Being in the trenches in the newborn phase can humble even the most attractive person out there. It is not for the weak; the lack of sleep, the absence of consistent nutritional food, and having zero time can take a toll on any appearance. You also genuinely stop caring about how you look, leaning into full “survival” mode. And this doesn’t even account for the slightly more grown kids you may already have at home.
One exhausted dad’s ensemble, however, caused his neighbors enough concern to call the police on him. A California father of four, Chapman Hamborg was taking his newborn for a walk after throwing on random clothes when the neighbors spotted him. They reported him to police, stating that a “homeless man” had stolen a baby. He ended up posting the “wild” interaction on his Instagram.
“I take our newborn daughter for walks around our neighborhood while wearing her in the baby carrier multiple times a day,” he wrote. “I am surprised all of my neighbors haven’t seen me and recognize me by now. Well, this lady thought I was homeless and had a (stollen?!) baby and she was concerned enough to call the police, and get in her car and follow me home.
After confirming his identification, the police apologized and left him to continue his walk with the baby. People were simultaneously flabbergasted while understanding how this could happen.
“I looked like a bridge troll during the newborn years. Pretty sure this is just the normal vibe for young parents,” wrote one empathetic parent.
Others noted the more serious implications about something like this happening.
“I think this actually demonstrates how hard it is for people to wrap their heads around a dad taking their baby out for a walk in a baby carrier. It made more sense in our culture of over-working, distant dads that you had stolen the baby,” wrote one person.
“Ok I get it he’s not homeless. But a homeless person walking their baby, not disturbing, stealing, or breaking into the communities homes. Makes you feel the need to call the cops? Strange,” pointed out another commenter.
“Since when is being homeless with a baby a crime? Homeless people have children,” noted another person.
Hamborg turned the incident into a positive by making it a teachable moment for his family and others. As an artist, he contacted the United Way of Orange County to work with the organization to sell prints of a painting he had of himself carrying the baby and pledged to donate 20% of the proceeds to helping the homeless.
