In today's era, being a parent means constantly being on high alert. Taiwanese actress Yan Li-ting recently shared a post about a friend whose family went on a trip abroad.
During a meal at a restaurant, their 12-year-old daughter said she needed to use the restroom but never returned. Yan Li-ting's post is a somber call for parents to remain vigilant, expressing hope that the girl finds her way home soon.
Yan Li-ting shared this story on Facebook, recounting the tale told by her close friend. The friend's acquaintance's family was dining out when their 12-year-old daughter went to the restroom alone. After a while, the parents realized she had been gone too long.
"No one could have predicted that this trip to the restroom would mean she never came back," Yan Li-ting said according to TVBS News.
Yan Li-ting admits that after hearing this story, she couldn't help but imagine all the terrible possibilities.
She often sees horrifying stories of human traffickers in movies and couldn't bear to think about what the young girl, just entering the prime of her life, might be going through.
"Where did she go? Who took her? What is she experiencing right now? How scared and helpless must she be? I really, really, really can't imagine... How devastated and guilty must her parents feel?!" she expressed.
Yan Li-ting wrote this post to remind all adults traveling with children to never let them out of their sight. "It's essential to be more alert! No matter how old the child is, as long as they are still a child, they are just a child," she advised.
She suggests that when going to the restroom, fathers should accompany sons and mothers should accompany daughters. If the genders are switched, don't get distracted by your phone. Wait outside the restroom and listen for their voice.
"In these situations, losing face is not important at all. I've really heard of children disappearing just by going to the restroom alone! The adult was waiting outside, but where did the child go? Because inside, they were drugged, had their hair shaved, and clothes changed, so even if they passed right by you, you wouldn't recognize your own child!"
