I saw a kid left alone in a car today

VTbride05 · April 2010

and I didnt know what to do/ think.

I went to Once Upon A Child today and as I left I saw a girl in the next car, all alone. She was 3 or 4 years old. I put DS in his seat, looked around, and decided to sit with DS for a few minutes to see what happened/decide if I should do something. I watched the little girl unbuckle from her carseat and toddle around the car. After 4-5 minutes (as I was getting DS out of the car to go inside and see who the parent was) the mother came out.

Now it's warm out today. One of the reasons I sat with DS was to have the door open and let air into the car as it was SO hot when I got in. This little girl was in the car with no windows opened. Also, she was at an age where she could get out herself. You could NOT see the car from the store window and it was a busy parking lot/shopping center.

I SHOULD have gone in the store right away, I realize that. I should have found her mother (who was in line behind me as I checked out, so she left her child for awhile.

It was an odd situation. I didnt want to call the cops and have mom come out 1 second later. I didnt want to be that crazy lady running into the store.... but I should have been. I would rather be that crazy lady then watch the little girl get out of the car, hurt, or stay hot in her car.

jenerally? · April 2010

well, what was the mother doing in there? Was she bringing in items to be consigned, then going right back out for her child?

I'm a little confused.

VTbride05 · April 2010

She came out carrying stuff they didnt want. But she stood in line behind me. Wouldnt you say "Excuse me, my daughter is in the car, can I speak with someone please?".

futrkingsley · April 2010

So you think that if it was a "quick" stop it was okay to leave her in the car? No way. I would have stood there and called 911, even if the mom came out while I was on the phone. But I'm a nosy biatch when it comes to stuff like that.

silvurturtle · April 2010

Uhh, she was 4-5 years old. Quite capable of going into the store with mom. I don't see any excuses here for her. Hind sight is 20/20 right?

What do you think about a parent leaving their 4-5 year old in the car when they go to a daycare to pick up their other children? Take in or leave in car? Just askin because I saw this the other day too and as I passed the mom I said, "Oh I think you forgot someone" to which she replied, "Oh no he'll be fine. I do this all the time." Huh?

PMJacobsen · April 2010

futrkingsley:

So you think that if it was a "quick" stop it was okay to leave her in the car? No way. I would have stood there and called 911, even if the mom came out while I was on the phone. But I'm a nosy biatch when it comes to stuff like that.

exactly my thoughts.

MrsGeek · April 2010

Personally, I feel that you did the right thing. The top priority was to make sure that the child was okay. I like how you stayed nearby to keep an eye on her. You could have called the cops on your cell phone if you wanted to, but I wouldn't have left her to go into the store. Something could have happened to her while you were in the store finding her mother. The sad thing is that the mother will probably just end up doing this again.

MrsGeek · April 2010

I didn't mean that you shouldn't have called the cops. I just meant that I am glad that you didn't leave her alone to go into the store. Confronting the mother yourself wouldn't have accomplished anything and would have left the child in jeapardy.

Sunny1inTucson · April 2010

I would have called the cops even though, yes, you do risk the mom coming back before the cops get there. But on the chance they do get there soon enough that mom needs a stern talking to at a minimum by the cops.

The next best thing was what you did, which is to stay there and keep an eye on the little girl.

It gets seriously hot here in the summer. I don't play around when I see kids or dogs in cars, and I would call the cops no hesitation. If it's already 90 or 104 outside, you don't want to think about how hot it is inside a car.

On a mildly related note, DH's family accidentally locked DD in the car one day. The AC was on, but we were all flipping out (b/c the AC doesn't get cold until the car starts running). DH called me and the cops. I arrived the same time as the firefighters. They sent a whole truck to help, haha. And yes, they were cute

violetvirgo · April 2010

jenerally?:
well, what was the mother doing in there? Was she bringing in items to be consigned, then going right back out for her child?
I'm a little confused.

does it really matter? leaving a child in the car unattended is stupid. very stupid in fact. and i'm willing to bet it may be considered neglect. just like it's neglectful to leave a toddler home alone.

Mrslove78 · April 2010

MrsGeek:
Personally, I feel that you did the right thing. The top priority was to make sure that the child was okay. I like how you stayed nearby to keep an eye on her. You could have called the cops on your cell phone if you wanted to, but I wouldn't have left her to go into the store. Something could have happened to her while you were in the store finding her mother. The sad thing is that the mother will probably just end up doing this again.

She's probably done it before, and will do it again. I agree! WTF is wrong with people?!

carlab44 · April 2010

I wouldn't have called the police, but I probably would have walked back into the store to loudly tell the people working there that there is a young child alone in a car in their parking lot. Or if I had their number on me I would have stayed in the parking lot and called into the store.

Cytina · April 2010

carlab44:
I wouldn't have called the police, but I probably would have walked back into the store to loudly tell the people working there that there is a young child alone in a car in their parking lot. Or if I had their number on me I would have stayed in the parking lot and called into the store.

Great idea!

MeanMommyLady · April 2010

I would have called the police and given them all the vehicle information so that they could track down the mother even if she came out/left before they got there and I would not have felt even a little bit bad about it.

I grew up in Phoenix and though I own a home in WA I still spend a lot of time in Phx. At least once a summer a parent (usually a brand new parent) forgets their child in a car and the child dies. It is a horrible situation. Cars get hot very quickly, and children should never be left in one alone EVER.

The other side of that is that cars get stolen...I have a friend who's vehicle was stolen with both of her sons inside (she parked right outside a small convenience store and was going to run in to grab something). Luckily the vehicle was recovered with the children still inside, but it was Phoenix and it was summer, she is very lucky that the thief left the car doors open when he took off and that the car was found quickly.

People who don't want to take their children into stores with them should hire babysitters. The car is not a babysitter and kids can be hurt/killed when left alone in them. It's NOT OKAY!

sunnyday016 · April 2010

I would have called the cops personally. Stories like these make me so sad. How many kids have to die before people stop leaving their kids in the car?

VTbride05 · April 2010

I should have called, I know. Good idea about taking the car info!

punkfiction_v.3 · April 2010

this thread is so weird. lol

112506bride · April 2010

I would have called the cops...I agree that if she did it then, she'll do it again

MeanMommyLady · April 2010

janineb:
punkfiction_v.3:
this thread is so weird. lol
this is what I was thinking.

Why is the thread weird? (Not being snarky, I really don't see anything weird about it.)

LoriFalce · April 2010

I would have called the police, but I don't blame you for taking a more conservative, wait-and-see approach.

The thing I think about calling the police is this: some people won't change their behavior until forced. My SIL used to speed a lot. Having her license suspended 30 days for her bajillionth ticket made her almost anal about not going over the speed limit. Somebody who leaves a 4yo in a hot car alone needs an intervention.

punkfiction_v.3 · April 2010

MeanMommyLady:
janineb:
punkfiction_v.3:
this thread is so weird. lol
this is what I was thinking.

Why is the thread weird? (Not being snarky, I really don't see anything weird about it.)

OMG CALL THE COPS.

that is weird..

KimberJEB · April 2010

OK, when we were growin gup it was normal for kids to be left in the car. When I was 8ish my dad would leave me in the car with a book (my choice) for a while. I get that things have changed somewhat, and it may not have been the best choice (although my dad is ridiculously responsible and safety oriented and was a personal injury lawyer before becoming a judge), but I think some people don't realize that the norm has changed.

Also, MOST of the deaths of kids in the car are when a parent does something out of their norm and forgets the child for hours. Which isn't to say that something bad CAN'T happen in less time in a hot car, but 10 minutes in a locked car is very unlikely to hurt a kid. Even in extreme temperatures and it's not even THAT hot in FL right now.

I'm not saying it was a great decision, but not a criminal or overly dangerous one, IMO.

OH! And FL's law on this is up to 15 minutes in a turned off car. So at least in this state what she did was likely legal.

MeanMommyLady · April 2010

punkfiction_v.3:
MeanMommyLady:
janineb:
punkfiction_v.3:
this thread is so weird. lol
this is what I was thinking.

Why is the thread weird? (Not being snarky, I really don't see anything weird about it.)
OMG CALL THE COPS.
that is weird..

The only thing I think is weird is that with kids dying in cars and Amber Alerts pretty regularly involving car jackings that anyone still thinks it is acceptable to leave their child in a parked car...but I guess that's just me.

Want a personalized experience?

I saw a kid left alone in a car today

Re: I saw a kid left alone in a car today

Choose Another Board

Search Boards