Baby left in car

[MooPointCowsOpinion]

On my way back to our car, My husband noticed a baby in the car parked next to ours. Alone, two front windows were slightly open, he looked about 12 months. We fretted a bit, stayed sat next to him waiting for 10 minutes and no-one came. So I called the police on 101, and they immediately put me through to 999.

The woman arrived back at her car a minute before the police did. I told her I'd called the police, and she couldn't leave her baby like that. She cried and said she was having a shit day and needed to get the item she' bought (big and bulky box, maybe a buggy?) to the car. I hugged her, cried with her, and said I understood but she still can't do that, and then directed the police to her and left.

Was I being a busy body? AIBU to think it's illegal to do that?

[BigDamnNCFail]

My sister's friend (in the UK) had his dog die in a car a while ago because of the heat (his parents' fault rather than his since he's only about 15) and it wasn't even the height of Summer. Babies can absolutely die in cars in the UK.

OP, you did the right thing 100%.

[MrsFarm]

You did the right thing - a shitty day? no excuse.

[ExtraHotLatteToGo]

If the baby looked fine I would have waited for her to return to her car, just to keep an eye on the baby & make sure someone came back to them.

If the baby is fine, there's really no problem & no need to call the police. If we aren't careful we are going to turn our country into a complete nanny state where we no longer parent our own children.

[dontmakemedothis]

You absolutely did the right thing. You waited a short while to see if the mother or father came back, you then called the police, and you were sympathetic and direct with the mother when she returned and got upset. I'd say you handled it perfectly (except maybe I wouldn't have cried with her, heheh).

[Ginmakesitallok]

Her day could have been a hell of a lot worse! You did the right thing.

[Dontyoulovecalpol]

I feel sorry for the woman having a baby can be really bloody stressful. I wouldn't do it - because people like you would report it but I would def consider 10 mins in cool weather if I thought I could get away with it.
I don't think she has much to worry about with the police but you like you handled it really well OP

[Gottagetmoving]

Every time this type of thread comes up you get post after post of "babies die in hot cars, never leave a baby in a car". Now, if you are in the UK, it seems that babies do NOT die in cars

What a picky and silly response.
Well babies DO die in cars. It doesn't matter if none have yet in the UK. The possibility is there and it is a risk that only an irresponsible person would take with a baby's life.

[Gottagetmoving]

Also,..Babies may not have died in the UK so far - but that may be because most people would not leave a baby in the car, so very few have ever been left!
People leave dogs in the car and they have died in the UK. If it can happen to a dog it can happen to a baby.

[FreedomIsInPeril]

It's not a silly response, its call LOGIC. You might have heard of it? Its one of the things we use to assess risk. If something has never happened, its not really that likely that it will. People leave babies in cars all the time, yet it never happens. That tells us the risk of it happening in the future is very low.

Honestly people, use your brains.

[Dontyoulovecalpol]

Gotta I think the point is it's not as hot in the UK as countries where there have been deaths and it's the heat killing the babies isn't it? There isn't anything life threatening about "just" leaving a baby in a car for 10 mins alone: it's the heat that's the killer

[Gottagetmoving]

It's not a silly response, its call LOGIC

You cal that logic? Something has not happened yet, so it won't?
You say the risk is low? So, there IS a risk!

We are talking about a baby's life,..not bloody risk assessments and paperwork... Really,..I think you need to rethink your idea of logic.

[TheRealKimmySchmidt63]

You did the right thing - she will not do it again I'm sure

[dontmakemedothis]

It's not just about dying from heat. I would never leave my dog tied up outside a shop because you never know what could happen to them. Poor defenceless pets get stolen or hurt by strangers, etc.

And if I would be too worried to ever leave my DOG alone outside a shop, how could I ever even CONSIDER leaving my baby???

[Dontyoulovecalpol]

The baby is in a locked car though what else could happen to them?

[Katedotness1963]

I just googled and it has indeed happened in the UK, just not very often. Op, you did the right thing, do not feel badly about it.

[Gottagetmoving]

I take your point Don'tyoulovecalpol However, as people have pointed out - the temperature outside is not the factor - it is how warm the inside of the car gets.
There are other risks too. Babies have been driven off in cars that have been stolen.
It is ok to risk assess but leaving a baby in a car is not something you should gamble with on the basis the risk is low.

[FreedomIsInPeril]

We are talking about a baby's life,..not bloody risk assessments and paperwork... Really,..I think you need to rethink your idea of logic

I really don't. You do though. The shit people talk on these threads, about how if you leave them in the car while paying for petrol your car will simultaneously explode, overheat the baby, be stolen with kids in it, AND be abducted by aliens.
If you don't even try to assess risk properly, you have no hope at all of keeping your children safe. You will feel smug and superior, but you won't actually be protecting them at all.

[Lottapianos]

If we aren't careful we are going to turn our country into a complete nanny state where we no longer parent our own children'

I think its far more worrying to assume that every parent has good judgement and always gets it right. Why should a stranger have to wait by your car to keep an eye on your baby to make sure they're ok because you left them alone in a car?

OP, I'm a Safeguarding supervisor at work and I think you did the right thing. That baby was at risk of significant harm and you were right not to walk away. It sounds like you were very kind to the mum when she did turn up as well

[VioletBam]

YANBU. ten minutes this time (though could have been there longer!) what next time? An hour?

She won't do that again will she?

[EssexMummy1234]

Babies have been taken to hospital with dehydration after being left in a car in the UK, and the weather is pretty warm right now.

[Dontyoulovecalpol]

I can't find any Kate! Have you got a link?

[Booboostwo]

"If something has never happened, it's not really likely that it will.

Logic lecturer here and I can assure you that is rubbish thinking! You need to brush up on your statistics before reassuring people about babies in hot cars.

[Lottapianos]

'Babies have been driven off in cars that have been stolen'

Two children were driven off in a stolen car near me recently. Luckily, the children were let out of the car and were found unharmed a few hours later but things could have turned out very differently.

[blueturtle6]

I wouldn't have waited ten minutes, leaving child in car is dangerous from heat perspective, but also from an abduction pov. Plus it isn't easy to smash a car window

[greatbigwho]

If the baby was strapped in and suddenly vomitted, it could have choked, surely? Obviously overheating is a concern, but that would also be a concern for me.