A woman in Atlanta ran to get an older child from preschool and left her sleeping baby in her minivan. Thieves came along and took off with the van ... and the baby.
Thankfully, they had somewhat of a conscience (or didn't want to deal with diapers) because they made a pit stop at a local fast food wing joint and left the baby there, on the counter. One of the thieves told the restaurant's employees that he found the baby, and they should call the police.
The baby slept through it all!
A happy ending, but stories like this always raise the debate as to if it's EVER OK to leave a child in a car unsupervised.
In an ideal world, no one ever would, but in the real world, sometimes it's so tempting ... when they're sleeping, when it's just going to be for a quick second, when you think you're somewhere safe.
I do it in my own driveway on occasion, inside our guarded, gated community, and I still question if I should even run in to grab something. But I do. And once in awhile at the dry cleaner, if I pull up right in front of the door, I'll walk the 20 feet to the counter and grab my clothes without taking my eyes off the car, but I probably shouldn't even do that.
I'm guessing this woman never will again.
Do you ever leave your baby in the car, even for a minute?
Image via allaboutgeorge/Flickr
*Note: Image has been changed from original.
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Comments 30
I will admit I have left my daughter in the car. However she is 10 years old and I was in my own driveway and the car was locked and Alarmed. It was 5:30 in the am, in the dead of winter and she forgot something in the house which was less then 5 feet away. And let me tell you even then I was nervous about it. Would I ever leave a baby, NEVER.
There has been times when I have been tempted but I I know the risks out way the convenience.
I will not leave my children in this car for this EXACT reason!!!
I've never left my kids in a car unattended. It's just not safe to do. No matter if you're not far away or not. Even if my children are asleep, I wake them up and take them with me. They'll go back to sleep once we're done with whatever I'm doing. There's just too much of a risk when leaving your children in cars.
I have left my daughter in the car several times when i just a few feet from it.I don't want a meltdown to get out my 3 year old and then 5 minutes later i am putting her back in the car to hear her cry more.NOOOO.i do what i gotta go and i keep her safe,regardless.
I will only leave mine in the car in the driveway. When the weather is nasty, like the ton of snow we got last winter, I carry them to the car one by one so nobody falls down. In public, never. I would not risk it.
My question is this...WHY DID SHE LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION? This is why the van was stolen!!!!
The mom in this case obviously didn't safeguard her car very well or it would not have been so easy for it to be stolen so quickly. I'm definitely against leaving a baby in the car alone if you go to where you can't see them, or if you're going to be awhile, but if you're heading into a storefront where you can see the car at all times and are only going to be a minute or two...then lock the doors, crack the window and I don't think that's any more dangerous than even being in the car with the baby. You could be sitting in the car with your baby and still get carjacked....
When it comes to older kids I think it's a judgement call...whether you think they can handle the responsibility of sitting in the car for a moment by themselves or not.
Yes I left my babies in a car alone, when I pumped gas at the gas station. Twice I locked my keys in my car and had to call pop a lock or the fire station to get them out. I got smart and got On Star. I lvoe on /star and they are quick to respond when a child or animal are locked inside.
That is a parent who obviously doesn't use their head you never leave a baby in the car by themsleves while it is running or off either way that is just stupid and that mother should feel aso ashamed of herself Iwould never leave my kids in the car by themselves and when i was younger even when I was 12 and 13 I was never left in a car by myself