Child Lost at the Golden Arches

Name: "Nanna" Age: 2 years and 4 months old Height: 2'5" Possibly lost from her grandmother's care and elder cousin, at the newly opened McDonald's branch in Sta. Ana., Manila, today at around 4 pm. Suspect: 'young mother' between the age of 25-30, height ranging 4'5", black hair, fair complexioned, petite body built; seen with daughter of height around 2'7", skinny and left at the counter unaffected by her 'mothers' disappearance.

Surely, our house would be in chaos right now, blaming and worrying and grumbling to find her if what happened was not a "preempted kidnapping". Say that I am overreacting but the narratives of the tragic drama that was thwarted by my mom's defensive maternal instinct to keep her granddaughter safe in her watchful eyes, tell an angle of a failed modus operandi.

Parents, nannies and kins going out with children should learn from this story. I could not imagine how we could manage the emotional chaos of grief, worry, guilt, and the business of working this case out with the police, and the burdening 'obligation' of recounting to the curious what could have happened. Indeed, panic, would wreak us all down, helpless and hopeless.

Mama, 72, must have missed her granddaughter that much, that when she got home with her parents from Bulacan, she decided to go with Nanna (not her real name), her mommy, and my other niece, 17, to try the new fast-food chain and then go to the grocery store just beside it. Inside, they bought some dessert, and then my sister went to the grocery.

After wards, while they were about to leave, another woman took Nanna by the hand, getting out of the fast-food chain. My niece did not react in anyway that seemed alarming to her. It seemed that manner how she was held was safe after all. My mother screamed, caught the guard's attention and other customers inside. They were just a few steps away.

The guard even consoled my mom, that they are still just near. My other niece grabbed Nanna by her arms, and told her that the woman she was with was not her mom. Nanna looked at the woman and slipped off from her clutch. The woman said "Di ko anak to, 'san yung anak ko?" (This is not my daughter, where is my daughter?), calmly and un-alarmed by her 'mistake'.

The woman went inside to pick her daughter near the counter, who like her, was not affected after all by the situation that she was not with her mom. The woman did no scolding, did not express any anger, or panic. The two left the store without buying anything. While they leave passing by mom, the woman apologized "Sorry po, sorry po, 'Kala ko anak ko" (I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I thought she was my daughter."

No eye-contact between my mom and the woman, or with my niece. Like nothing happened. The two went to buy some dessert in the store's dessert shop outside. Still no eye contact, but as my mom, Nannah and my other niece, passed by them to go to the grocery store, the woman looked at them. These accounts were based from the stories my mom, and my niece could recall.

I must have bias in framing the drama in this post. I can assume that it was just a plain mistake, and I could admit I am jumping into conclusions. Read the accounts again, and then think about my subsequent points on what con-artists in their modus operandi do, and what for they are doing it? Or you may have the same assumptions as I have.


A Cunning Artistry of Maternal Drama

A modus operandi is a scam, there are templates in it, but we are not all aware of. All forms of con-artistry put individuals in a highly emotionally charged situation, that confuses us to think sensibly. They take place in public spaces, and the con-artists blend in the naturally occurring social interactions, dressed up for the occasion and the place. Con-artistry is a well-planned staged drama, that its primary actors are well rehearsed about.

The actors know their script, their actions are calculated, but they can never fake the spontaneity of human emotions. The victims are participants, the actors have anticipation of how the participants will react to their staged drama. Like any stage performance, there are other people around unseen to the participants, but helping to finish the drama successfully. The participant-victim are mostly vulnerable, the very old and the very young, the seemingly unaware and the gullible, the frail and the unable to defend their selves.

I assumed it was a modus operandi that anyone who have concern for their children should be aware of. While, I gave the story, there are some pieces of information, that I could connect to my immediate conclusion, particularly examining the communicative behavior of the primary actors. Most of these things miss our sight and sense, because what we are really interested is the grand narrative or the obvious drama, and not of the other texts that tell something else:

1. The woman who took my niece was near the door, while her daughter was meters away visible to her and standing by the counter.
2. The woman left the fast-food chain without buying anything from inside.
3. The daughter was all calm, unaware but not alarmed by my mother's created commotion, calmly leaving with my niece.
   
4. The woman did not react in a way that a mother losing her hold of her child would naturally do.
5. The woman's daughter was skinny, taller, with long tied hair, and wearing clothes so different in color to my niece's, and no similarity to my niece's physical features.
   
6. The woman though apologetic, did not project her face much, that neither my mom nor my niece could recall to describe her face.
7. The woman was carrying a plastic bag to show that she was from the market, but the bag only has a bundle of kangkong (water cabbage) in it.
8. A mother knows her daughter, even if she's just holding it by her hand.
   
9. Going out the door, maternal instincts dictate that the woman should see that it is her daughter with her, and that she should get out safe.
10. The woman was able to hold my unattentive niece so she would not react violently (this takes some practice).

You know what, the police station is just 50-100 steps away from the market. My mom was not so aggressive and as assuming as I am, but I think that such "mistake" should be subjected to investigation. I have to say this, though it counters to the interest of my hometown which is being promoted as a historical site in Manila, but syndicated modus operandi have been going on in our community, particularly the market area, at unsuspected time, and where there are visible security personnel and the public around.

I am thankful, Nanna is safe home with us. I hope I am misreading the clues, for all our safety. It could not be preempted kidnap for ransom, because our town, even though we have the Golden Arches now, is not known to be a community of wealthy residents. But it could be preempted attempt of kidnapping for reasons I don't know, and later on this crime syndicate will sell the kids they took if not use them to beg for them in the streets, or take their vital organs to sell. I hope I am just misreading the clues, because all I have are reasons to suspect a possibly innocent woman.


What to do in this kind of situation?

Do remember that the con-artistry is staged calmly so as not to get others attention. Aside from being very attentive and watchful of your children, at such kind of situation, poise and etiquette are out of your concern. Here, are possible things you can do:

1. Alert others of the situation or that 'mistake' you sensed right away, the criminal would always just like to slip away smoothly;
2. Shout for help, because that's how you get others' attention;
3. If the suspect is apprehended, take that suspect to the authorities for further investigation and to record a report of the event;
4. If you have any gadgets and the offenders are getting farther, take photos or videos;
5. When the offenders have get away vehicle, take any means to follow them, and bring others with you as much as possible.
   

When you've done those practical things, go to the authorities, the nearest police station, report it, then discuss the situation with all those concerned, calmly and with hope, that things will be fine later on. It pays to be always vigilant, and suspicion makes sense to trigger our senses to act appropriately. Why do hens act like a fighting cock, when their chicks are attacked? That's the same as our protective instinct to defend what we most value.