Would you get into trouble for this?

[ECJW98]

Something that happened at my sister’s work today… they found a car with 2 young children locked inside (aged around 4-5 years old), they checked the CCTV and they had been left there for approximately 4 hours at this point with no-one coming back to check on them.

They rang the police (as you do!) and around an hour later, they still hadn’t arrived as they said they was “very busy”. The children were hysterical at this point but no-one would step in and smash the windows to get them out because they were scared about getting into trouble and having charges pressed against them.

I mean, if that was me, I would have smashed the windows and faced the consequences later on but it got me thinking - based on these circumstances and the fact that 2 young children were at risk - would someone get into trouble if they did this to rescue them?

I wouldn’t care if I got into trouble, I’d get them out.

Oh, I feel the exact same way, I would quite happily be arrested for it too! But everyone there was worried about their jobs but I didn’t know where they stood legally with this and it sent me down a rabbit hole…

If they were very distressed and/or at serious risk, I’d get them out.

Nice response from the police…. two kids alone in a car for four hours and they’re “very busy”.

I'd have smashed the window.

It's quite possible the parent forgot they were in the car when they parked if they were very quiet or had had a medical emergency themselves after 'popping' to the shop.

I can't imagine you'd get into any trouble, you could evidence the CCTV that they had been there along time. What I might have done is ring back on the non-emergency number and informed the person on the other end of what I was about to do as they would need to send an officer / social worker to collect the children.

I'd take the hit after that amount of time. I doubt if you took it to court any jury would convict, I wouldn't.

How did it end?

Someone smashed a neighbour’s car window to get the baby out when she was in the front room and the car on the drive. There was lots of tutting alround but no police involved

The police got them out in the end and social services collected them, not sure if they found the parents or not, but the kids were apparently freezing cold and shivering - bloody awful stuff!

I cannot believe the police 😭

At this time of year they'd be at risk of hypothermia if left in a car for that length of time so, yes, I'd have broken a window. I hope social services are able to help those children. I also hope the police prosecute them, but they probably won't. I often watch American cop channels on YouTube and the parents who do this are prosecuted and they seem to investigate things like this. This country is so slack.

There was a horrible story a few years ago, in Ireland I think, where a Dad on his day off "popped in" to his work and left his baby daughter in the car and lost track of time.

It was one of the hottest days of the year and he came out hours later to find his baby dead of heat exhaustion.

I'd have smashed the window.

I would have smashed the window. The poor kids must have been frightened,, freezing and hunger. Poor children.

Did someone try and talk them into unlocking the car atleast? Surprised they couldn't unlock a door themselves at those ages.

I'd have broken a window if needed though

Why did nobody tell the kids to open a door? Even if your car is locked it can be opened from inside.

Don't cars have child locks any more?

Not usually on the front doors, driver and passenger

Ah - never checked ours, thanks.

How can you "forget" about 2 young children between aged 4-6 for 4 hours

I bet Fire and Rescue would have turned out far quicker than the Police.

I think you can smash a window in emergency circumstances. I mean what judge in the world is going to convict you.

Shame on the police for taking an hour to respond!!!!

It’s criminal damage.

I’d break the window for a dog, never mind a child.

Yes I'd have tried to talk them into opening the door or smashed the window.

You have no idea why they are there and therefore how long they'd be there for.

If the parent had been taken in for a medical emergency (unconscious) it could have been days. Same if they had been abandoned.

@coldinbuxton well people do don't they, children fall asleep in the back, parent preoccupied with work or other life stresses in particularly likely if they are dealing with a big stress like grieving people become forgetful. I've never done it but it isn't a jump to think that someone might.

I would have tried to smash the window while on the phone to the police - I'm not even sure of the best way to smash a car window. But if I knew they had been there that long and they were distressed I don't think I could just leave them. I'd be willing to go to court to explain my actions.