had an "unsuitable print policy" and could decide to turn any photos over to law enforcement.

Calls to Arkansas-based Walmart and officials from Peoria and Arizona seeking comment on the suits were not immediately returned Thursday.

[Psycho Circus]

Oh, how utterley ridiculous! 

[3mnkids]

IMO these people are suing the wrong individuals. The employees of wal-mart did the right thing.  Its child protective services who screwed up.

You could say that the employees overreacted but not having seen the photos I cant say. I have taken pictures of all three of my kids in the tub and I dont think any of them would be considered child porn.

Child protective services deals with issues like this all the time and should have been able to look and the pictures and do a quick interview with the parents to settle it.They dragged it out because thats what government agencies do and the parents and kids suffered because of it.

If these parents win against the employees of wal mart it will be a shame. Employees will no longer feel comfortable in alerting the police when they find actual child porn.

[Cthulhu]

I always wanted to post this, and now, here's the perfect opportunity.

[Psycho Circus]

So do I get arrested for posting this? (other ppl's kids in the bath)

[Javakoala]

So do I get arrested for posting this? (other ppl's kids in the bath)

[The Burgomaster]

My parents have pictures and 8mm films of me taking baths and in various stages of nakedness.  I don't think there is anything wrong with this.  Plus, they stopped taking these pictures when I was around 25 years old. 

[Psycho Circus]

My parents have pictures and 8mm films of me taking baths and in various stages of nakedness.  I don't think there is anything wrong with this.  Plus, they stopped taking these pictures when I was around 25 years old. 

Yeah, there's pictures of me somewhere when I was about 3 or 4, covered in bubblebath (Matey that is  ) with my wee williy winky poking out.

[Jim H]

This is a problem with Wal-Mart, actually, since they train their employees to not use judgement at all.  It's an automatic reporting sort of thing, at least that was my understanding.

I do feel it is worth mentioning that insane numbers of parents still photograph their younger children in the nude without issue...  Cases like this are a tiny minority that get massive reportage. 

[Newt]

I'd be far more concerned about all those people who saw the pictures in question and (apparently) found them to be pornographic. 

[Jim H]

I'd be far more concerned about all those people who saw the pictures in question and (apparently) found them to be pornographic. 

From my understanding of Wal-Mart's policies, any photos of obviously underage children that show genitals - they're trained to ALWAYS report it, and not use any judgement at all.  Which is why you shouldn't use Wal-Mart for photo developing.  Ever.

[Doggett]

I'd be far more concerned about all those people who saw the pictures in question and (apparently) found them to be pornographic. 

From my understanding of Wal-Mart's policies, any photos of obviously underage children that show genitals - they're trained to ALWAYS report it, and not use any judgement at all.  Which is why you shouldn't use Wal-Mart for photo developing.  Ever.

Does this mean Superman: The Movie counts as pornography for Wal-Mart ?

[Newt]

I'd be far more concerned about all those people who saw the pictures in question and (apparently) found them to be pornographic. 

From my understanding of Wal-Mart's policies, any photos of obviously underage children that show genitals - they're trained to ALWAYS report it, and not use any judgement at all.  Which is why you shouldn't use Wal-Mart for photo developing.  Ever.

Surely it is not just Walmart: it is also all the police, investigators, prosecutors and so on who kept it going.