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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

kids left in car in car park/called Police

158 replies

Delilah21D00LoT · 24/08/2018 21:17

Just wondered if you would have called the police or 'turned a blind eye'.

Tuesday this took place:

12:55 DIY store car park two little boys (4 & 6 sitting in an unattended car when I came out of store.

So 15 mins later I went into store to ask for call out. Which they did to no result.

I Couldn't get through to Police on 101 but managed to get through on web chat.

13:25 blues and twos arrived.

13:40, Dad comes out of store and was very 'casual' tried to blame the kids by saying they didn't want to go into the shop 😡.

Police chaps also noticed that neither boys had car seats! To which the Dad went on about they usually use them, but due to his shift work he was too busy.

Police took my details and then I left them all to it and headed home.

Was I wrong to call the Police?

OP posts:

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/08/2018 22:27

Yes gotta watch out for all those cars with their engines off randomly bursting into flames! Though I think the DIY store with all those flammable materials would have been more dangerous for the kids.

formerbabe · 24/08/2018 22:30

You absolutely did the right thing. He’s done this before, just didn’t get caught. I reported someone to Ikea security - young child locked in car. Security guy said above 8 years it wasn’t a problem, called to the little boy to ask how old and he replied 9, so said he couldn’t do anything. Mother sauntered over shortly afterwards. I don’t know if the security guy was correct or not but I felt better that I hadn’t ignored the little boy

9! Plenty of parents on here leave their 9 year olds at home alone whilst they pop out. Some children are walking to school alone at age 9...what a ridiculous over reaction.

formerbabe · 24/08/2018 22:31

Yes gotta watch out for all those cars with their engines off randomly bursting into flames! Though I think the DIY store with all those flammable materials would have been more dangerous for the kids

. Walking across a car park can be pretty bloody dangerous.

I've never heard of parked cars bursting into flames...but er, righto

SchadenfreudePersonified · 24/08/2018 22:34

I've never heard of parked cars bursting into flames...but er, righto

It actually happened to a colleague of mine - car parked outside work - just went - well not ka-boom - it didn't explode, but the engine did somehow spontaneously combust. (I secretly laughed as he was an arse . . . )

Grilledaubergines · 24/08/2018 22:36

9! Plenty of parents on here leave their 9 year olds at home alone whilst they pop out. Some children are walking to school alone at age 9...what a ridiculous over reaction.

Well not really. Given I couldn’t have known how old he was.

People leaving kids home alone at 9. Yeah, that’s wrong, no excuses.

gabsdot · 24/08/2018 22:36

Personally I think 4 and 6 year old are old enough to be left in the car but 45 mins is too long.

Bananasinpyjamas11 · 24/08/2018 22:37

Definitely did the right thing. My Ex had no car seat for our 4 year old for a while, I didn’t know until later. I wish someone had called the police on him!

Also I remember being left in the car all the time, and it was horrible! Sitting in a tin box for ages. Would any adult put up with that?!

marants · 24/08/2018 22:37

OnlyFoolsnMothers yes it is, calling the police was part of the karma. The police couldn’t have noticed the lack of car seats otherwise.

LittleRen · 24/08/2018 22:38

How did you know their ages?

formerbabe · 24/08/2018 22:38

I heard that sometimes moving cars can crash into each other. I definitely think people who drive their children in cars should be reported...I mean, what if they crash. I also heard that sometimes buildings can catch fire.... probably best to avoid ever taking our children into buildings too...just in case.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/08/2018 22:39

Also I remember being left in the car all the time, and it was horrible! Sitting in a tin box for ages. Would any adult put up with that?!
Err...yeh I’ve waited in my car whilst
My DH or friend was in a shop, I don’t recall it being that traumatic

SirGawain · 24/08/2018 22:41

I've never heard of parked cars bursting into flames
I have seen this happen several times in the forty years I have been driving...
but er, righto

formerbabe · 24/08/2018 22:41

People leaving kids home alone at 9. Yeah, that’s wrong, no excuses

These boards are full of parents who leave 9 year olds home alone whilst they pop to the shops or something. Again, not something I would do but I don't consider it to be a terrible thing.

ArsenalsPlayingAtHome · 24/08/2018 22:41

Highjacking the thread here..but what age is it OK NOT to have DCs in car seats? TIA

I think you did the right thing, OP, but I'm not sure if I'd have phoned the police tbh. Having read this, though, I definitely would in future.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/08/2018 22:42

marants he got a fine because someone called the police that’s hardly the universe working in mysterious ways

SuperMumTum · 24/08/2018 22:42

I leave my 6 year old in the car occasionally when I pop in to a shop but only for 5 mins. She is super sensible though and wouldn't mess about or disappear off anywhere.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/08/2018 22:44

There is always a mn thread on “can I leave my sick DC home alone to go on the school run with the other” “can’t take my sick DC out can I pop to the shops” and people always say yes. In many a situation I’d rather leave my child (if she was older) in a car outside a shop for 10mins than at home for 20mins.

UrsulaPandress · 24/08/2018 22:45

The Liverpool arena car park went up in flames last year with the loss of hundreds of cars due to a Land Rover setting on fire.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/08/2018 22:45

SuperMumTum leave a sign on your car saying “super responsible” or you may find the police when you return

formerbabe · 24/08/2018 22:46

I leave my 6 year old in the car occasionally when I pop in to a shop but only for 5 mins. She is super sensible though and wouldn't mess about or disappear off anywhere

Yeah but apparently parked cars with their engines turned off can burst into flames dontcha know?!

Sar51 · 24/08/2018 22:46

No, you absolutely did the right thing. It’s a sad fact that monsters really do exist and I don’t think you should take any chances by leaving small children that young on their own.

ArsenalsPlayingAtHome · 24/08/2018 22:47

Just re-read. 4 & 6 is shockingly young to be left in a large car park unattended for at least 45 minutes.

And personally I bet they didn't want to stay in the car - find me a child who doesn't love a mooch around B&Q - mine loved it at that age, & still do even though they're older.

Bet they were annoying the dad & he'd told them they had to stay in the car.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 24/08/2018 22:47

1400 cars were destroyed in a multi storey car park fire in my city this year. Some dogs left in cars managed to be rescued, 2 died.

That lazy fucker, Op, could not be bothered parenting his kids while he went intk the shop. You did the right thing.

formerbabe · 24/08/2018 22:47

I don't know the statistics but I'd imagine that the risk of being run over whilst walking through a car park is far greater than the risk of a parked car spontaneously combusting.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 24/08/2018 22:51

So, former, risk from spontaneous fire and risk from them leaving the car on their own and getting run over.

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