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?

[badtime]

To be fair to Freedom, when they said that the baby would be in more danger in a moving car, they meant in general (from a collision etc) rather than from heat-related problems, and I can't disagree with that.

[Discobabe]

Who cares what the statistics are, leaving your baby in a car for over 10 mins is unacceptable full stop. You wouldn't leave them at home alone and pop out for 10 mins plus....would you?

[dizzyfucker]

FreedomIsInPeril no one said poor baby, evil mother. Even the people that have admitted doing it themselves have admitted it was a stupid thing to do not an evil one.
Just because the risk is low doesn't mean it is a sensible thing to do. The OP called 101 and was put through to 999. In your line of reasoning you are more logical than the emergency services. In your opinion that was a ridiculous overreaction by the police operator because it's not like anyone was in danger. I think luckily they might have a bit more of a grasp on danger and protocol than you though.

[allegretto]

Some people would!

[FreedomIsInPeril]

I give up. IF you can't understand that risk changes depending on a hundred different factors, there is no talking to you.

Some of these responses sound like they were written by ten year olds. Although my ten year old can understand better than most of you!

[badtime]

Freedom, can you understand that that is how your posts read, even to people who understand risk who have a different view of this phenomenon to you.

[JudyCoolibar]

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.

But how does anyone know that the baby is fine? How do you diagnose overheating or fever through a closed car door? OP didn't know how long the baby had been there, or when the parent would be back: the baby might already have been there for half an hour or more, and the mother might not have got back for a long time. Realistically, what choice did she have?

[MooPointCowsOpinion]

Thanks for the reassuring replies. To answer a question... I cried because I'm wet. I was fretting about the baby, who I felt so sorry for, then the mother started to cry. I just went. I'm not a crier, just did and still do felt so much for them both.

Interestingly the 999 operator said its not just the heat, it's very irresponsible to leave a baby unattended in any circumstances.

I don't believe he was at risk of death. I do think he was very hot and uncomfortable, and strangely not crying. My own kids get shrieky if they think I'm even going upstairs without them, so I found the lack of crying very unsettling.

[JudyCoolibar]

Freedom, you are missing the point that this is an avoidable risk. It may be a very low one, but it is eminently avoidable. So why take it?

You are also making a rather large assumption in saying the baby had been left for only ten minutes. Where do you get that from? OP waited there for 10 minutes, but by definition the car must have been there for some time as OP didn't see it being parked, nor did she see the driver leaving it; and there was a further wait before the mother and the police got there. For all OP knew, the baby might already have been there for some considerable time, and she had no means of knowing when the mother would return.

[Daisygarden]

Freedom essentially you are advocating that there is such low risk in leaving babies/children in cars alone that anyone who thinks it's not is foolish/"asinine"/has the understanding of a 10 year old (not your 10 year old, of course).

It's great that you have given that up.

[Cornishclio]

You did the right thing OP and I would have done the same. I feel sorry for the mum too but hopefully it is wake up call and she won't do again.

[Gottagetmoving]

Risk assessments and statistics aside,...You did the right thing OP.
The advice from the emergency services is to report these incidents. They don't say 'ignore it because statistically its a low risk'
The police did not tell you to ignore it when you called them. They turned up.
That is all you need to know.

[lyraj]

Yes, the OP would have had no idea if/when the mother was likely to return. Plus, as the emergency services said, it is a bit irresponsible to leave a baby in such a situation.

[HerOtherHalf]

The fact that 101 redirected you to 999 is evidence that the professionals clearly didn't think you were over-reacting so on that evidence alone you did the right thing. Nothing more needs to be considered in my opinion.

[2kids2dogsnosense]

Who would want to steal a baby?

Absolutely! No-one steals babies, do they?

Ben Needham, Madelaine McCann and countless others . . .

[Oblomov16]

Why would your kids get shrieky OP?
Seems odd.

[dizzyfucker]

Oblomov16 separation anxiety usually kicks in around this age. Crying and screaming when left alone would be an expected/normal/healthy reaction at this age.

[Pisssssedofff]

Is the OPs kids 7-12 months ? Anyway I don't think we need to start analysing her parenting she didn't leave anyone in a car

[MunchCrunch01]

Moo hopefully the report will trigger the mum in question to get some help and a bit of a break, i'm sure it's for the best.

[Blu]

So babies die in hot cars in Australia, America, Isreal and Italy. Possibly because we have far fewer very hot days in the UK compared to those places. So the chance of a baby being left on a day that happens to be hot is lower. However once the temperature reaches a certain level it matters not which country the baby is in.

The OP did not know how long the baby had been there before she noticed it. Say a minute for looking around, thinking about it. 10 mins waiting. A couple of mins phoning. 5 mins for the police to arrive...

Whatever may or may not have happened, the decision by 101 to call the emergency services gives you your answer.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

yes you did the right thing,you waited 10mins which is more then enough time, then called the police, the child could have been in the car for ages before you turned up

try sitting in a car with engine turned off with no windows/window open small bit, its amazing how quickly the car gets hot and stuffy on a dull/warm day let alone a sunny day

the fact the child wasnt screaming/crying and just quiet would worry me more as possibly means they have got heatstroke and unresponsive

[BoulevardOfBrokenSleep]

Freedom, risk can be assessed as consequence times likelihood.

You are arguing that the likelihood of a negative event is low, but others are assessing the consequence of that event (loss of a child) as extremely high, therefore seeing the overall risk as greater. Hardly fair to insult them.

[Imaginosity]

I take what mumsnet would regard as 'risks' with my children quite often. I don't think I'm a bad parent.

I pop out to the shops down the road - gone about 5 mins - and leave my 4 & 6 yr old watching cartoons. I know I could get run over by a car or collapse with some medical emergency in the short time im gone. Or my children could burn the house down or something. I figure the covenience of not dressing two children and dragging them to the shops is worth it - the chance of something happening is so minuscule. I do try to minimise any risk - I leave the house in a safe condition - no cooker on, dangerous things out of reach etc.

When I was pregnant I often went for naps while my children are in the house. According to posts I've seen on mumsnet this is not an acceptable risk as a zillion things could happen to my child while I'm asleep. The only problem I found was my children would constantly wake me asking questions or telling me stories and I could only sleep for 10 mins at a time.

I couldn't live my life being so extremely careful all the time. I do think the point made earlier is very valid - we drive our children around in cars all the time, often on unnecessary journies where they are at risk of injury and death. We fly on holidays with them in airplanes. The chance of a plane crashing is tiny - but why are some people prepared to take that risk for a holiday?

[PersianCatLady]

I pop out to the shops down the road - gone about 5 mins - and leave my 4 & 6 yr old watching cartoons.
Is this honestly true?