Can the child welfare agencies sue the parents of Abby Sunderland?

I'm not really sure. I mean there had to have been some laws about sailing around the world before Abby ever stepped up and i'm sure it was very much known that a 16 year kid would be out there doing this. So if the law were to come up, why didn't they before she sailed out?





There are two sides to this, there are people who think her parents are extremely crazy and then there are those who actually stand beside Abby becuase she's brave, she's strong, she's confident and she's living up to her dreams.





but here's my opinion on it. No Record is worth your life being taken away. This girl is going against an element that holds not only creatures that are swimming below probably ready to bite her limbs off, but she's also going against whether conditions and maybe even foreigners.





Now, i have heard that her boat has been torn to some extend, what happens if it were to be flooded with water all of the sudden? sharks, giant squids, whales, jelly fish, whatever, will be ready to get a piece of her. how can she survive in an environment that humans are not really used to being in. i consider us as dry-land natives. she'll get tired of swmming and she'll probably suffer hypothermia. i mean really, is this whole thing worth it?





Second, lets say she is spotted by some crazy foreigners who see that she's young and a female, they decide to kidnap her and do whatever? I don't really know much about sailing around the world and can only hope that monitors are near to help her, but if not and she's literally out there alone, then i think it's utterly ridiculous.





What if her communication is blown out permanently, the boat stops working and she's just stranded?





I have heard some good similarities that people make though, like her going sailing alone is no different then a teen driving a car becuase anytime we get on the road it's just as dangerous, especially criminals or dumbheads who are on the road, breaking the law or people who are drunk. however, driving is a part of life, we need it to go to work, school, funerals, doctors, etc. And yes we get in accidents, but at least people are AROUND and can call 911 for you. But when it comes to the ocean, if she needed help, where is she gonna get it? Plus if she were to get help, it takes TIME to reach her. the ocean is HUGGGGGE! We don't have to sail around the world just to prove something.





If i were her parents, i would not let it happen, until she's at least 18 becuase then she'll be in charge of her life and i'll have no say. but if my kids are minors and under my authority still, i would NEVER allow such a thing. i would RATHER my teen be worried about girl drama or some boy in school who's writing her love letters. or worrying about buying a dress for the prom. Parents are suppose to be protectors and the responsible ones, not just let their child do anything they want just becuase it's something they want to do.





Again, her life and health is NOT worth some dumb record.|||Sure they probably could, but the parents of Abigail have a lot of money to pay for the best lawyers money can buy so why bother!|||Maybe.





I just want to take this opportunity to tell all the people who are getting in her parents' face to F off. This girl is 10 times more resourceful and 100 times braver than just about any adult I've ever met. Yes there was risk, that's life. Better she die out there living life to the fullest than to die a slow death caused by TV, texting, and McDonalds. The people making the most stink probably smother their kids and end up paying their credit card bills until the kids are 50.|||Should we not allow girls to sign up for gymnastics since they could potentially fall and become paralyzed?





Wouldnt that classify as "unnecessary danger"?





You cant lock a kid in their room until age 18 in order to protect them and then let them out and try to survive in this world. That's not going to work.|||I hope not.





This is an adventure, and the risks were understood.





Life is full of risks, many of them a lot worse than the dangers Abby Sunderland is facing with a broken mast in high seas with rescue on the way.








Would you not let kids play sports, ride motorcyles and dirtbikes, etc? Where would you draw the line?





We cannot keep kids locked indoors all the time like some pet we are afraid might get hurt if it goes outside.|||nope she knew the risk remember teenagers drive cars and some times get in wrecks


so you want to ban teenager from enjoying life ?|||THANK YOU for this question! I've been wondering about it myself. The girl is under 18 and yet has been given a yacht worth hundresds of thousands of dollars and been told, "Bon voyage...see ya when you get back from around the world BY YOURSELF!!!" Have the parents never heard of "child endangerment". If I was this girl's grandparent I'd haul my kids into court so fast it would suck the curtains off of the windows! MORONS!!!|||You are aware that the fishing profession as a whole is a completely volunteer force, and that rescuing stranded sailors is typically part of a fishing contract, yes? They understood the risks involved when they signed up and when they chose to rescue her, and so did Sunderland when she first left port. I don't see *you* sailing a yacht around the world, and I CERTAINLY don't see you risking your life to save someone who is. Who the hell are *you* to judge anyone?





@ ckswife: So the NANOSECOND you turn 18, you're magically mature enough to sail around the world? Age does not equal maturity, and you are walking proof of that.