Baby left in a car at the supermarket

[Pinkerbells]

Shopping in my local supermarket. I parked my car as normal, but noticed that the car next to me had the windows down. I'm not talking a little bit to let air in, I'm talking about every window being all the way down. My teenage DD said 'oops someone forgot to shut their window's'. I looked across and straight away clocked the baby seat. I said 'there's A baby on it's own'! We had a bit of a debate about it and we sat trying to work out what to do. We were probably sat there for 5 minutes, so plenty of time for the parent to have dropped off a trolley, or even go to the cash point at a push. The child was quiet still so I'm guessing it was asleep but it only looked about a year old.
In the end I took the licence plate and reported the car to customer services who immediately alerted security.
But WIBU to report this? I understand in a petrol station it is a different matter, but in a supermarket?

I've left my DS when I've popped into shops but we are talking 5 min MAX. I've gone to shops and found long queues so have left there and then.

I've left him whilst paying for diesel but generally use pay at pump 95% of the time.

I would NEVER ever leave my child to do a full 20-30 minute shop, he ALWAYS comes with me regardless as to whether "it's too much hassle". I simply won't take the risk.

It's hilariously ironic that someone from the US would call the UK dodgy and also spelled incorrectly. Because the US is as safe as houses 😂 anyway you'd be a massive dick to do this, I have never ever seen a child left in a car but I genuinely would phone 999 and wouldn't be worried about the outcome or "wasting police time" it is a big deal,it is wrong and it should never happen there is no excuse.

Kursk

Are you really happy in the USA? Killing people for misdeeds? What if someone one day decided that you or your partner were 'evil'.
Nutters in the USA have guns!

PoisonousSmurf
Are you really happy in the USA?

Yes I am, I am (was) British, lived there for 30 years before moving to the USA. It was the best thing we ever did.

Kursk "NO CRIME" - what utter bollocks.

I'm sure you're happy living in the US and I'm sure nobody ever got shot by accident ever in the US. And I'm sure no child ever got hurt by a gun ever in the US. And I'm sure that no child ever got hold of a gun in the US.

However in the UK guns just aren't normal, and threatening to kill people for looking funny at a dog is just not normal :/ It might be in your "crime free" town - but it certainly isn't here.

I cannot believe in this day and age people would still do this?! Good grief my PFB is 7 months and I would never dream of leaving him in a car alone - asleep or otherwise. You did the right thing OP

And still the "I only leave them for 10 minutes, never longer" comments. Unbelievable really. Look after your children. That is your job and you can't possibly do that from a shop!

I'm quite happy leaving mine in the car for 10 mins. If it stretched to 15 I would still be happy. Still consider myself a pretty awesome parent. 😂

I would disagree with that Hellena I'm afraid, as would SS and the police if anything went wrong in those 10/15 minutes. Relying on good luck is not a good parenting technique.

That's alright, we can agree to disagree. In our tiny town where everyone knows each other, and the tiny car park I am speaking about, my 8 and 6 yr old would be hard pushed to get up to mischief.

I don’t actually think there is much of an issue leaving a sensible 8 and 4 year old in a car for ten mins or so. Babies and toddlers are a different issue.

Agreed. As with all things, context is king.

I think an 8 year old could get up to a lot of mischief in a car to be honest.

And I would imagine hellena knows what type of 8 year old she has. My daughter at 8 I would be quite happy leaving her for a short time in a car.

I am always a bit shocked at how people think of cars to be honest. There's huge potential for all kinds of issues leaving young children alone in a car. It doesn't take much imagination to think of several.

Tabathatwitchett

Ok think of several.

Kursk, maybe you do live in an area with no crime. That's great if you do.

The issue for me isn't when your children are babies being left in a running car with ac in - it's when they are 7 or 8 and doing this is your normal...

And they knock the car into drive by accident, or even try to drive on purpose.

Kids in an unattended car with the engine running is just tempting fate.

No doubt you'll tell me YOUR children wouldn't do that. (Because you'd shoot them?🤔)

What realistic dangers are there for an 8 and 6 year old?

Apart from the lazy ones of choking or the car going on fire.

Coolaschmoola

A remote starter won’t let them drive, or do anything really. It’s part of the security system.

I think cool gave you some examples.
Have you not thought of this, given you have decided it is safe? Presumably you have considered the risks?

I drive an automatic with electronic handbrake. And my 8 year old (at the time, she’s older now) wouldn’t try drive it.

And I would only leave the engine on if it was a warm day.

I drive a car with keyless entry and electronic handbrake, and as the fob will be in my back pocket there is absolutely zero chance of them starting the car or knocking the handbrake etc. Physical impossibility.

I leave my 8 yr old at a stable taking care of horses 2 days a week. She's more than capable of staying put in a car for 15 mins, and if she needed to get out (which is pretty much the worst thing she could do) she is very capable of crossing a car park carefully. The 6 yr old wouldn't go anywhere without her.

DEFINITELY contact the police. 100%. Not only could the baby be snatched, but what if the parent experienced a sudden health event and had to go to hospital? NO ONE would know that the baby was in there, and the baby could be seriously harmed.

IMHO, no one with children under 10 should EVER leave their children unattended in a vehicle. A car is not a baby-sitter. Sadly, some children have died from being left in hot vehicles because they overheated.

bears wolves coyotes and guns

Sounds idyllic will move there immediately