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Original poster

Child left in car in 35 degree heat

363 replies

Empress13 · 01/07/2025 21:54

Please tell me as I’m struggling to understand How the hell you could forget you have left a child in a car in such extreme heat. Unbelievable ! that poor child

OP posts:
kiwiblue · 01/07/2025 22:20

Yes I also read that Washington post article years ago, it was horrific. So sad. One dad was so distraught when the police were called to his car in the work carpark and he realised his child was in it and had died that he tried to wrestle a gun off an officer to shoot himself.

I remember one case that was a perfect storm of errors and changes in routine that led to the mistake.

legyeleven · 01/07/2025 22:18

It’s tragic but it happens. My Bil drove to work once and only when he reached in the back to get his jacket dos he realise he had forgotten to take his baby to nursery first. His mind was just elsewhere and it wasn’t his normal day for drop off. Thankfully no harm came but shows it’s an easy mistake

FishfingerFlinger · 01/07/2025 22:15

I don’t know if there has been a recent case but I think I have read that WaPo article before (it is really very very good, sensitive exploration of these tragedies if it is the one I am thinking of).

They are generally cases where, for one fairly understandable reason or another, the car driver has forgotten they have their baby/ child with them, and left them locked in by mistake.

One case I recall, a mother normally dropped her baby at nursery, then her partner at his workplace, then drove on to her work. One day for some reason they had to reverse this and drop off the partner first. But instead of then dropping the baby at nursery, she went onto auto-pilot and drove to her work car park with her baby quietly in the car seat behind her. She parked up, went straight into a busy work day. By the time the realisation dawned on her it was too late. Just devastating.

People suggest things like always putting your bag in the rear footwell so you always have to open the rear doors before leaving the car.

Midnightlove · 01/07/2025 22:07

I've read of it happen a few times in hot states in USA. Our last rental car bleeped and had a notice saying to che k the back seats every time we parked. But yeah I don't know how you could possibly forget your child, especially for hours!

OrwellianTimes · 01/07/2025 22:05

It happens. I had a near brush with it - a guy flew off his motorcycle and landed on his head so I stopped my car and ran over and administered first aid and clear forgot my toddler in the car. The most terrifying experience of my life.

Kid was fine, never got update about motorcyclist.

noctilucentcloud · 01/07/2025 22:04

uncomfortablydumb60 · 01/07/2025 21:58

Has this happened recently in the uk?
I can’t find anything

I think the case the OP is referring to happened in Spain yesterday. A two year old sadly died.

toomuchfaff · 01/07/2025 22:01

G5000 · 01/07/2025 22:00

read this artice if you really want to know how this can happen
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/fatal-distraction-forgetting-a-child-in-thebackseat-of-a-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime/2014/06/16/8ae0fe3a-f580-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html

Unfortunately have to create an account and subscribe to read

MidnightPatrol · 01/07/2025 21:59

Happens with some regularity sadly.

Busy, distracted parents. Change of usual routine.

uncomfortablydumb60 · 01/07/2025 21:58

Has this happened recently in the uk?
I can’t find anything

Samas · 01/07/2025 21:55

Has this happened?

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