I found a toddler on the pavement this week

[jellymaker]

Out on the pavement with no shoes on and a dummy in his mouth. I stopped and got out my car. No adult around. Walked along the road with him to find an open door. Mum asleep on the sofa inside. I couldn't rouse her until I shouted. She stirred and I said I found your boy on the street. She just said thanks and I shut the door. Place stunk. Rubbish door handle. I phoned the police after i left as i was concerned she would fall back to sleep and he would be straight back out. I have spent the week wondering if I have just ruined some poor girls life when she was knackered and fell asleep by mistake. Please tell me I did the right thing or did I over react?

You did the right thing. The police will judge whether it was an unfortunate one off, or if more intervention is needed.

I think lots of us have scary stories similar to that. A big group of us was at a village festival once. We were 2 streets away from where we eventually found her, before we realised dd was missing. I thought dd was with the gp's. They thought she was with us. Even the prime minister has been guilty of that!

I've also, accidentally, fallen asleep with toddlers when I've been ill. The door was always locked, but if they had been inventive...

Jesus. This woman needs someone to scare her straight. A toddler wandering the streets? Sounds like she was drugged, to be honest.

Fucking irresponsible woman. Think of how bloody sad it would be if this poor child was hit by a car, and think of the poor driver who wouldn't be able to see the child and how it would affect him knowing he had killed a child.

This happened round my house once in that my friend was visiting and she had her 3 year old daughter with her. Me and my friend were having a right giggle and a natter in the kitchen when there was a knock on the door from a woman who had found my friend's daughter wandering around the street crying. The little girl had been out in the garden and my back gate was open and she'd gone out of it whilst following my cats. We both felt absolutely awful. Thankfully the little girl had been able to recognise her mom's car so told her 'rescuer' which house she was supposed to be at. The little girl was absolutely distraught. Me and my friend both felt absolutely awful that she'd been gone (maybe for up to 10 minutes) and we hadn't even realised. My friend was so, so upset, she was mortified at the thought that something could have happened to her daughter.

These things happen but you absolutely did the right thing. If the mom does need help for any reason then your actions will have helped put that support in place so please don't feel bad.

If the house was tidy but smelly it might not mean squalor, it could just be that the bins needed to go out or something.

I think you did the right thing. If it was a medical issue the police would have been able to call an ambulance and stay with her and if it was a more long term problem hopefully she (or at least the child) will get the help and support they need.

Crowler, did you wander in by mistake while looking for the Daily Fail comments section? I don't think your post is very helpful tbh.

I'd maybe like to remind Crowler that David Cameron left his kid behind in a pub once. We can all make mistakes and a sleep deprived mum and a stinky bin needing to go out does not = serious neglect or drug use or anything.

But to go back to the OP, you couldn't know if it was scenario a (sleep deprivation plus a moment of carelessness) or scenario b (something much worse) so of course you did the right thing in calling in professional people who were able to make that judgement for you.

I would also like to thank you for stopping. Not everyone would and I am very glad that you did

I agree you did the right thing.

My eldest escaped once, exh had left for a night shift and not locked the door, I had settled ds1 down with a drink watching the end of a program whilst I put the baby to bed. I came downstairs and my son was gone. Frantic doesn't even describe how I felt - it used my lifetime quota of luck but he was only just outside, he'd taken it into his head he hadn't said goodnight to daddy and thought he could run out and catch him up, he was standing all forlorn and just said 'daddy's gone' I have no idea what would have happened if he had followed to the main road. It makes my blood run cold.
That was the day I found out he could climb over the stairgatein silence - I didn't hear a thing.

Also I am aware I need several seconds to function sensibly when awoken from a deep sleep - if someone tells me something it's likely I'll just say ok. I can see it being me being told 'your son was on the road, I've brought him back' 'oh ok' and then when I'd woken a bit been consumed with utter shock and sick at the thought of what ifs. Obviously that could not be the case at all but it's an odd reaction - if she was just not awake yet or unexpectedly ill then the police will probably give her a talking to as she recovers from the shock and if it's anything more she will get help and support.

Thanks for your responses. Haven 't heard anything back as always with MN its good to get other people's perspective on a situation where I wasn't sure so thanks MNers