I cannot believe what I saw earlier.....

Ellie H · #1 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 20:55

We were pulling up in a baby and child space at a Co-op earlier today and there was another car next to us. I could see a rearward facing car seat in the front seat and thought nothing of it at first, then realised there was a baby in it! The parents were nowhere to be seen! In the meantime we started getting Ethan into his pram, after a couple of minutes the Mum came out of the Co-op with a couple of bags of shopping, saw us next to her car and practically sprinted back, chucked the shopping in the car in hoofed it out of the car park before we could say anything!

I am totally shocked! How could she leave her baby in the car long enough to be able to do enough shopping to fill two carrier bags? The minimum she could have been gone is at least 10 minutes as it was a big busy store!!

I am astounded!

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dara07 · #2 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:02

That is shocking

Imosmummy · #3 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:07

that is terrible!! but i'm not surprised, i've seen it many times. The worst was one day at nursery a mum picked up her son and we ended up having a really long conversation, about 1/2 hour before she said 'right better go, james is in the car and he's due to wake up' james being a tiny baby, and the nursery car park was down a tree lined path, passed the health spa, through their car park and behind a hedge that separated it!!!! I was filled with panic thinking about it. Also we had another mum that was laughing that her mum got furious with her cuz she left the baby in the car while she popped into waitrose for some salad! What i couldn't get over was that these were very intellectual people.
Its not just the fact they could be taken, its that the car could be hit by another car but also thinking about the poor baby being left crying wanting their mum is very upsetting, stupid selfish morons

ladybug · #4 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:15

OMG Ellie that is shocking.

And just think of that poor mum who was prosecuted for leaving her toddler sleeping in the car when she was right next to it with her other two kids. Was that in USA? I can't remember.

When I was in Poland, my pal left her wee girl sleeping in the car in the parking bay downstairs from her flat. She was a fair few flights up, and you had to run down a million stairs, through a gardened area and then more stairs to get to her. Crazy, naive and dangerous. They suggested we leave Katie there sleeping too!!! They did put a monitor in the car, as if that'd be any use in an emergency. They used to watch her by hanging over the balcony... nightmare.

I've never seen a baby unattended in a car in a public place like that. If I did, I'd have been as shocked as you.

Ellie H · #5 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:20

All I could think of were the what ifs. What if the car was stolen? What if the car was hit by another? What if someone abducted the baby?

It just makes no sense to me. If she had forgotten the pushchair she could have put the baby in the seat in a trolley, which isn't ideal but better than leaving you baby all alone in a car park for ages!

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rachaelmae · #6 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:22

i leave mine in the car when i go to the coop.... lock the car, its right in carpark... it would be nightmare getting them both in.

Imosmummy · #7 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:23

just remebered aswell, i'm not sure if its an urban legend type thing but did you hear about a car catching fire while the mum went to get a parking ticket? twice now while getting petrol i've left the kids in the locked car as i think i'll see them its ok, only both times to panic and go back to get them just incase

mrsharvey · #8 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:27

oh my god that is shocking I never left Jess in the car on her own, I just do not understand some people xxx

wagonmonkey · #9 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:32

With a small baby it seems very odd that someone could be comfortable with it. They could over heat. Also, how easy to break a window and someone could make off with a kid. Even in a crowded parking lot, I am willing to bet that it wouldn't be that hard to do. I always just make sure that I have my stroller in the car with me. When they are so small the fall asleep all over the place, that is what the infant bucket seat is great for, clip it out and into the stroller and back. Even larger children it wouldn't occur to me.

Last year (it was either in Canada or even here in the city) a mom left her two young kids in the car while she ran a quick errand. She returned to the car and noticed her daughter was "sleeping" so kept on her day, running errands. The daughter kept "sleeping". She finally checked up on her daughter and she was either almost dead or dead. It turned out while her mother was gone, she got out of her car seat and was playing with the controls for the power windows. Her head got caught. She managed to get out and slumped back into her seat and appeared to be sleeping. SHE DIED!!! I could never let that happen therefore they always are with me.

Imosmummy · #10 (**permalink**) 19-11-08, 21:35

only in the summer a child died from heat exhaustion in a car in america, but if i remember rightly the mother claimed she didnt know the child was in the car, thought he was with relatives, while she went to get her hair done on her wedding morning, truly tragic