Am I paranoid about the guns in my sister's house?

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TheRealJuliane said:
I’m sure you didn’t mean that the way you wrote it. If you knew children were being abused, surely you WOULD call CPS.
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I would call the police.

Having worked in “human services” I know the horrors of the group homes (over medication, verbally and emotionally abusive staff, immoral agendas, etc)
–needless to say I now work in another field.

I pray for all the children from broken homes.
 
My parents never allowed any guns in the house, and now I see why. There is so much potential for things to go wrong. Just get ADT or something like it if you’re worried about security.
 
Et_Cetera said:
My parents never allowed any guns in the house, and now I see why. There is so much potential for things to go wrong. Just get ADT or something like it if you’re worried about security.
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and while waiting for the police,should one offer 🍰 :coffee:
 
Gidge said:
I would call the police.

Having worked in “human services” I know the horrors of the group homes (over medication, verbally and emotionally abusive staff, immoral agendas, etc)
–needless to say I now work in another field.

I pray for all the children from broken homes.
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And the police will call CPS in on the situation instead of you calling them. The police are not social services.
 
Gidge said:
Touché.

It’s the children who will suffer once CPS is called, sadly. 😦
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On that point, I totally agree with you. But if the children can be placed with other family members, that is attempted. We just have too many dysfunctional and dangerous family situations nowdays.

😦
 
Well, if you don’t address this and something bad happens, how will you feel? Too late then to do something.

I’ve been a gun owner, and I personally wouldn’t take offense to someone, particularly a close family member, asking the logical question since it involves their children’s safety.
 
IMO, you might be a little paranoid about the guns, since you haven’t actually seen a gun laying out. However, I would be concerned about the kids spending time there anyway because it sounds like there is alot of junk around that they could get hurt with. My grandma used to live that way. Every surface and corner of her apartment had a pile of junk on it that she didn’t want to get rid of. When she was moved to another apartment, my uncle counted over a thousand VHS tapes that she had recorded TV shows on. Half of them weren’t even labelled! If you go over there, keep your daughter in sight. You could also suggest going to her town, but having the party at Chuck E Cheese or the park instead of her home.
 
april32010 said:
and while waiting for the police,should one offer 🍰 :coffee:
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Yessiree, when seconds count, the police are minutes away :rolleyes:

Not to get anyone paranoid, but many alarm companies hire ex-cons who work in their boiler rooms and even on the actual installs. My sister is a mental health professional and was considering alarm installation for her home – she was greeted by one of her substance abuse clients as a representative of the alarm company – needless to say, that was the end of that business transaction.

I doubt that expensive firearms are just laying around in an unsecure manner, when the guy is the owner of a gun safe. Once again, if you’re worried, just ask.
 
Thank you everyone for the comments and advice.

I asked my father if he thought my BIL had all his guns locked up, and he said that he’s sure he does, Since my father is also a “gun guy”, and he’s over to my sister’s house nearly every day, I feel a bit better. However, with the comments here, I feel you all have given me the courage (encouragement!) to ask my sister and BIL directly about the gun situation. I think I"ll bring it up casually, ask about the gun safe.

They both have a TON of junk. They both are collectors of just about everything, and BOTH have been this way even growing up. They do throw out trash, but they collect so much stuff - happy meal toys, clothes, beanie babies, small toys for their kids, etc. It’s not just my sister, it’s the two of them together, so at least they don’t fight too much over the condition of the house. On one or two occasions, my sister did mention to me that she was trying to get things in order and get rid of some stuff, but I was recently in my father’s attic, and I saw that she is now bringing her items back to his house.

Is there such a thing as a “functional” hoarder? Kind of like a “functional” alcoholic? The house is a mess, but the bills get paid, they have full time jobs, the kids are fed, clothed, and bathed. Most of me thinks that my BIL would be responsible enough (and my sister would nag him endlessly) that all his guns would be stored unloaded and locked up. But 20 % of me is worried that he is so disorganized with other things, that why should the guns be any different? He doesn’t take care of big-ticket items outside, like the gas grill or the patio furniture or the kayaks or the (you name it). Just lays where it was left, until the wind or rain ruin them.

I would never call CPS, as they have a very bad reputation in that particular county. Also, one of the parents does the home visits for cases similar to this, and so, I can’t even imaging what would happen if I called. I wouldn’t want anyone to lose their job. However, if I ever find out tangible, beyond a doubt evidence that either of their kids is in danger, I would not hesitate to make some immediate calls to family. Thankfully, there are lots of family members on either side who could step in and take the kids for a while.
 
Would your sister and her husband have any interest in following FlyLady (www.flylady.com) who uses baby steps to help you clear up clutter from your house and then keep it clutter-free? Maybe their problem is that the clutter is so overwhelming right now they don’t know how to get out from under it?
 
Years ago I had to clean out and remodel a hoarder home. I found a rusty rifle under a pile of clothes with a bullet wedged cockeyed in the rusted chamber. The bed in that room had white sheets so old and filthy they had that brown-yellow look, and there were chicken bones under the covers.
 
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