Parents. Parents? Parents!

This sickens me to my core. Yes, a monster committed the crime, but where on earth were the parents? You DO NOT let a 5 year old go outside by herself and then go out to check on her 5 or 10 minutes later! I don't care that the yard was fenced in! It was chainlink! A fence is for a dog, not a child. You need to have your eyeballs on a 5 year old! My daughter will be 7 in 2 months and she isn't out of my site for 10 minutes at a time. This isn't 1975 (as much as I wish it was). This is 2006. I feel for these people for they will probably never forgive themselves - but if the dad is saying he went outside 5-10 minutes later to check on her...how long was it really? I hope the scumbag that did this gets the death penalty and I hope he gets bent over his cot on several occasions before he dies a horrible death. Freaking piece of shit. There better not be an insanity plea. You could really say anyone who wants to bring harm to a 5 year old is insane. Please let the world be rid of this worthless waste of breath. Don't let your kids have too much freedom at that age. You can't afford to in this day and age. Back in the day, I could ride my bike to little league practice 4 blocks away and then go to a friend's house to play 6 blocks away from the ball field. I didn't have to be home until the street lights came on. I wasn't 6 or 7 but I wasn't 12 either. I started to run the neighborhood when I was 9 or so. The thing is, I couldn't go anywhere and not have someone know me. My neighbors didn't change. Ever. I knew if I stepped out of line several blocks away - eyes were on me that knew my parents. Fast forward to 2006: I've lived in this house for 2 years now and I seriously don't know the first or last names of the people that live 2 doors away from me on either side of me! I don't know the name of the woman that lives across the street from me, but I say "Hi" all the time. You don't know your neighbors anymore. You might know some really well, but there are others right around you that you have no CLUE about. There is so much turnover these days in big city suburbs that it is unbelievable. This house was built in 1991 and we're the 3rd owner. Our first house was built in 1991 also and it has had 3 owners - as has the house right beside our first house. I would be willing to bet that out of the 120 or so houses in our little development, less than 10% are original owners. So, I guess if you live in a small town with little or no turnover - sure - let the kids go outside and play their hearts out because you know everyone and everyone knows your kid.....but if you live somewhere where "For Sale" signs are common or you live in a neighborhood where "thru traffic" passes through for the daily commute....you're a fool if you let your 5 year old go unattended for 10 minutes. F-O-O-L.