I must be living in a parallel universe or something, because I simply cannot imagine having an 8-y-o banging on my door asking for help and not trying to help. Doesn't matter to me what may or may not be the cause, whether the mother is out, unconscious or dead, that poor child needs help before any other considerations. EDIT: I think this would actually be illegal in many European countries, where 'good-samaritan' laws require anyone to offer what help they can. If that had happened here, and the child later came to harm, then the OP would be liable for prosecution, up to manslaughter charges if they failed to help and the kid then died as a result.

The mother is in absolutely no position to criticise. OP had no idea what was going on and called the police as a very alarmed civic minded citizen. The mother actually owes OP an apology for disturbing her night. Did the mother even inform the little girl she was leaving her alone? The level of hysteria seems extraordinarily high.

I know OP isn't wrong but I still find it a bit messed up that they thought something was wrong and immediately abandoned a child for their own well-being. Like damn dude, you couldn't pull the child into the room and lock the door behind them?

If the kid was so terrified they had to be sedated it seems like more than a nightmare. Would OP have been able to calm the kid down? I can see calling the police, but i probably would have checked on the kid, too, at the very least talking to her through the door.

I'm on the fence. If I shared common space with these folks, we'd have, at least, familiarity between us. So assuming at least a civil relationship. She knew the voice. Probably should have let the child in. That being said, if any child asked me for help, I'm on it. I don't have kids but I'll mama bear for any child.

Ever had a 12yr old autistic kid punch you full force in your uterus so hard you take a knee? Ever had a 10yr old try to pour gasoline through you letter box and set it alight? Ever had a gang of 8yr olds outside your house trying to smash your windows with rocks, one that narrowly misses your head when you open the window to yell at them? Children left alone can be violent heathens, as a woman on her own, she did the right thing. To the YTA's saying she should've done something, it's not her job and it's not worth risking her safety because another woman is an incompetent parent. What if the child decided to accuse the woman of doing something inappropriate to her? Not worth risking. Locking herself in and calling the police was the safest thing to do.

OPs side. As a single female, I would NEVER open the door to a screaming individual. I would call the cops too. Could be a trap. You never know.

Ladies - do not follow the cries of children. Call the cops like OP did. Maternal instincts have been used as a ploy to lure out unsuspecting women to take advantage of them. The birth-giver is the one entirely in the wrong here. Do not put yourself in unnecessary danger.

Just because someone could have done better but didn’t doesn't make them an a*****e. The only a*****e here is the mother who leaves her kid alone in a rented room at 2am. The gal who freaked at the hysterical kid COULD have done something more immediate for her but it does not mean she SHOULD have and it doesn’t make her an a*****e for not. At most somewhat cowardly. Waaaaay too many unknown variables to make those determinations. The setup of that rental seems odd - a room without any access to a kitchen except through personal relationship with the landlord can be considered an apartment???? Does she have a bathroom at least?? Important unknowns: Did she know the mom/kid more than passing in the hallway? Is the entry to the upstairs rooms locked? How secure/safe is the area? Does the gal have any comfort with kids? Etc…

I have a friend, we will call him Rick. Rich works out, goes shooting, always talks about how he's going to save him family if something happened. Big strong protector. Our families went camping together. I saw this man scream like a little b***h, jump several feet in the air, and drop back down to cower behind his 4f daughter who had been behind him. Because of a spider that dropped from a tree. Don't say how you're going to act when sh*t hits the fan unless you've been there. 22 is young, woken from a dead sleep, and screaming = huge adrenaline spike. And Adrenaline is a hell of a d**g

With no way to assess the situation along with the screaming and crying, being awakened from sleep and disoriented and afraid, and having no idea if it was a trap at that hour. It happens all the time, and she had no way of knowing if this was one of them. It's been known that men will use a baby seat and sounds in secluded or isolated places to lure women. Ladies, you cannot be too careful. As hard as it is, follow this woman's example.

One thing I learned after being involved in a traumatic situation (for the other people, not for me) is you cannot judge people for how they react in moments like this. People go into fight or flight, this girl did what she felt was best to keep herself safe. It may not have been what others would have done, but you can't blame someone for acting a certain way in a situation they've never been in before. The blame lies with the mother for leaving her child alone to begin with. God forbid a 22 year old woman gets scared when she hears screaming. It is not her duty to put herself in danger for someone else's child.

WOW I could vote without being a subscriber! I hate how bright the site is now. Luckily I have adblockers so I don't have to pay for ad removal... What is this new thing on BP? But on to the post itself: That woman is weird and and an ashole. Not for calling the police, it was absolutely the right thing to do, but to leave a scared lonely child like this?? Wow!

NTA! Not your responsibility. Crazy hours or not, the child was left by her mother... Alone!

Wow i don’t think I’ve agreed with the yta votes before but this person is just ugh. I will never understand that line of thinking.