I think both you and metavision take it too easy on people by blaming law. I think the coldness comes from a more general human attitude in easily judging others, and the easier the less well known. The passers-by who scolded my mother for allowing my brother to run away, or methinks even the cop who scolded Barbara, weren't motivated by law. I also fear that the 'resolution' of the case Barbara wrote about may turn out cold not due to following the letter of the law, but due to legal decisionmakers following their cold hearts when judging strangers (especially a foreigner).

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}