Sad Little Girl

My friend R has joint custody of his daughter M. He has her every other weekend and every other Wed & Thurs night. I take her to school on the mornings he has her. I don't think her home life (with her mom) is very happy....and this morning confirmed that for me. he dropped her off and she took off her backpack and then realized she didn't have her lunch. I immediately called R and he said he forgot it in the fridge and would get it to school before lunch. fine. I told M and she was SO freaked out by it, she asked a million questions and then proceded to bawl. I hugged her and reassured her and she cried and cried and cried. I called R so he could talk to her and she settled down and then continued to cry. She was worried about how she would get it, worried about what R's boss would say, and nothing I said helped to reassure her or calm her down. She was in such a tizzy that she said she was sick, and begged to go home. It was so sad....and just doesn't seem "normal" to me. Especially not for this little girl. I just felt really really sorry for her!! :( R did get her lunch here before we had to leave to go to school and she was fine. He said that she acts like this over anything she loses or forgets or misplaces. He said he has told her over and over that it is not a big deal....that ANYTHING she loses, he can replace. he is worried that maybe she gets in a lot of trouble at home when she loses or forgets something. Poor M. breaks my heart.