A young and busy mother places her trust in the friendly next-door neighbors, unaware that there's something sinister at work behind their deceiving kindness.
When my kids Dad beat me half to death then blessed the lord he couldn't find the gun to finish me off well my mom called me a few weeks later when I was in hiding and says oh you need to stop being stupid and come home he didn't mean it..I'm glad to say at 22 I left the abuser with 4 children from 3 mths to 4 1/2 yrs and I haven't seen him since I'm now going on 57 and all 4 of my kids are so successful and I have 6 grandkids ..I never collect a welfare check either nor did I ever get child support..I was determined after having 56 knots just on my head the doctors quit counting..I think he beat complete sense in me because I was raised in abuse watching my mom take it..but he snapped me straight out ..never ever ever should any women feel like they need to stay.
What a horrific story but so glad to see you rised above it! You did what you had to do for you and those children and THAT'S the job of a parent. Many parents say they love their children but actions will always speak louder than words! Keeping yourself and/or children in an abusive situation has nothing to do with love. Love is patient. Love is kind. 💕
22:33 should have been enough red flag...the woman being desperate to have the kids. Of course, all the enthusiasm of the husband should have been the first red flag...
You know how even us as adults can be fooled into thinking someone is wonderful and has our best interests at heart, well imagine how much easier it is to fool a child 😢 they weren't stupid they were having fun with a guy they trusted and his wife, so your comment is just a little rude 😢
@@Jesussavedmeexactly. He was grooming them from the beginning. Giving them ice-cream every day, toys for no reason other than "just because" not teaching them they have to earn things. He wanted them to want to be with him and his wife and turn them against their mother and given the situation the mother was in, it was easy. She was struggling but that is life sometimes, she still loved her children.
My mother did not allow us to visit our neighbors without her present. Although not proved, she suspected the man of the house was not to be trusted. He had a great supply of candy and ice cream and we used to long for those sweets. Thank the Lord that we listened to her. Turns out that years later, we found he was a pedophile and our friends were abused.
There is no efffffffffing way i would of ever let my kids stay at someones house like that.i was a victim as a child and i tell you i dont trust anyone with my kids are my grandkids ever never ever
Not to mention that the cops should have found it strange that the remaining child wasn't with the other two. The one detective spent so much time brow beating the mama, he didn't even take that into account.
@@averythecoolcat exactly. It's because she is a poor, single mother, who worked in a bar and God forbid wanted to go out and have sone time to herself once in a while. She will be judged for every single thing she does.
When I was young we had neighbors I was best friends with! The Dad watched over our house when Mom had to work! Didn't really know how they watched out for us till a guy tried breaking in 1 hot summer night! He was over like a flash & caught the guy! ❤
It was based on a true story, the mother didn't have the support of her mother,what a shame our daughterz husband admitted to us he did try to kill her on a Colorado river rafting trip, he was a major in the airforce he was an evil man. Thank God we welcomed her home,she and her girls needed a safe place.
How could she trust a man she doesn't know with her children?! He was throwing up red flags from day 1. Too eager to be with her children, too eager to not let her pick them up at night, too eager to send her away. It's insane. The way he manipulated her children to think they were the best people ever! Icecream every day? Toys for no good reason? That's not parenting! It's grooming! He was a criminal too! Yet he had the balls to pass judgment on a single mother?
@@jiien6662 That story regarding Joan Crawford is sadly very exaggerated. The Son has a completely different story. Even other witnesses agreed with her Son. 🙏 "Isa"
A good movie w/a great cast. Such a sad movie w/lessons to be learned from it. Sometimes, those you trust, who claim to care about you and have your back, are the ones w/a knife in their hand.
@@tonyprice2256 scripts are based off of real life, and we are saying the mother should have reacted about this man being allowed to touch her kids...it's called mother's instinct!
Her mom was a piece of work!! Clearly had no love for her whatsoever and even seemed to enjoy see her struggling with the kids...imagine even with the bruised face she was telling her go back to the man! I'm glad she got her kids back but I think all this wouldn't have happened if her useless evil mother had been helping them.😢😢😢
I've always liked her a lot. I haven't heard anything about her in a long while. Probably not since "Desperate Housewives". I wish they still made shows like that and the older TV show that I loved, "Knots Landing". I loved Donna Mills in that one.😊❤ I guess I'm feeling a bit nostalgic tonight. Rather this middle of the night. 😄
This is the 3rd time I seen this movie in years. I know this is just a movie, but I hated how the mother's parents, and the neighbors treated her like she was a nobody and bullied her for being poor! This movie was so sad. If you see someone in need you don't belittle them, you help them! The lesson of this movie is: Don't tell your family all your business, don't trust strangers around your kids, learn to save and budget money, and make sure your children is in a safe healthy environment. One a scale from 1-10 I rate this movie an 8.
Her stepfather treats her with respect but probably feels that he can't say anything to his wife because Anna isn't his child so her mother won't listen to him? It would've been nice to see him put that bitch in her place near the end of the film which would explain why she has a change of attitude the last time we see her.
So basically the mother and police are blaming her for being poor? That mother thing is no mother, she could've helped, and if she ain't she dosen't need to cast blame, I didn't see her do a dam thing
To me the saddest thing is you leave one abuser to save yourself and your kids, and end up landing in a 'safe' spot with another one. I speak from personal experience...the creeps out there prey on the vulnerable
So true. It happened to me 3 times! Abused as a child, left, then Abused by my first husband, left him, eventually remarried and went through it again with my second husband who was the biggest narcissist I've ever met.
The weird neighbors could adopt their own children too! The single mother is doing the best she can at least she loves her children, the children have a roof over their head, food to eat, clothes to wear my mom was a single mom too when she raised us children doesn’t make her a unfit mother! I don’t like those’s neighbors she should have never trusted them in the first place! I can’t believe her mom blamed her for giving her children away!
The weird neighbours are wanted for fraud and other crimes. Plus Spoiler He murdered his own daughter. Like they are gonna let them.adopt children. They are wanted criminals. Pay attention 😂
With his criminal record, and the two of them having a missing child unaccounted for, they would be unable to adopt. And yeah, the grandmother pissed me off several times.❤
when even your own mama dont love you. your family wont help you. you do your best and the whole world's against you and just wants to take everything away from you. don't ever give up on your own kids. no matter what. they're a gift from God no matter what anybody tells you, you love them anyway. this movie made me so angry! people's predisposed views of each other & everything literally aids the actions of wrong doers. for example a man with money is acceptable & a poor single mother is a villain. i hope we've all started to evolved by now? and become more loving & more civilized?
Wow reading the Comments was bad enough....but watching the film was mixed emotions she was so Gullible though her Mum didn't help. Thank god that Detective believed in her friend and Step dad did ❤ Good movie 🍿
Making "instant friends" ESPECIALLY WITH NEIGHBORS is never a good idea. Especially when less than 5 minutes after meeting hím he has his hands all over your little girl. One must earn my trust.
I agree her mom could have help her and the children until they got back on their feet! I can’t stand her mom either always judging her and blaming her for everything
Donna should have taken the girls with her to the diner. To meet up with their mother. No one cares about her selfish reasons. Especially since her husband killed the first little girl.
I couldn't believe that Donna left the girls alone while she went to meet the mother. Why did she not put them in the car with her???I kept yelling at the screen....Take them with you!!!!!The grandma was a cold unfeeling mean woman to her daughter who was in a very traumatic situation that needed her support not "tough love". I have seen the destruction left behind by mothers (and fathers) like her. Her real saving grace is that she was good to the grandchildren for that I am grateful..
That guy was a jerk, he was a nutcase I know he was acting in the movie 🍿🎥 even though it was based on a true story I saw him in real life like in person I would had some words to say to him, probably not nice word's to say to him, I can't let anyone take my kids.
I was blessed and grateful for my parents, my older brother and sister. We had great neighbors and knew them well. Had a lot of friends that were our age growing up. I also had a wonderful husband when I married and great and loving in-laws! Great respect and admiration for my loving parents and being Christians!💖💕✨
Bless You!!! I had 3 and like you raised them without any government assistance, when I finally was strong enough to leave and thereby stop the abuse. It was when I realized he was hurting our son. And like you I am so happy, they all are successful and I am about to be a grandma! Blessings!
If only you two knew how many millions of people raised their kids without Gov Assistance you'd stop mentioning it like it's some extraordinary thing. NOTHING wrong with assistance especially after years of working and putting in Taxes to go towards that. I raised mine with hard cash earned at work but wouldn't have been any less of a provider had it all been Gov Assistance.
@@TheBrownIsland Yes, thank you!!! While it's wonderful to support a family without assistance, there are some situations where people _need_ government assistance. And no one should be shamed for asking the government for help. After all, we all pay into government assistance, including food stamps.
@@AnnabelleJARankinThat's just an excuse for putting your child or children in harms way. No, you don't ever need a break from your children. You may WANT one but as a parent, you have a responsibility to the well being of those children first and foremost. Too many adults out there worried about their own comfort over their children. If you can't handle them, find a decent family who can, don't just toss them to the first person you see.
Stumbled upon this gem for teaching. These two adults were sickening to watch. I would diagnose either a "shared psychosis" or sociopath who corrupted the woman to share in on his evil. We need stricter rules and punishments for people who steal children. This is angering to watch as so many unstable sociopaths attempt this in different ways. You truly must know what you are looking at, the downfall of that poor young mom. And I like Anna but she didn't seem to do enough. I would not be able to live daily life not searching or something. 😢
The mother is definitely naive ! Once they disrespected her & she told them to leave her house, she should've stopped talking to them, told her children to stay away from the neighbors, told everyone she knows about it, & reported it to the police . People like them cannot be trusted .
Exactly. There were red flags from the very beginning. That man was a grooming EXPERT! U hear me! Telling them they could have icecream every day, giving them toys all of the time, trying to refuse to let their mother pick them up at night, he was way too nice and eager to spend time with her children. The wife was another one! She was weird! U could tell she did as he said and was a little afraid of him.
@@danielleschiazza6172 The wife wasn't weird, she lived in turmoil, fear, guilt bc of the little girl she couldn't save. She was weak & paid a higher price than that mega evil husband of hers. Peace be with us all 🙏. "Isa"
@@danielleschiazza6172 nope, weird is what you don't see. Fear, anguish, turmoil over not being able to save the children that fall into her husbands web. "Isa"
I haven’t seen a comment like this yet but I have to say factually this movie is based on a. Couple hundred thousand true stories, whether we want to accept that or not.
Exactly & those who bash Mom's who fall so short, need to be very careful. Judgement will be that much harder on all of you. Peace be with everyone 🙏. "Isa"
@@purplelove3666Your comment makes no sense. It's only "common sense" if it's common. If it's not common in "everyone's heads" then it's not common sense. 🤦🏼♀️
It should be everywhere that people exist. I still want to know where all those children from Haiti went. Poof and no one even talks about it anymore. 🧐😢
I cannot BELIEVE her mother!!!! She actually had the nerve to go in there and accuse her of giving them her children in exchange for a trip! What a witch! The other child stayed behind! Did they not think about that? So she gave them 2 of them and kept one??? All they had to do was talk to the little girl.
Her mother made me sick she down played her daughter all the time, it was so disgusting. I would've never trusted that man nor his wife nobody gives soo many gifts without wanting something i never ever let my kids stay at nobody else unless family. I'm so hakit she got her babies back that middle child suffered alot of abuse. She will need therapy ❤🙏🏼😢
Sad that the wife was being groomed by an abuser as well. Every encounter he has with the neighbor he makes a disparaging remark once she is gone. Why purport to help someone you clearly despise? Both women were under the yoke of abusive men. One brave enough to leave and the other an enabler.
Finally after seeing this movie on my page for well over a month , I’m gonna give it a shot and well so far so good ! Now back to the movie 🍿 🎥 And another thing before I get to the movie . If EVER ANY OF YOUR CHILDREN say something or feel something isn’t right trust them! Don’t EVER MAKE them feel like they’re wrong take it from someone who has been there and it’s not good having no one believing in you !!!
I love how the neighbors say she's an unfit mother even tho she's working, trying to provide financial security and yet the male neighbor is having a rage fit at his wife yeah what a perfect place for children, toxicity is great for kids what a lovely environment lol
Exactly why they accept to help her out but behind her back they are judging her why bother helping babysitting her children if they are just judging her! I agree with the husband being toxic he is emotionally abusing his wife too if they had children their children would have to live in a toxic environment too
@@lyndsaysrebornnurseryoffib4241scummy neighbours like this prob say “it’s a waste of taxpayers money”if they drove the struggling bullied single mum to a suicidal overdose and needed an ambulance!
Addicts find a way to get what they want. Be it cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, coffee, caffeine, food, sex, etc. People will show you what's important to them by their actions.
I smoke and I’m poor, as long as I pay for it and I also pay the rest of my necessities should be others business. Pay attention to your hubby or bf, cheating is also an addiction.
Stranger DANGER isn’t all that needs to taught to our children any child for matter . Sometimes the most evil person lives within our own family or friend zones!!!
I went through the same thing in my 20s and now I’m 66 and I’m still alive. No woman need to be in an abusive relationship. Sometimes you gotta be alone to do what you have to do to be happy and keep your children safe because next comes the children, whether they are boys or girls. 🥲
🙄 Reading people's thoughts and body language is NOT common sense. Why does no one in this comment thread seem to understand what common sense means? 👀
Sadly there are kidnapped children out there every day they are still looking to be found I watched an episode of Punky Brewster and Punky and her friend Cheri are having a new girl over to make cookies they go to get Milk and see the new girls Picture on the Milk carton the girl runs out freaking out her Dad brings her inside Cheris Grandma Called Punkys Dad at work and he called Police it turns out the new girl was kidnapped by her Dad who lost custody to her Mom so he takes her from her Bed and leaves it was a year before they found him at the end of the episode the new girls Dad goes to Jail for kidnapping abd the new girl goes home to her Mom I feel so sad for the kids who never made it home because they were murdered or are still om the run I saw somewhere a woman found an old picture of herself on a Milk carton and realized her adopted parents were the ones who kidnapped her when she was little but gets in touch with her birthparents to tell them she is ok
I think one reason is they were living off stolen credit cards. A background check would probably be done for a legal adoption. Plus, they were kind of crazy.
She should have stopped him when he was buying them gifts. That's highly inappropriate to be buying other people's kids gifts at the spur of the moment.
The meigh ors r nice, but its so wicked and evil to lie to those kids that. Poor kids. Lord parents pray over and for ur children teach them about lies and bad people 😢
Nicolette must have had the mother of all plastic surgeries, because in this movie she's unrecognizable to me, compared to how she looked in desperate housewives
1:14:23 the Mom (Grandma) smiles when her daughter stands up to her; I know it's only a movie, but this is a common mistake some parents make: children learn strength from love, not abuse! This "Mom" (Grandma) was abusive. Thank you for sharing this movie.
Her mother is not that bad she was just teaching her daughter a lesson . A teenage bride maybe hard headed before. But parents would love their children no matter what . Everything she is working is for her anyway
