DEAR ABBY: Our daughter was married recently. During the wedding or the reception, someone stole money from the purses of at least two of the bridesmaids.
Are the bride's parents responsible for the loss? -- MOTHER OF THE BRIDE IN ALABAMA
DEAR MOTHER OF THE BRIDE: What happened was unfortunate, and I hope the lesson the bridesmaids learned from this wasn't an expensive one. Unless you agreed to look after the young women's belongings, you are not responsible for the loss. They should have left their purses with someone they trusted or secured in a locked room or car.
As a gesture of good will, depending upon the state of your finances, you might want to make good on their loss. But you are not required to do so.