Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To think that this is not right?

20 replies

BlimminHardToFindAName · 26/04/2013 09:07

Yesterday afternoon I was walking along a residential street and a car alarm was going off intermittently. As I walked past I noticed that was a baby, I'm guessing about 6months old in the car seat in the front. There were no windows open. The baby wasn't crying but was looking very red in the face as it was quite a warm day. After looking around and knocking on a house door with no answer I asked a neighbor across the road if she knew who's car it was.

She said that there wasn't anyone with a baby who lived in the area so the parent must have parked and gone elsewhere. There were some workmen further down the road who said the mum of the baby had gone to the church hall where the local Slimming World club is. I went to look for the mum, all the while the very loud car alarm was going off with the baby inside. The mum started coming back towards the car where I said to her that her alarm was going off and that her baby was awake. I was shocked to met with a cheery "thanks!". She also had a 2(ish) year old with her that she had taken out of the car. All in all I was only aware of the baby being left for around 5 minutes but I don't know how long it was there for before I got there, I have no idea how long slimming world takes!

My instincts told me that leaving baby in a locked car at the opposite end of the street to where you are when you can't even hear your alarm going off is not the done thing but as I don't have children myself I was wondering if IABU?? I felt rather shaken by it all and am a bit annoyed with myself that I didn't get the cars number plate and inform someone as her relaxed attitude makes me think that she would do this again but I also didn't want to cause trouble unnecessarily and wouldn't know who to contact.

OP posts:

SpecialAgentTattooedQueen · 26/04/2013 09:08

You should have called the police.

VitoCorleone · 26/04/2013 09:11

No thats not right, the baby was probably very distressed by the sound of the alarm going off and not knowing where his/her mum was.

Shocking behaviour

Lj8893 · 26/04/2013 09:11

YADNBU!!!

It the police had spotted the baby in the car and not yourself, she would have been in a lot of trouble, and perhaps got back to an empty car if the police felt it necessary to remove the baby and take to social services.

I'm shocked and disgusted at this woman!!!

Purple2012 · 26/04/2013 09:12

I would have called the police.

Sirzy · 26/04/2013 09:12

I would have phoned the police straight away, I would have also told the operator that you were going to break the window/get the builders to break the window to get the baby out.

DeepRedBetty · 26/04/2013 09:15

So would I. There's a massive difference between belting into the paper shop and deciding not to wake a sleeping baby for a five minute job, and going into a meeting that can't be less than half an hour, out of earshot of the car alarm let alone the sound of a baby waking and crying.

Yesterday the car was heating up so fast there's no way I would have left the dogs in it, so I certainly wouldn't have left the girls when they were still at the passing out in their seats stage.

Original poster

BlimminHardToFindAName · 26/04/2013 09:15

I did think about the police but I was so shocked I didn't know if I was just overreacting, I feel annoyed with myself now that I didn't, even just to give her a bit of a fright to stop her doing it again :(

OP posts:

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 26/04/2013 09:22

dogs die in hot cars and I'm sure babies would be no different!

Absolutely shocking behaviour. Is she local? Can you report to police ?

ENormaSnob · 26/04/2013 09:33

I'd have rang the police too.

Stupid cow.

Her, not you op.

Justforlaughs · 26/04/2013 09:36

If she went into Slimming World the consultant will probably know who she is. I'm sure if you mentioned it to her she would keep an eye open in case it happens again. While I do not condone leaving a baby in the car (unless it's outside my backdoor where I can see it blush) and would never do so, she may have timed her weigh in to co-inside with no queue and probably didn't stay for the class. I have been in and out of slimming world within 2 minutes.

Justforlaughs · 26/04/2013 09:36

I would have phoned the police at the time though, so I don't think you are over-reacting.

AnyFucker · 26/04/2013 09:36

Don't beat yourself up for not "doing more"
Finding a baby left alone is not an every day occurrence, and you must have been very shocked

Pleasesleep · 26/04/2013 09:42

If she had the toddler with her she had probably taken him for a quick wee or something behind a bush. Maybe gone to the hall to use the loo? She wouldn't take the toddler to slimming world and leave the baby would she...? It's not ideal given the hot weather but not really police worthy if only 5 minutes.

Original poster

BlimminHardToFindAName · 26/04/2013 09:53

I think she had been to the actual session as she came out with other members (I assume) but hopefully she hadn't been in there long.

Thanks for all your comments x

OP posts:

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 26/04/2013 09:55

You really should have called the police. She'll do it again now.

MidniteScribbler · 26/04/2013 09:56

I've been given permission in the past by police to break a car window when there was a dog in distress. I imagine they would do the same for a baby. The child shoukd be removed and she should be charged.

redskyatnight · 26/04/2013 10:09

I personally think it's unlikely that she would have taken a toddler into the whole of a Slimming World meeting (they go on for about an hour). Most likely she just went in quickly to get weighed. PRobably the baby was asleep when she left so she didn't like to wake it. So most likely she was only in there for a minute or 2 longer than what you saw. Not ideal, but not criminal behaviour either.

Sirzy · 26/04/2013 10:10

Leaving a baby in an unventilated car completely unsupervised is worthy of police even if just 5 minutes.

CwtchesAndCuddles · 26/04/2013 10:20

Another one hear who would have called the police.

Lj8893 · 26/04/2013 10:36

Is it possible for you to walk past the same place at the same time next week, to see if she does it again? And if she does then you can phone the police.

It may sound a bit like your hunting her out but I seriously think it needs to be checked out again and the police need notifying as she obviously needs to be shocked into not doing it anymore!

Flip