'What Would You Do?' episode recap: Mother leaves 8-year-old son alone at the beach

A recap of this week's episode of "What Would You Do?" with ABC's John Quiñones.

ByMark J. Parker
August 18, 2018, 3:18 AM

Here is a recap of this week's episode of "What Would You Do?" with ABC's John Quiñones:

"What Would You Do?": Food Stamp Shaming -- What would you do if you witnessed a woman who was short dollars at the grocery store being shamed by the cashier for using food stamps? The cashier refuses to help, and doesn’t want other customers in line to help her either, claiming she, “gets enough help as it is.” This is based on an incident at an Albertsons Groceries in Gresham, Oregon. A woman using WIC assistance was short $12, when another customer offered to pay the difference. The cashier said no, and continued shaming the customer. Watch what happens:

Inspired by a recent news story, a grocery store cashier gives a customer using WIC assistance a hard time for not having enough money. How will shoppers react?
Inspired by a recent news story, a grocery store cashier gives a customer using WIC assistance a hard time for not having enough money. How will shoppers react?

"What Would You Do?": Arizona Hazing -- How will people react when they see new recruits being publically hazed and humiliated as initiation into a fraternity? What if it’s a sorority doing the hazing? What would you do? Watch what happens:

Upperclassmen force new recruits to go through humiliating hazing for a fraternity and sorority in public. Is this fun and games, or going too far?
Upperclassmen force new recruits to go through humiliating hazing for a fraternity and sorority in public. Is this fun and games, or going too far?

"What Would You Do?": Asian Coming Out -- You’re at a restaurant where you witness a son deciding to come out to his very traditional Asian parents. The parents make it clear they will not accept their son’s sexual orientation, citing their culture and their beliefs. If you saw parents berating and rejecting their son for coming out, what would you do? Watch what happens:

Asian parents tell their son that he is an embarrassment to their culture for being gay. What will nearby diners say?
Asian parents tell their son that he is an embarrassment to their culture for being gay. What will nearby diners say?

"What Would You Do?": Free-Range Parenting -- A concept often described as the opposite of “helicopter” parenting, “free-range” parenting encourages children to function independently, with less parental supervision. If a young boy asks you what the time is, saying he’s been on the boardwalk alone all day and is meeting his mom later, would you simply tell him the time, or ask for details about why he’s alone, try to contact his mom, or maybe even call the police? What would you do? Watch what happens:

A mother practicing "free-range" parenting leaves her young son alone at the beach for the day. Will passersby think this is good or bad parenting?
A mother practicing "free-range" parenting leaves her young son alone at the beach for the day. Will passersby think this is good or bad parenting?

"What Would You Do?": Fake Date -- What would you do if a beautiful young woman asked you to pretend to be her boyfriend for 10 minutes, just so she can appease her meddling mother? How far would you go to keep up the lie? Watch what happens:

A woman goes up to strangers telling them her pushy mother is arriving any minute, and is expecting to meet her new boyfriend now. Will they go along with it?
A woman goes up to strangers telling them her pushy mother is arriving any minute, and is expecting to meet her new boyfriend now. Will they go along with it?