My son was playing in the sandbox when an unfamiliar woman came up to him and started saying something: shortly after, I heard my son’s terrifying scream 

My son has always been the calmest and most reasonable child. He never acted up without reason, never threw tantrums, and never cried over little things.

On the contrary — he always amazed adults with his wisdom and kindness. He is only a few years old, yet he already knows how to make friends, share his toys, and care for others. He especially loves the sandbox: he can sit there for hours, building castles, digging holes, and playing with other children.

That day everything was as usual. We went to the yard, I sat on a bench with other mothers, and my son settled into the sandbox. I kept an eye on him from the corner of my eye while talking to a neighbor. His calmness always reassured me that everything would be fine.

But after a while, a piercing, wild scream rang out. I jumped. That scream couldn’t be mistaken for anything else — it was my son, and he was clearly screaming out of fear.

I rushed to the sandbox and saw: my son was crying, sobbing so hard that he was choking on his tears, and next to him stood an unfamiliar woman. She was hastily saying something to him, but when she noticed me, she abruptly turned around and walked away quickly.

For a moment I froze, not knowing whether to run after the stranger or calm my child first. My son was screaming so loudly and breathing so heavily that I decided to hug him tightly and hold him close.

— Son, what happened? Who was that woman? What was she talking to you about? — I asked, wiping away his tears.

And what he told me horrified me.  Continued in the first comment 

At first, he said, the woman came up to him and suggested they play together. Then, suddenly changing the subject, she said something terrible:

— Your parents have been lying to you all this time. I’m your real mother. And they are strangers.

My son, confused and frightened, tried to protest:

— No! I have a mom, and that’s her!

But the woman didn’t stop there. She tried to convince him that they had to go home together, and even grabbed his hand. When my son pulled away and screamed, she panicked and ran off.

To this day I still can’t recover from it. Who was that woman? Why did she try to take my child? Maybe she was just a disturbed stranger, or maybe she had even more sinister intentions.

Since that day, I haven’t left my son’s side for even a moment.

Dear mothers, please be careful. Even if it seems like your child is completely safe, even if he is playing just a few steps away from you.