Sick to my stomach

littleredfish

I heard on the radio this morning that a 2 year old boy in Milton (North of Toronto) died after being left in the car of a family member for several hours. I've never felt so sick after hearing a story. I've heard of children drowning, and other horrible things but this one is really bothering me. I work for a shelter where we respond to dog in car calls all summer. I know the brain damage and slow painful death it can inflict on these animals, and I'm so sick thinking of that poor boy.

https://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/27/ontario-boy-2-dies-after-being-left-in-family-members-vehicle-for-significant-portion-of-the-day/ This is the article online. The report on the radio said both parents were at work and it was an extended family member who was watching him, so I don't know the final details. In the end it doesn't matter, that poor boy still died the same death. My heart breaks for him. I cannot imagine the horror his mother must have felt.

How in the world can awful things like this happen?

Edit: fixed link; wrong article, was not related to this incident. My friend posted a similar article on FB, which makes this worse that it's happening frequently.

selockar

I've heard of this happening before. It's awful. I keep my diaper bag in the backseat, so I'll never forget he is back there.

ELF4321

I've actually called 911 before to report young kids left alone in cars in parking lots. Too many people just have no common sense.

MrsH11710

This makes me sick as well. I'm so sad for the little boy and his family.

EMOmamma

Don't rush to judge in these cases.  This article is heart-wrenching but attempts to explain how this happens:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/03/06/ST2009030602446.html?sid=ST2009030602446

It is one of my biggest fears.  One day I dropped my son off at DC but I was taking DD over to my moms - however when I left the DC I drove straight to work.  It was automatic, it's what I did everyday and didn't even realize what I was doing until I was pulling into my parking lot with DD still babbling away.  I don't know what would have happened if she had been asleep or I didn't hear her.   I went to my mom's house and bawled.  After I told one of my friends she sent me the above article.  

ELF4321

EMOmamma:

Don't rush to judge in these cases. nbsp;This article is heartwrenching but attempts to explain how this happens:https://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/story/2009/03/06/ST2009030602446.html?sid=ST2009030602446It is one of my biggest fears. nbsp;One day I dropped my son off at DC but I was taking DD over to my moms however when I left the DC I drove straight to work. nbsp;It was automatic, it's what I did everyday and didn't even realize what I was doing until I was pulling into my parking lot with DD still babbling away. nbsp;I don't know what would have happened if she had been asleep or I didn't hear her. nbsp; I went to my mom's house and bawled. nbsp;After I told one of my friends she sent me the above article. nbsp;

No judgment here. The autopilot thing is common. DH could totally do something like that and not notice if he wasn't used to taking DD with him. I have actually called him to make sure he doesn't go on auto pilot in situations like that.

EMOmamma

ELF4321:

No judgment here. The autopilot thing is common. DH could totally do something like that and not notice if he wasn't used to taking DD with him. I have actually called him to make sure he doesn't go on auto pilot in situations like that.

I wasn't meaning to implicate you - I knew what you were saying about kids in cars at stores and such (and yes, I judge those people who do it on purpose).  

I just wanted to put that out there since we usually don't hear much background when we hear something like this on the news.  

rapaulson

That Washington Post article is maybe the saddest article I have ever read. Wow.  So much tragedy.

jil1210

The WP article is so heart breaking!

I like PP's idea of putting something in the backseat that you'll need at your destination, as a forced reminder.

Hopefully continued discussions about this will help prevent future tragedies.

MrsH11710

rapaulson:

That Washington Post article is maybe the saddest article I have ever read. Wow.  So much tragedy.

Exactly!

My heart goes out to the families who lost their LO's due to a terrible accident. I will be hugging DD a little tighter from now on.

bellelamb

michyme123:

I often have the opposite Of this fear.

For example, if we are driving away from the mall or our house I Triple check that he's actually in his car seat and not forgotten in the parking lot or my driveway for example.

Totally irrational but I always fear forgetting him...

This is my fear too!!! I've known a few people who have strapped lo into their cars eats and left them home thankfully they were all fine but still so scary!

littleredfish

nlynch11:

I feel like I hear about it at least once in my area every summer - I can't believe the OP hasn't (no judgement, just surprised). It is so sad but thinking it can't happen to you is the biggest mistake you can make, so it sounds like everyone hear is at least aware. You know when you get in the car and start driving to the wrong place (work instead of the store, etc). Same thing. I don't think it should be a crime in a case like the article linked - that man is already punishing himself more than anyone ever could. (If someone intentionally left their kid in the car, or left their kid in the car to score drugs or somethings, different story).

I honestly haven't. I have heard about it happening before but not often. Drowning stories are everywhere and I hear about those all the time, but I honestly can't remember the last time I heard about a child dying from being left in a car, and I feel it's something that would stand out to me.

cltk12

This is one of my biggest fears. It's so sad. Our DC actually calls us if our child is not dropped off within 30 mins of their normal time to help make sure this doesn't happen.

najzomax

rapaulson:

That Washington Post article is maybe the saddest article I have ever read. Wow.  So much tragedy.

 I feel sick for those families. I could imagine myself or my husband making that mistake. I don't think I could ever forgive myself. I'm going upstairs right now to kiss my sleeping daughter and say a prayer for all the families this has happened to.  

MelissaMiso

I can't even bare to open the link and read the article. I just can't.