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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that Sainsbury's security staff should have done "something!!!"

129 replies

MrsExpo · 06/04/2017 20:21

I went shopping at our local Sainsbury's. It's a big store with a large car park and I pulled into a space somewhere in the middle of the parking area. As I got my bags out of the car I noticed the window of the next vehicle was slightly open and then - to my horror - the reason was that there was a small child in a child seat in the back of the car!! Child must have been maybe 18 months or so, wide awake but quiet. Mother nowhere to be seen, so presumably in the store shopping. I waited by the car for a few minutes to see if the mother was going to reappear, but she didn't. While I stood wondering what to do, the child began to cry not surprisingly!! I should day I was just standing by my car, not staring in at the child or anything. So, I went into the store and reported it to the store security staff, who essentially said "not our problem" ...!! They refused to put out an announcement (I provided the car make and reg number), wouldn't send someone out to the car park or do anything about this at all.

AIBU to think 1) the mother behaved disgracefully(illegally??) to leave a small child like this and 2) the store security staff should have at least tried to alert the child's parent. I was in two minds about calling the police but really don't know what I should have done tbh .....

OP posts:
kingscrossnoodle · 06/04/2017 20:46

A security guard doesn't have access to a bloody tannoy to do announcements Confused. You need customer services for that. If they were to refuse you just tell them you will call the police and do just that.

isthistoonosy · 06/04/2017 20:49

I would have waited, called the police and waited for them to arrive.
But im not suprised about the security, they insisted i kept a lost child I'd found until a parent claimed them once.

Igottastartthinkingbee · 06/04/2017 20:50

Wow lots of people thinking the worst thing about this is that the op assumed the mother had left the toddler alone!

LordScuttlebutt · 06/04/2017 20:50

It's all happening at Sainsburys this week Shock

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 06/04/2017 20:51

Why didn't you call the police? If Sainsbo staff refused to help surely the next logical step is a call to 101?

But instead you did your shopping?

I don't think anyone comes out of this well. Poor child.

Eminybob · 06/04/2017 20:51

Bit of a Hmm dripfeed there op about the mother driving off 25 mins later.

I think you should have gone to customer services op rather than the security guards. If it were me I couldn't have just pootled around sainsbos for 25 minutes knowing a child was in a car crying.

Instasista · 06/04/2017 20:55

"Today 20:30 RhiWrites

Melodramatic? Read this and then say that: www.kidsandcars.org/how-kids-get-hurt/heat-stroke/"

Sorry but this made me laugh. You're defending others from accusations of melodrama by claiming heatstroke is a risk in a car when it's 18c outside in April in the U.K. 😭

Instasista · 06/04/2017 20:56

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Nipperknight · 06/04/2017 20:58

I would have called the police after waiting by the car for several minutes to see if anyone came back.

Ginlinessisnexttogodliness · 06/04/2017 21:00

Jesus Christ there's some pedants on this thread.
Nobody should give a Fuck who it was left that BABY in the car, or be taking OP to task over her terminology. Grow up.

OP I would have called the police if after five minutes max nobody was back shitting themselves.
No excuse.
End of.

Instasista · 06/04/2017 21:01

Well no one would be there to make excuses to you...

Billybonkers76 · 06/04/2017 21:02

Instasista it may be 18 degrees outside the car but it's a lot hotter inside! Smh.
Are you saying it's ok to leave a baby alone inside the car for at least 25 minutes?

AbernathysFringe · 06/04/2017 21:03

Agree with OP, security staff were useless, they could have at least pointed you to customer services.
Lot of irrelevant nastiness on your thread.
A tannoy announcement would be the thing I'd try for too rather than loitering by car or jumping straight to police.

Voice0fReason · 06/04/2017 21:04

You just happened to see a woman driving off later? - and also assumed that she had been away from her child for 25 minutes.

If you were that concerned, you could have gone to customer services, called the police or waited by the child, but you weren't actually that bothered.

Yes, security should have done something, but you shouldn't have responded with - oh well, I'll go shopping then.

Shurleyshummishtake · 06/04/2017 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sparklingbrook · 06/04/2017 21:05

The job of security staff in a supermarket is to prevent robberies from within the store not police the car park.

Ginlinessisnexttogodliness · 06/04/2017 21:08

Instasista thanks for proving my pedant point.
I fail to see how this subject presents an opportunity to be facetious

Voice0fReason · 06/04/2017 21:08

I thought it unacceptable that a mother (as it was a mother, it transpires) should leave a child in this way?
How have you now concluded that it was the mother?

Chachaow · 06/04/2017 21:08

You should have called the police -it's not the store's responsibility

Willyoujustbequiet · 06/04/2017 21:09

I would have rang the police.

dramaqueen · 06/04/2017 21:10

Yes, Sparklingborrok os correct, the job of the security staff is to protect the assets and people within the store. Why is it always the security staff who are held as responsible for what goes on outside?

Instasista · 06/04/2017 21:10

I'm not saying it's ok bonkers I'm saying the baby isn't going to get heatstroke.

Obviously iknow it's hotter in the car than outside Hmm

Sparklingbrook · 06/04/2017 21:13

I am not sure i would have rung the police. By the time they arrived the car owner would be back and have driven off.

Gabilan · 06/04/2017 21:13

You're defending others from accusations of melodrama by claiming heatstroke is a risk in a car when it's 18c outside in April in the U.K

It is a risk. In direct sun the temperature in cars goes up quite dramatically - from 21 to 32 deg c in 10 minutes for example. Spring is one of the more dangerous times for heatstroke to occur precisely because people think that it can't happen in the UK in April so they take more risks.

Yes, chances were the parent was going to return in time for the child to be OK. But there are also times when parents forget children are with them. I think I'd take accusations of melodrama if it meant potentially saving a child from serious harm.

Thirtyrock39 · 06/04/2017 21:14

We were told on safeguarding training that big stores would hav someone who will deal with any potential child protection/ safeguarding issue so am concerned Sainsbury's did not do more. The example they gave on our training was if you saw a parent harm a child in store you can report it to store staff and someone will have responsibility for it. Could it be something random like if it's in the car park or they don't have an obligation ??? I would be concerned with this although I guess they could be nipping to get cash out or buy something from the kiosk