Sleeping Boy in Car in Parking Lot

No! You did NOT over react!! This is exactly how kids get killed in cars. parents don't want to wake them...blah blah blah blah - sorry - no sympathy from me.

I HAVE called the police. It gets HOT and HUMID here in DC in the summer. I was at the Verizon store trying to get my cell phone fixed. I saw a car with a 3 year (approximately) girl and a dog. She was sweating and strapped into her seat. The window was cracked. I went into Verizon and asked whose car that was - no one responded. I called 911. The police got there about 5 minutes later - the parents hadn't come back - the police asked me to wait inside as they didn't want to personal confrontation with the parents when they got back...an ambulance was called for the girl and the humane society came and picked up the dog. They had to jimmy their way into the car. The parents were TOTALLY pissed when they came back 15 minutes AFTER the police got there. They were LIVID and I mean LIVID.

I don't know what happened after that. The daughter was taken away via ambulance.

You did the right thing. You work with some foolish people if they think you did the wrong thing. Can you imagine if that child was left in there any longer what may have happened to him? There are stories all the time of kids dying because of the heat. I can't imagine whatever was in Target was so important for the parent(s) to leave that toddler alone ever!!

You are way more patient than I am!! I would have called after about two minutes!!

I wouldn't be worried for two seconds if I caused the parents trouble. You did the right thing!!!

You waited 20 minutes... I wouldn't have waited, nope, I would have called the cops, AND stuck around to make sure that parent got their @ss handed to them, that's NEGLECT.

You did the right thing, mama :)

I'd call 911, just like you.

The *sun* can heat up a car fast, even if it's chilly oustide. You may have saved his life.

He was in the care of someone neglectful (possibly *not* his parents), and you intervened on his behalf. After all...what could he do for himself?

Just imagine this - your child was in the care of a friend or a family member and they made this choice - what would you want to have happen? I'd want someone to call 911 so I could know to never ever leave my child alone with this person again.

Best to you,
e

YOU DID THE RIGHT THING!!! And thank you for that! There is absolutely nothing inside of Target that is worth losing your child over (whether kidnapped or dying from heat). Either you wait to go to Target till after nap time, or you wake the kid up and deal with the crabiness of an interupted nap later.

I saw a PSA on tv recently that said you wouldn't leave $1million sitting in the car, so why would you leave your kid?

Yes, you could have gone into Target and had them paged, but what's going to stop them from doing it again. Unfortunately a lot of people only correct their bad behavior when they get in trouble with authorities.

Thank you for having the guts to do the right thing. The world needs more people like you.

You did the right thing. Too F-ing bad if you caused trouble for the family of the boy. Him dying in the car or ending up dehydrated and in the hospital would cause trouble for them as well. My thinking is, if they do something that stupid, it's possible they do a lot of stuff that could be dangerous for the kids and they might be better off if there's a record somewhere of this "minor" neglect incident if something else happens down the road.

Better a safe child than "inconvenienced" adults.

You absolutely did the right thing. For one thing, that is illegal, for another thing, they put that child at SERIOUS danger of death of heat stroke or being kidnapped. It's a good thing it wasn't much hotter, otherwise the cops would have told you to break the window. Also, the child could have freaked out, wiggled out of his carseat and wandered off or gotten hurt in the car.

I would have called immediately, so no, you didn't over react. It is NEVER ok to leave a 2 or 3 year old in a car alone.

Nope, it's not ok.

There was an article in the news today about a 3 y/o in WA that was left in the car alone (mom went into quick stop and bf was pumping gas). The boy got out of his carseat, found a gun and shot/killed himself.
http://www.krem.com/news/142607676.html

Only idiots think that is OK.

You did the right thing, I would have called the cops as well.

Some parents are soooo stupid. You did the right thing a child should never be left alone in a car.

I believe that's illegal. Good for you! Every spring and summer you hear horror stories about kids dying in hot cars. You did NOT over react IMO. Not to mention leaving a toddler unattended in a car for that long regardless of the temp? I know a lot of people do it to run into the gas station to pay quickly for the gas or go somewhere where you can see your vehicle, but over 20 minutes in Target??? You might have saved his life.

The child asleep alone in a car in a crowded shopping center = HUGE problem.

The temperature??? NO problem.

Even if it heated up 20 degrees (which is wouldn't, not starting out in the 60's or 70's)... that's still in the 80's, which is no problem. 90's is no problem. It BECOMES a problem when the internal temp is over body temp (aka 100 degrees +).

I've lived in the desert for a long time... those interiors = 120-130 EASY. Even 110 is dangerous for extended periods of time OR for infants/young toddlers who don't have homeostasis set up yet. Think about hottubs for a moment. Water = 108-110 in most cases, 115-120 in hot hottubs. 10-20 degrees above body heat. 20 minutes in a hottub is FINE for older children and adults. For younger children/infants NOTHING above 100 degrees even for 5 minutes. That's why baths aren't "hot", either.

There was no way, if it was in the 60's that car could have heated up to 100 degrees, much less 105-120.

So the left alone = Big Problem
Temp in the 60's outside = NO problem

I wouldn't have gone in and paged, leaving the toddler totally alone, either. I would have phoned the cops. But not because of the temp. Because he was left alone in a crowded public place.

HECK TO THE NO! I would have called 911 in a hearbeat! I swear, some parents are so ignorant! Who does that? What parent leaves their 2 yr old child alone in a car with the windows rolled up? You might have either just saved this childs life or possibly saved him from something damaging to him... like a heat stroke! Kudos to you!

No, A.K, you didn't overreact. You DID the RIGHT thing. It is NEVER okay to leave a small child in a car unattended----regardless of the temperature or windows being cracked a bit.

I would have called the minute I saw a 2 or 3 year-old in a car unattended. A messed up nap schedule for one day is nothing compared to the potential dangers in situations where helpless children are left alone.

I thought everyone understood this, but apparently, there needs to be more community-wide education in this area.

Temperatures inside vehicles can rise to dangerous levels very quicky, even when it seems relatively mild outside. A child this age does not have the capacity to recognize the danger and rescue himself. Nor does he have the capability to protect himself from someone with criminal intentions.

This mother needs a wake up call, as do your co-workers. So many children die needlessly every year because they are left unattended in hot cars or in other potentially dangerous situations with no supervision or possible ways to save themselves.

About your co-workers' concern for causing trouble for the family???? I truly hope they don't have any small children or grandchildren in their care. That level of ignorance is just frightening.

Please, do not feel badly. You may have saved this child's life by getting his mother/caregiver the childcare safety education she desperately needs. If you'd just alerted the store, she'd have gone out and got him. Fast forward to the next time, when it's 88 or 95 or whatever outside and she decides to leave him again. Only the next time, maybe it wouldn't be you walking by.....maybe it might be one of your co-workers, who is more concerned with causing trouble for the parent than for the welfare of the child. Or maybe it might be a predator looking for just such an opportunity.

Most likely, after a period of evaluation, unless there are other serious concerns uncovered by CPS, the child will remain with the family. The parent will be followed by a case manager for a time and will have to take some classes, which obviously, she needs.

Bottom line: Saving a life or protecting a life from serious danger ALWAYS takes priority over any other concern.

You did the right thing, and hopefully your story will help educate people and encourage people in future situations to get off the fence of indecision when a child's welfare is at stake.

Best to you and your family.

J. F.

Nope, didn't overreact, I would have done the very same thing. It's one thing to leave a child in a car if you are within sight of the child, MAYBE, but 20 minutes, no way. Good for you mama!

You did the right thing. Kids can overheat in even moderate temperatures. If they left the child alone, there are a bunch of different things that could happen and they should know NOT to do that. For starters, it's illegal.

You did not overreact. There are parents who go to work and (schedule changes, stress, in a hurry) forget their kids. I bet any one of them would have loved to have someone "overreact" if it meant their children were still alive.

Here's more info on "vehicular heat stroke" http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/06/heat-danger-...

Take that and staple it to your coworker's heads. (okay, maybe just slap it on their desk). Not wanting to get involved is how the abused person keeps being abused and how the child dies. YOU WERE RIGHT. The parents brought any trouble on themselves. It was not your job to guess that they were in Target and hadn't run other errands. If they were too inept to put their toddler into a stroller or carry him in or stay with him, they deserved whatever the cops had to say.

You did NOT over-react and this is NOT okay under any circumstances.

Why do parents think it's OK to run into a store for just a minute and leave a sleeping child in it?? It isn't !! Good for you.

Here in VA they have a mom who was just sentenced after leaving her 2 yo in a car. He died from heat exhaustion.
I would call the cops on an animal too. .

WTH is wrong with people. God forbid you cause trouble for negligent parents. I would have called the cops too. I DEBATED going into subway to pickup an order I had already place while in full view of my parked car with sleeping son, however, I decided against it and hauled him inside alseep just to grab the darn subs and get back in the car.

As a parent you don't get to do just what's CONVENIENT for you. YOu have to do the responsible thing and often times that's horribly inconvenient.

You waited for a good long time. It's one thing if he'd been left for 5 minutes to run in for a gallon of milk, but 20 minutes or more? That's too long for a 2-3 year old.

And NOT because of the mild heat or kidnappers...but because it's SCARY to wake up alone in the car when you're 2 or 3 years old! And what if that little one had climbed up front and put the car in gear or climbed out and walked into traffic?

A child is far more likely to be hurt by something like that than they are likely to be kidnapped.

Nope, NOT OK. I probably would have gone back in to the store and alerted management. Honestly, where are people's heads?

Added: Duh! I didn't see that you called the cops. Good for you!

I called the police for something similar and would call the police in every situation like that if I came across it again. I can't believe how stupid people are.

Nope, you did NOT overreact. I would have called the cops, and waited till they arrived to take the boy out of the car. I don't know if you waited, but I personally would have waited to make sure he was ok. If no one arrived quickly, and I couldn't get help and the boy ever seemed like he was in distress, I would have broken the window.

You did right. A 2 or 3 year old shouldn't be by himself in a car even when it's not hot. People can kidnap a kid from a car also.

how terrifing to wake up and be strapped in and mommy isn't there. I can just imagine screaming and crying, and mommy is inside shopping. I vote yes you did the right thing.

You did not overreact...if that kid woke up he woudl be scared to be left all alone, let alone if someone stole him. The heat should be ok but the fact he was left alone, not ok..i would of called the cops too.

You absolutely did the right thing!!!
Pat yourself on the back for me. :)

I would have NOT waited to call authorities, I would have also called into the Target location and notified management as well (so they knew why police were in their lot) and called work to tell them I would be late (depending on my office repore). The family will be investigated, but the child will still be alive - honestly the life of that child is more important than any disruption this STUPID move on THEIR part may bring them. Lessons are to be learned for them and you again, did the RIGHT THING!

no you didn't over react. If you waited 20 mins obviously it wasn't a run in and out trip! Not that that is a good idea either...

I understand you don't anything bad to happen to the family... but just think how bad you would feel if you seen on the news tonight that a toddler died in a hot car at Target today...

You did the right thing. You did the right thing. You did the right thing.

Read this article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009....

If needed, circulate it to your friends at work.

I think calling the cops is okay, not leaving the child in the van. You did not overreact. If you had let it go, this boy would continue to be left in a vehicle in parking lots and it's just not safe. Stupid parents!

I would never call for a run in run out but you waited 30 minutes, that is a full out shopping trip, totally irresponsible.

Good for you. That little boy's grown up self will thank you. Who leaves a 2-3 year old alone? Sure, it's inconvenient to wake a sleeping toddler who needs his rest. I totally get that. However, it's not okay to leave him alone, sleeping in the car. Period. Safety first. Plus, wouldn't he panic if were to awake alone in a car at that age? The parents need an adjustment to what they think is "okay" behavior. Maybe this is the scare they need to brush up on their parenting.

You did the right thing. Who knows how long he had been sitting in there or how much longer after you left he would have been sitting in there. That's insane that someone would do that. Not only the dangers of being in a closed car - asleep, but what if he woke up and was capable of getting himself out of his seat and car - who knows where he would of wound up.

You did exactly what I would of done.

I think you did the right thing. It's possible you saved the boy's life. I doubt the officer will take the boy away from the parents unless there are other issues. Most likely, they will get a lecture. I'm sure they would rather have that than have something happen to their son. And hopefully they will never do it again.

you most absolutely did the right thing. hopefully having the cops called on them will prevent them from doing the same stupid thing.

We have been told here in Austin to call the police if we see this..

absoluley not especially if the kid was in there over 20 minutes its not like his mom/dad ran in the store n ran out n it was literally 2 minutes... my friend saw this happen about a week ago she came out of the super market and saw a couple people standing around a car wen she went over to see what was going on there was a 2ish yr old boy sleeping in his carseat she asked how long he had been there and one lady standing there said well ive been standing here for 10 mintues deciding wether to call the cops my friend immediatley started digging through her purse for her cell phone wen the kids mother who was horribly embarrassed ran to the car jumped in and sped away as all these people in the parking lot yelled at her .. my friend called the cops anyway even though the lady was driving away but of coruse no1 got the plate number... i was amazed how could anyone do that... how could u even think that that is remotley ok ??????

I would have done the same thing you did. I would have for a couple of reasons.

That child could have been taken in even if the child is sick and mom is picking up a prescription. It seems like a pleasant enough day but still....

Anyone could walk up to that van, pop the door locks, picked that child up and be gone with in minutes. No one would have been the wiser, especially if they happened to see the mom leave him. They may have even had someone else in the vehicle with them that would have went in to keep an eye on the mom to make sure she was not coming out and possibly catching the other person. It would be my first thought when leaving a child in the car.

When I have left a sleeping child in the vehicle with the doors locked it was to run in a convenience store that the entire front is glass and there are no blind spots where a person could do anything. If someone did try something there were about 5 people in there that could run out and assist me.

I would never leave a child sleeping in a car in case they woke up and got scared. In case they puked and choked. In case they slipped crooked in the car seat and were choking. Too many what if's. I would not do it if the child was ever, for a single moment be out of my line of sight.

I would have called the police too but my first call would have been to child welfare with the tag number, the make and model of the vehicle, the child's description, etc....plus I would have taken pictures with my phone.

You didn't overreact. No reasonable parent leaves a sleeping child (especially that age) in a car while they shop, and clearly it was longer than 20 minutes of shopping being done, not someone just running in to get milk and running out again. I don't know if I would have called the cops or just gone into the store and let them know, but I would have done something about it rather than just leaving. There have been too many stories of parents who "forgot" their kid was in the car, only to have the child freeze to death or fatally overheat.

Geez and I felt guilty for leaving my son in the car for less than 3 minutes today. We were in my driveway (I live on a farm, 10 miles away from town (And the town has a population of less than 500). The only people who live within a mile are my grandparents). I rolled down all 4 windows. My dad was in the yard working with the cows. I ran inside to find some shoes for my son (He normally doesn't wear them cause he takes them off all the time) so that we could walk around outside for a while.

Just that, I felt guilty for doing it. I can't imagine going into Target for who knows how long and leaving him in the car.

Good for you for calling the cops.

I'd do the same. I wouldn't have been able to walk in the store without waiting around or doing something if I saw that.

A child that age should not be left sleeping in a car in a parking lot. You did the right thing.

I would have called the cops too!! It was NOT ok for his parents to leave him in the car like that no matter what the temperature was outside!! I watch people here put very young children around 3, 4 yrs old in the front seat of cars all the time!! I almost asked the lady in Target parked next to me yesterday if she wanted my son's carseat for her little girl as she was buckling her into the front seat of a little 4 door car!!!

S.

are you sure there was no one else in the van with him? just asking because there have been multiple times when I have run into the store and left my toddler asleep in the middle row of seats in his car seat and a teenager in the back row of seats. if no other person then you did exactly the right thing. anyone could have broken the window and taken the child. too many weirdos these days

You did the right thing!!