Does anybody know anything about the panhandling family in Williston?

Submitted by New-Initiative-4280 t3_yeep04 in vermont

I'm a delivery driver in Williston. I've noticed what looks like a family with two daughters and a son panhandling at 2nd and 3rd intersection on Marshall Rd. I've seen a Winnebago with Virginia plates drop them off and park nearby. Kids are school age but not in school. Each are standing with kids on corner with identical signs. (I lost my job, blah, blah, blah.) I think the driver of Winnebago is the one playing electric violin over songs in parking lots.

35

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

bushydendrites t1_itysq3h wrote

Electric violin is an established scam.

27

ethandavid42 t1_itxnb29 wrote

There was a family doing this in Milton a couple of weeks ago. Kids with them in the sun all day.

18

Unique-Public-8594 t1_ityzoda wrote

I wonder if this violates child labor law

−6

ethandavid42 t1_ityzw08 wrote

Not sure. They were just sitting there, not working on anything. But it seemed like they were being used like props for whatever the adults are doing. They also seemed to be school age, which makes me think they're not local, or someone would be ensuring they are in a classroom.

I'm guessing. I don't know their circumstances or the applicable law. It angers me that they're being used in this way, though. The adults are capable of taking care of themselves if they're moving around the area like it seems like they are.

11

Unique-Public-8594 t1_itz1vxj wrote

You’re right.

I just wondered, if they are being made to be part of begging business, would that be considered work? That the parents are guilty of making them work? Child labor.

but they could claim homeschooling / they weren’t actually working, just sitting, so hard to prove.

Maybe a call to police or DCF?

0

NobodySpecific t1_itzhe1b wrote

Child labor laws don't apply because there are exemptions to the FLSA

> Minors under age 16 working in a business solely owned or operated by their parents or by persons standing in place of their parents, can work any time of day and for any number of hours. However, parents are prohibited from employing their child in manufacturing or mining or in any of the occupations declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor.

6

ethandavid42 t1_itz1zyn wrote

I didn't see them doing anything other than just sitting on the ground. They might be doing something else in a different spot.

1

deadowl t1_iu1fapp wrote

Clearly it's going to become illegal to make children do any homework or house chores if Proposal 2 passes.

6

VTDave12 t1_itzhghx wrote

. People should not be doing that to their kids.

18

Ehlers0719 t1_ity21fo wrote

Same exact thing in Barre by Hannaford/McDonald’s for the last week or so

13

mmartino03 t1_itz5m64 wrote

Interesting. I saw this same family around lunch time at Hannafords on Tuesday. I was going to give them a few dollars but the more I thought about it, it was odd that the kids weren't in school and the family seem oddly well dressed.

5

TheMobyDicks t1_iu0mk4p wrote

Feel so bad for those kids/props. This is obviously a shitty way to raise kids; they're making home schooling look good. After reading all the comments from people who see them all over the state, it's pretty easy to see their MO. Probably make a lot more money than a lot of people who are donating to them. Kids are learning awful habits and missing out on the education and socialization of proper schooling. Very sad and very selfish.

12

azriel420 t1_itzgtn0 wrote

Vermont is easy pickings to folk like them....

8

Virtual-Track4037 t1_itxorgp wrote

Anyone contact police?

6

Thefullerexpress t1_itzfe3r wrote

For being poor?

/s

−2

[deleted] t1_itzh91o wrote

To investigate the possibility of child endangerment and neglect (educational neglect, for starters, but maybe also medical, dental, nutritional, etc.).

It’s not really in the police’s wheelhouse, but it’s a starting point. They’d probably refer it to DCF to address those issues, who hopefully would send a social worker try to get the family hooked up with services and maybe even emergency housing.

If the adults bringing the kids around panhandling can’t or are unwilling to provide a safe and stable environment for the kids, then the kiddos might have to be placed with adults who can. In that case, pick your poison: the trauma of being separated from your parents or the trauma of persistent food insecurity and who knows what else is going on with adults who subject kids to this.

12

Few_Wrangler4068 t1_ity2vds wrote

Yes, they talk to them they leave for a few Days and then come Back. Try to hide their Rv with Virginia plates. Total Gypsies

−3

JackofBlades_ t1_ity2i4s wrote

think i saw them in ludlow at shaws doing this like a month or two ago

5

bbrooks88 t1_ityi65c wrote

They do this in Rutland too, I've seen them in the walmart plaza for at least a year now

4

draylethe t1_ityjsuf wrote

They should get a house in the suburbs and stop bothering honest folk ye hear- such a blemish on society. Jokes aside, it’s definitely not ok to expose children to such conditions and use them in a ploy to extract empathy.

4

ppmawmaw t1_iu1f9p3 wrote

I saw them standing next to a now hiring sign in Milton yesterday.

4

vtmadmom t1_ity2pk0 wrote

I saw this same family probably a month ago!

3

Meatloaf0220 t1_itzp7pm wrote

I’ve seen them a lot the last week or so. Seems odd that the school age kids are there during the school day. They also seem very well dressed. There’s dozens and dozens of businesses hiring in almost every line of work. Sorry no sympathy 🤷🏻‍♂️

3

lower-cattle t1_itzlb8a wrote

I have seen the Winnebago nearly everyday parked by the CVS. I noticed the plates off the other day, which I thought was odd. I have never seen the panhandling though.

2

No-Egg-5745 t1_iu2nqdy wrote

The same people were doing that in Augusta Maine in August.

2

poopooparoo t1_iu3yvui wrote

I can tell you that they buy food from the hot dog stand at home depot Generate a bunch of trash and then move to another corner.

1

CindyLou-802 t1_iu5fn8r wrote

They go over to Plattsburgh too

1