Ottawa News- CFRA-Lowell Green-Baby left in Car....

Jeannette - posted on 08/23/2009

Quoting Sharon:

You know? Its seems that these things happen to often? I wonder just how often its really a mistake.

I swear I will never forget that here in Arizona - about 1 month apart, Phoenix govt. attorney killed her baby in the car and poor mexican girl killed hers in a car, virtually same excuses - VASTLY different punishements. The Attny - had no charges, her case was just 'tragic' and she had "suffered enough" but the poor hispanic girl? As far as I know she's in prison.

Maybe there were circumstances not reported. I don't know. But the facts as I read them back them, made me want to hurt someone.

Ya know Sharon..I wonder the same thing when there are 10 cases within a 3 month period, are they doing it on purpose? 

Anyway, I think we have to be careful what we are willing to call child endangerment (as this entails lots of opinions) and what punishments will be dished out.

I was afraid to leave my kids in the car alone.  Even during the winter I would haul all 3 in with me no matter what type of store because I was afraid someone would kidnap them.  More than anything, I was afraid of losing my kids.  When my oldest daughter was about 7, that would have made my youngest 2, my husband left all three in the truck when he went into a grocery store to grab milk and bread.  When I found out I was FUMING!!!!  I screamed, I cussed, and I told him that if it was too much trouble to take the kids into the store then call me and ask me to stop on the way home, or wait till I got home and he could go alone.

However, one day, a neighbor convinced me (and I am at fault) that he would watch my kids while I ran to the hardware store for a sheet of glass.  I didn't care for my neighbor, I thought him to be careless as a parent, but I let him watch my kids.  Luckily, none of them were infants.  Anyway, my heart pounded every moment I was gone.  My trip was quick, I got too big a piece and paid too much money, but I got home as fast as I could and got them immediately.  He knew that I didn't care for him as a parent, and I think he was hoping to convince me he was okay.

I would rather see this young girl educated in parenting classes than to just straight up lose her child. 

Hell, you hear about people doing much worse, and they get to keep the kids without classes!

Sharon - posted on 08/23/2009

You know? Its seems that these things happen to often? I wonder just how often its really a mistake.



I swear I will never forget that here in Arizona - about 1 month apart, Phoenix govt. attorney killed her baby in the car and poor mexican girl killed hers in a car, virtually same excuses - VASTLY different punishements. The Attny - had no charges, her case was just 'tragic' and she had "suffered enough" but the poor hispanic girl? As far as I know she's in prison.



Maybe there were circumstances not reported. I don't know. But the facts as I read them back them, made me want to hurt someone.

Kate CP - posted on 08/23/2009

I live in Texas. Living here the temperature regularly soars over 110 in the summer. That's IN THE SHADE. It's hot enough to bake cookies inside a car. That's over 325 degrees Fahrenheit. I call the cops when I see a DOG in a car in this heat because that's animal cruelty. If I saw a baby in a car in this heat I would break into the damn car and yank that child out as fast as I could. I have never *never never never* ever left my daughter in the car alone. Ever. Not once. If the baby is sleeping and I need to go into a store I either put it off til later or I take the baby with me.

Letting your kids play alone in their room is completely different then leaving them in a car (running or not) alone in the heat. That's how you cook a child. There was a case a while back in America where a mother forgot her child was in the back seat of her car and went to work. About 6 hours later she realized her mistake and ran out to the car to find her daughter dead (her organs had been cooked from the heat) in her car seat. While that is an "honest" mistake it's devastating. To knowingly leave your kid in a car is just wrong and too dangerous.

Vicki - posted on 08/23/2009

Now that's another dangerous situation that is all too common, and I don't really see how a parent could conceivably assume a shop worker has the time or the desire to watch over children left behind. That to me, is NOT okay. It's rude. Maybe they think that because you work there and you aren't going to be leaving, you are a free babysitter. I don't know. I can't see the logic. And how easy would it be for anyone else to walk off with the child while the parent is in another store?? Often it's not a stranger who does the kidnapping, it is someone familiar to the kid, maybe even the non-custodial parent. Sheesh. I had to explain this to one of my friends awhile back. She lost guardianship of her 2 year old son to her ex, and felt it would not be considered kidnapping if she were to just go and pick him up from daycare, because she is the mom. Not too bright. And now she's about to have another baby. Unfortunately I know too many girls who should not be procreating.

Tracy - posted on 08/23/2009

Quoting Vicki:

Quoting Sharon:

You know? I'm wondering when they're going to make it illegal for us to go to sleep with a child in the house.

LOL I was thinking something similar last night. I remember reading a report once where a toddler wandered out front the house and it was said the mother had been sleeping, HOW DARE SHE.

Quoting Tracy:


I don't leave him in cars, I do go to the toilet or grab the washing off the line but my house is child proof. I think most mums would do this too but hey I could be wrong.

And this mom in question probably felt that the carseat was childproof... It's easy to feel your house and your car are safe. It just takes an alarmist to scream child endangerment. Shit, my son is playing in his room alone as I write this.

If people want to make bad parenting choices like this young mother did then they have to face the music. I do believe commonsense needs to be used too in regard to authorities. I don't think they should be booking mothers that are returning their trolley to the trolley bay.

I don't like it when parents leave young children(under9) in stores to play either, so they can go off and have a coffee etcetc. Before I had my son I was a assistant manager of a  retail store and the amount of parents that do this is alarming!

The youngest I had was 2 and 5 left for over an hour. Manager and I started to call security after a while as when we got busy we could not keep an eye on them. Some mothers would return to the shop hours later and we would tell them their child is with security. Some mothers would get so cross as if it was our rsponsibilty to look after their child.

I'm sure you will disagree with me here too but hey I'm entitled to my opinion and so are you. I think we will have to agree to disagree.

Sharon - posted on 08/23/2009

I read a news story where it was the grandparent who went to sleep and the child got out.



When my oldest proved to be the most horrible escape artist - my husband wanted to put a second deadbolt on the door - backwards, so that you needed a key to unlock it from the inside. I thought it was a great idea until we talked to the fire department - the guy at the homeimprovement store said he didn't think it was a good idea and to talk the fire department, the firedepartment said the same thing. Safety hazard. I was never big on naps - but after his little escapade, I have literally never taken another nap without actually going unconcious from a fever.



Thankfully his wandering phase was shortlived. Only 3 years. Living HELL.

Vicki - posted on 08/23/2009

Quoting Sharon:

You know? I'm wondering when they're going to make it illegal for us to go to sleep with a child in the house.

LOL I was thinking something similar last night. I remember reading a report once where a toddler wandered out front the house and it was said the mother had been sleeping, HOW DARE SHE.

Quoting Tracy:





I don't leave him in cars, I do go to the toilet or grab the washing off the line but my house is child proof. I think most mums would do this too but hey I could be wrong.

Sharon - posted on 08/23/2009

You know? I'm wondering when they're going to make it illegal for us to go to sleep with a child in the house.

Tracy - posted on 08/23/2009

Quoting Vicki:

Quoting Tracy:

...but I can make sure I supervise my child and not leave them alone for too long. Yes their are risk everywhere ...

 

I'd be willing to bet this mother felt she was not leaving her child alone for too long also.

I don't leave him in cars, I do go to the toilet  or grab the washing off the line but my house is child proof. I think most mums would do this too but hey I could be wrong.

Tracy - posted on 08/23/2009

Quoting Vicki:

Quoting Tracy:

...but I can make sure I supervise my child and not leave them alone for too long. Yes their are risk everywhere ...

 

I'd be willing to bet this mother felt she was not leaving her child alone for too long also.

I don't leave him in cars, I do go to the toilet  or grab the washing off the line but my house is child proof. I think most mums would do this too but hey I could be wrong.

Vicki - posted on 08/23/2009

Quoting Tracy:

...but I can make sure I supervise my child and not leave them alone for too long. Yes their are risk everywhere ...

I'd be willing to bet this mother felt she was not leaving her child alone for too long also.

Tracy - posted on 08/23/2009

Yeah things are different these days. People are PARANOID. What if this and what if that, stay inside, lock your doors, don't let the children play outside... Seriously, you run the risk of being struck by a car every time you cross the street. That's tempting fate!! Or heck, even just being on the sidewalk. Being outside at all is dangerous, there are other people out there. There are potential risks everywhere, everyday. I don't believe anyone is any safer nowadays with all these extra precautions imposed upon us.

I would strongly have to disagree with you.  I don't live in fear and I'm not paranoid I just think its wrong to leave young children unsupervised thats all I'm saying. I can't control a hoon driving too fast down the street but I can make sure I supervise my child and not leave them alone for too long. Yes their are risk everywhere but by being a good parent we can reduce these risks. I think this mother in this case was clearly wrong and could have lost her baby forever. I allow my son to play outside but not out the front because he is only 14 months and has no sense of danger at this age.

Australia would have to be one of the safest places in the world to bring up children but you still have to be careful.  We had a recent case in Australia where a mum parked in front of a shop door to run in and run out but within minutes her car and baby where gone! Lucky the theif abandon the car down the road and a good person in the community came to the crying babies rescue. This mother almost paid the ultimate price. Lucky for this mum she just received a lot of negative media and was reunited with her baby hours later. I don't think this mother will make that mistake again!

Vicki - posted on 08/22/2009

Quoting Katie:

 

Also, if I found out you left my 6 year alone even if it was just for 5 mins I would be horrified too. Why couldn't you take her with you? Its not a matter of the child being mature enough to last the 5 mins alone without doing something stupid...it's taking the chance especially with someone else's child.Worse yet what if something happened to you and no one knew there was a child in your home. Just my thoughts.

I do understand your point. I guess I felt comfortable in the situation. I'm not one who thinks children need constant close supervision. Well, I never considered that something might have happened to me on the way. The place is literally right next door, if not for the fence it'd be the same building. I suppose going outside is running the risk of being the victim of a drive by shooting, or a hold up at the store, or some such thing. Yeah, I guess it could happen! LOL I also once, maybe twice, was doing laundry when she got off school, and I had to go downstairs to fetch it, which probably took five minutes, at least!! I live dangerously.

Yeah things are different these days. People are PARANOID. What if this and what if that, stay inside, lock your doors, don't let the children play outside... Seriously, you run the risk of being struck by a car every time you cross the street. That's tempting fate!! Or heck, even just being on the sidewalk. Being outside at all is dangerous, there are other people out there. There are potential risks everywhere, everyday. I don't believe anyone is any safer nowadays with all these extra precautions imposed upon us.

Tracy - posted on 08/22/2009

Even if the car is air conditioned, locked or a winters day. Leaving a child alone even for 5 minutes could still result in you being charged with child endangerment. The act of leaving children unsupervised is the danger. By doing this you are exposing your child to pontential dangers of strangers or leaving a 3 year old they could release handbrake etc. However, common sense needs to be used in some cases as each case is different. It may have been ok back when we where children but attitudes have changed and so has society. For me the risk are just too high and I don't want to tempt fate.

Katie - posted on 08/22/2009

Quoting Christa:

Here's a way to remedy this from happening anymore. If you have to run into a corner store for only five minutes. Turn your AC to a comfortable setting. Turn off your car. Take the keys with you. Walk five steps from your car. Use your remote car starter. Lock your doors. Start your car. Run in and get what you need. While you are gone...the car stays locked. the AC stays on. the baby stays in the car seat. get your back right back out and go home. there you go!! problem solved!! :-)

That is the point! She wouldn't be charged with a criminal offence if it where obvious she made efforts to keep the child safe. 

Katie - posted on 08/22/2009

Quoting Jenn:

There are certain places that I feel comfortable leaving my children in the car (not where I live now, though...not that it's at all a bad place, but it's not a 'small town' either...)

For instance, the town I where I grew up. If I had to run into the convenience store, I would be comfortable leaving them locked in my car. I know every cop in the town, I lived there for 30 odd years....it's the quintessential 'small town' - its even named "Fair Haven".
The only other place I've felt comfortable 'running in' to the convenience store was in Pennsylvania....Yet another 'small town'. I was always needing to run to the store for one thing or another, and before the kids were born, I had gotten to know most of the cashiers at the store quite well. (To the point that when I walked in, they had already rung up my coffee before I even poured it). After my children were born, if they saw me pull into the parking lot, one of the 2 on duty would come outside and talk to my kids while I ran into the store. I never had to worry about them there. The woman that owned the business next door to where I lived would watch the kids when I got home, as I lived in a second floor apartment on the main street. It's very hard to get a (then) 2 1/2 yr - 3yr old that can't walk upstairs on his own, and an infant up the flight of stairs at the same time....and usually the 3 yr old was asleep - try carrying them both up the stairs at the same time- so I had to relay.....one up, one locked in the car....leave one upstairs so I could run back down and get the other one.
Sometimes you just have no choice.
(I also keep a hide-a-key under my car for those 'oh shit' moments, or so I can leave the car running w/ the heat / air on)
I've never 'forgotten' any of my kids, anywhere. I've even had moments where I've left them home with Toa, and FREAKED out when I looked in the backseat at 2 empty car seats - and had to remind myself that I didn't bring them with me in the first place. I feel for this woman...I really do. Losing a child is the worst pain imaginable. Losing a child when you could have done something to prevent it......I can't even imagine the horror she'll live through for the rest of her life.

Luckily in this situation the child was not seriously harmed. She is being charged with Child Abandonment but will probably re-gain custody of the baby when things get sorted out. At the least she should be sent to parenting classes. 

I think I also would feel comfortable leaving my baby in the car in the situations you are talking about. As long as the childs safety is number one, but it seems to me in this case it wasn't.

Christa - posted on 08/22/2009

Here's a way to remedy this from happening anymore. If you have to run into a corner store for only five minutes. Turn your AC to a comfortable setting. Turn off your car. Take the keys with you. Walk five steps from your car. Use your remote car starter. Lock your doors. Start your car. Run in and get what you need. While you are gone...the car stays locked. the AC stays on. the baby stays in the car seat. get your back right back out and go home. there you go!! problem solved!! :-)

Katie - posted on 08/22/2009

Quoting Vicki:

Okay, I listened to just the first half as my boy woke up towards the end...

I don't believe this classifies as "child abandonment" as the young mother has been charged. It was five minutes, right? A five minutes during which, sure, some punk could have jacked the car and driven off with this baby, never to be seen again. I've heard stories like that. But it seems that isn't what happened. Could've, sure, many devastating occurences could've happened here. And is the heat really a factor? Could it really have gotten so much hotter inside the car during those five minutes than it had been while driving? I mean, I see the problem, but it looks like a rather small one.

I read something not too long ago about a father leaving his children for hours while he drank and gambled, telling someone he had to check on them at midnight. THAT is willful abandonment. Was it okay because there were two of them? I believe one was also a newborn. It's horrifying to imagine.

But again, THIS? Hey, I've done it. I've left my son sleeping at home while I go next door to the store. I seem to recall that when I was young, I would opt to stay in the car while my mom did x for x amount of time. And hey- I've been told, as have many new moms, that if your baby is crying crying crying, and just won't stop, and you are getting frustrated... It's OKAY to put the baby down somewhere safe for five minutes while you take a breather. Yes it's debatable how "safe" this kid was alone in her carseat.

Maybe I feel slightly defensive about this. Last year I was caring for my friend's six year old daughter before and after school, and one morning, hey I need to run next door to pick up some milk. I was gone for no more than, you guessed it, five minutes. Well my friend was HORRIFIED when she found out some months later. How could I endanger her precious only child, left alone with common household dangers? She maintained her child was not bright enough nor mature enough to survive this, yet somehow she did. Kid's grandma got in on it too, explaining to me how she might have decided to take a scalding hot bath, reach for something over the balcony, open the door and leave with strangers, etcetera... You know what she did do the entire time I was gone? Eat her breakfast, and watch my cat to make sure he didn't get into any trouble. (He stayed in one spot himself, btw.)

No, not every mom will ever do this. I sure know I will never leave my child unattended in the car- I don't have one. Would I in one situation or another? Perhaps. It's hard to say. But to me, it sounds like this incident has been blown vastly out of proportion.

I don't totally disagree with what you said. I really do think child abandonment is too harsh of a punishment but I don't think this should go unnoticed.

Also, if I found out you left my 6 year alone even if it was just for 5 mins I would be horrified too. Why couldn't you take her with you? Its not a matter of the child being mature enough to last the 5 mins alone without doing something stupid...it's taking the chance especially with someone else's child.Worse yet what if something happened to you and no one knew there was a child in your home. Just my thoughts.

Katie - posted on 08/22/2009

Quoting Esther:

Well, at the risk of having my throat cut - I've done it. I haven't done it in 40C weather, but I've done it in 60F. I parked my car out front at the 7/11 and walked in to the ATM to take out some cash. It probably took a minute or so. I kept my eye on the car the whole time and I felt guilty after so I haven't done it again, but I have done it once. Oh yeah, and I've also left my son alone at home sleeping in his crib for 5 mins to run to the store next door to buy some food when my husband was away on business. I had the baby monitor with me (video) and since the store is so close it works there. Again, I felt really guilty so it was a one time offense, but I did do that too. I think what this woman did was worse because of the heat, but I'm not entirely guilt-free myself.

There is a key difference in your situation and this one. You clearly had your child's saftey in mind. You had your eyes on the car the entire ATM stop and I bet you locked the car door. You had a monitor with you when you ran to the store as well, just in case you needed to run back for some reason. 

I do believe she left the car door unlocked--someone was able to get the baby out of the car and call the police before the mother even new what was going on.  The baby was not PRIORITY when she made the choice to leave her in the car. 

Vicki - posted on 08/22/2009

Okay, I listened to just the first half as my boy woke up towards the end...



I don't believe this classifies as "child abandonment" as the young mother has been charged. It was five minutes, right? A five minutes during which, sure, some punk could have jacked the car and driven off with this baby, never to be seen again. I've heard stories like that. But it seems that isn't what happened. Could've, sure, many devastating occurences could've happened here. And is the heat really a factor? Could it really have gotten so much hotter inside the car during those five minutes than it had been while driving? I mean, I see the problem, but it looks like a rather small one.



I read something not too long ago about a father leaving his children for hours while he drank and gambled, telling someone he had to check on them at midnight. THAT is willful abandonment. Was it okay because there were two of them? I believe one was also a newborn. It's horrifying to imagine.



But again, THIS? Hey, I've done it. I've left my son sleeping at home while I go next door to the store. I seem to recall that when I was young, I would opt to stay in the car while my mom did x for x amount of time. And hey- I've been told, as have many new moms, that if your baby is crying crying crying, and just won't stop, and you are getting frustrated... It's OKAY to put the baby down somewhere safe for five minutes while you take a breather. Yes it's debatable how "safe" this kid was alone in her carseat.



Maybe I feel slightly defensive about this. Last year I was caring for my friend's six year old daughter before and after school, and one morning, hey I need to run next door to pick up some milk. I was gone for no more than, you guessed it, five minutes. Well my friend was HORRIFIED when she found out some months later. How could I endanger her precious only child, left alone with common household dangers? She maintained her child was not bright enough nor mature enough to survive this, yet somehow she did. Kid's grandma got in on it too, explaining to me how she might have decided to take a scalding hot bath, reach for something over the balcony, open the door and leave with strangers, etcetera... You know what she did do the entire time I was gone? Eat her breakfast, and watch my cat to make sure he didn't get into any trouble. (He stayed in one spot himself, btw.)



No, not every mom will ever do this. I sure know I will never leave my child unattended in the car- I don't have one. Would I in one situation or another? Perhaps. It's hard to say. But to me, it sounds like this incident has been blown vastly out of proportion.

~Jennifer - posted on 08/22/2009

There are certain places that I feel comfortable leaving my children in the car (not where I live now, though...not that it's at all a bad place, but it's not a 'small town' either...)



For instance, the town I where I grew up. If I had to run into the convenience store, I would be comfortable leaving them locked in my car. I know every cop in the town, I lived there for 30 odd years....it's the quintessential 'small town' - it's even named "Fair Haven".

The only other place I've felt comfortable 'running in' to the convenience store was in Pennsylvania....yet another 'small town'. I was always needing to run to the store for one thing or another, and before the kids were born, I had gotten to know most of the cashiers at the store quite well. (To the point that when I walked in, they had already rung up my coffee before I even poured it). After my children were born, if they saw me pull into the parking lot, one of the 2 on duty would come outside and talk to my kids while I ran into the store. I never had to worry about them there. The woman that owned the business next door to where I lived would watch the kids when I got home, as I lived in a second floor apartment on the main street. It's very hard to get a (then) 2 1/2 yr - 3yr old that can't walk upstairs on his own, and an infant up the flight of stairs at the same time....and usually the 3 yr old was asleep - try carrying them both up the stairs at the same time- so I had to relay.....one up, one locked in the car....leave one upstairs so I could run back down and get the other one.

Sometimes you just have no choice.

(I also keep a hide-a-key under my car for those 'oh shit' moments, or so I can leave the car running w/ the heat / air on)

I've never 'forgotten' any of my kids, anywhere. I've even had moments where I've left them home with Toa, and FREAKED out when I looked in the backseat at 2 empty car seats - and had to remind myself that I didn't bring them with me in the first place. I feel for this woman...I really do. Losing a child is the worst pain imaginable. Losing a child when you could have done something to prevent it......I can't even imagine the horror she'll live through for the rest of her life.

Esther - posted on 08/22/2009

Well, at the risk of having my throat cut - I've done it. I haven't done it in 40C weather, but I've done it in 60F. I parked my car out front at the 7/11 and walked in to the ATM to take out some cash. It probably took a minute or so. I kept my eye on the car the whole time and I felt guilty after so I haven't done it again, but I have done it once. Oh yeah, and I've also left my son alone at home sleeping in his crib for 5 mins to run to the store next door to buy some food when my husband was away on business. I had the baby monitor with me (video) and since the store is so close it works there. Again, I felt really guilty so it was a one time offense, but I did do that too. I think what this woman did was worse because of the heat, but I'm not entirely guilt-free myself.

Katie - posted on 08/22/2009

Quoting Melissa:

What is wrong with people? Children aren't meant to be left unattended. It's not that hard to just take the child with you!

A few weeks ago, I was at a Subway that's in a gas station. I'm a people watcher, so I noticed a few come and go while I ordered my food. As I left, I saw a woman getting into her which had a small child in the back seat. She was one of the customers who came into the gas station! I asked my husband if he saw that, and yep...he did. She asked him to watch her child!! WTF? I guess she assumed it would be fine because he had our children in the car with him, but no! You don't do that. What do you do in situations like that?

It is scary to think people do things like this. One day she will ask the wrong person to watch her kids and they will be gone in a heartbeat. People are so selfish.....and for what? a frikin sandwich. 

Tracy - posted on 08/21/2009

Children, babies or animals should never be left in cars on hot days. I personally would never do it myself as the risks are too high. We had a case here in Australia where the mother parked out the front of a electrical store to pick up here Television. She decide to leave the car running as it was a hot day and did'nt want her baby to get hot and she thought she would only be a minute. Her car was stolen by a passer by with baby still asleep in the back. The car was less than 10 meters from the door of the shop and she was only gone a few minutes but this mother almost paid the price of losing her baby forever. Lucky the thief, abandon car only meters up the road and someone rescued the crying baby from the car. This mother was very lucky that all she got was a lot of negative media attention and was reunited with her baby within hours of incendent. This proves the point its just not worth the risk!

Melissa - posted on 08/21/2009

What is wrong with people? Children aren't meant to be left unattended. It's not that hard to just take the child with you!



A few weeks ago, I was at a Subway that's in a gas station. I'm a people watcher, so I noticed a few come and go while I ordered my food. As I left, I saw a woman getting into her which had a small child in the back seat. She was one of the customers who came into the gas station! I asked my husband if he saw that, and yep...he did. She asked him to watch her child!! WTF? I guess she assumed it would be fine because he had our children in the car with him, but no! You don't do that. What do you do in situations like that?

Samantha - posted on 08/21/2009

I'm sorry but I truly believe that she should be charged with child endangerment. This was not a case of forgetting their child in the car. This was a case of the mother knowingly deciding to leave her 3 month old baby in an unlocked vehicle for close to 5 minutes with no windows down in very hot weather to spare the baby from waking up.



That little girl could have been taken, someone could have stolen the car and she would be in the backseat of it or she could have died from the heat. This was not an accident therefore I believe that she was putting her child in danger.



I believe that people should have at least enough common cense to know that leaving their child in a hot car could potentially harm them, but this just proves and keeps proving time and time again that there are people out there (not just young) that don't think about the consequences of their actions before they do them.

Katie - posted on 08/21/2009

weird. It's an online clip and shouldn't need downloading. Meh.

Joy - posted on 08/21/2009

Actually in my case Katie, it's not that the link won't load. It's that it's wanting to download to my computer and I have enough "stuff" on here so I said no to the request lol

Katie - posted on 08/21/2009

Humm. The link will take a min to load. It is just a radio clip, so there is just a little bar in the middle of a black screen...I will try to find the written story.

Joy - posted on 08/21/2009

I also can't view the link but here's my thoughts on leaving a baby in the car. I never did it with my son. Was I ever tempted for the sake of "my" own convenience? Sure. But common sense (or my version of common sense) won out every time and I bring him with me. Always. Every time. No exceptions. (Well, unless obviously someone else was in the car with us). There are too many variables in this world. Temperature and sickos being the main ones. To me, it's not worth risking leaving my son unattended so I can run in and grab a Sprite and a bag of Combos real quick. There are other ways to satisfy hunger and thirst if you REALLY don't want to get the baby out of the car....drive-thru.

I won't comment on if the girl is being treated differently because of her age. Since the link won't work, I really can't say.

Katie - posted on 08/21/2009

The baby was 3 months old. Chances are the baby was in a car seat that detaches from the car easily. Would it have been so hard to take it out with you? I have done it a hundred times and mine always stayed sleeping.

Heather - posted on 08/21/2009

This woman makes me want to scream!!!! Who in their right mind would leave a baby in a car? This woman should not only be charged with child abandonment, but also neglect. And even if it was 60 degrees outside, someone could still take the baby! UGH!

Kimberly - posted on 08/21/2009

She deserves everything that she gets. She is that babys mom. She is supposed to protect it not leave it in the car to boil to death. I understand that mistakes are made but when you leave your child in the car becuase you don't want to wake them that is ridiculous and is a mistake that I believe to be unforgiveable. I would rather take the extra 2 mins and wake them up and get them out even if they are cranky than risk them being taken or dying. I don't understand how she can stick up for her friend. If one of my friends did this I couldn't defend their actions because there is nothing to defend it is just WRONG.

Sharon - posted on 08/21/2009

It doesn't even matter if a mom has done it once. It shouldn't be done. yeah she deserves a HEFTY penalty, maybe jailtime and DEFINITELY parenting classes.

Katie - posted on 08/21/2009

Sorry Sharon I don't. The gist of the story is a young mom left her baby in her car for 5 mins when she ran into the corner store. Someone found the baby and called the police. The link I posted is a radio conversation between a friend (Stephanie) of the girl and Lowell Green--a crazy conservative radio host I love to listen to. Stephanie feels her friend should not be charged criminally.

Jocelyn- I too wanted to shake this girl when I was listening to what she said. But, I'm wondering if it would be different if it were a friend of mine.

Jocelyn - posted on 08/21/2009

i like the announcer :) he's got balls.

as for Stephanie, ha, sounds likes she is gonna be a REAL good mom, my god.

yeah, cuz leaving a baby in the car is something that EVERY mom has done at least once.

haha and i can't believe that she thinks they need to teach girls in high school NOT to leave their kids in the car or to at least roll down the window

god, the bull that is spewing from her mouth as i listen... i just want to shake her!!!

Sharon - posted on 08/21/2009

ack got a written version?