Left baby in car for a minute

[LifeOnAmber]

I need some advice.

Earlier today we were at a retail park. I was in the shop whilst my husband stayed in the car as the 15 month old was asleep and the 4 year old didn't wanna go in.

I forgot to take my purse. So he brought it into the shop whilst the kids were in the car.

Our car was directly outside the shop. Well not immediate but the second row. But it was in the eye line.

My husband popped in, handed over and went back. It took less than a minute.

When he went back out, a very cross lady was on the phone and with a face like there are abandoned children. He obviously said they are mine. She showed disapproval.

Then he hears her reading out our number plate to someone on the phone and that the parent is here. I guess she called the police?

Basically did we break the law or is it negligence? What can we expect?

And? It says "parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised "in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health". So, are two children of those ages likely to come to harm while the dad jogs into the shop - which he can see from the car - to hand mum her purse? Extremely unlikely. It's not illegal, and - in those very specific circumstances - some sort of freak accident would have to happen to cause injury that would lead to prosecution of the parents.

The post below mine makes a stupid point.

Let's see: "While no specific age law exists for leaving a child in a car, parents can face prosecution if their actions result in unnecessary suffering or harm." - well leaving children of that age for that amount of time is EXTREMELY unlikely to cause them harm.

"Heatstroke: Cars can become dangerously hot very quickly, leading to heatstroke, which is a life-threatening condition". - Not at this time of year in England, for two minutes.

"Accidents: A child could get into the driver's seat and shift the car into drive." - not in a manual, with the key not in the ignition. MAYBE they could undo the handbrake, but still pretty unlikely aged 4, and not really a problem unless you're parked on a hill, and besides, the parents know whether their kids can be trusted. We also don't know about the car seat situation, but my 4 year old can't get out of her seat when she's buckled in.

"Car Theft: An unlocked car is also a target for thieves." - again, possible, but EXTREMELY unlikely in the space of a minute, where the car can be seen from the shop.

And, it is a stone cold FACT that all of the above scenarios are far less likely, statistically speaking, than the children being injured in a car crash whilst the car is moving and both parents are in it. Everyone's gone mad.

I posted up thread that I've done it, too. However, I'm not arguing that there aren't any risks and that it's perfectly safe. Of course it isn't.

You've totally ignored what I've said about minimising risk though. Leaving your children alone anywhere is risky. If you can avoid it (which OP clearly could) then don't do it!

If she was a single mum or on her own it still would have been the wrong thing to do, but I'd have had a great deal more sympathy.

Look, if you think it's fine to leave your kids in risky situations unnecessarily, you do you. But the police absolutely do have the powers to arrest and prosecute. End of.

The least risky option was the mum leaving the shop to go back and collect her payment card.

Couldn’t agree more.

our car has such difficult ignition start and handbrake activation (2025 hybrid car) its car for an adult to start it let alone a child.

its also not hot enough here in UK right now for children to die in a car for 2 minutes or less.

But you are way overestimating the level of risk. And the police absolutely would not prosecute parents for putting their children at a very low level of risk (much lower than driving on the motorway with them) for 2 minutes which did not lead to any harm.

Keep up!! She had finally got to the front of a snaking queue and would have lost her place.

Which has what to do with risk, exactly?

Nothing.

If you want to get pedantic it would have increased the amount of time a baby was in a car seat, leading to an increased risk of positional asphyxiation...

Theres risk in every decision. All the risks are actually very low in this particular scenario.

similar happened to me once. Both kids fast asleep in the car and my husband and I went into Wickes to look at laminate flooring. We were approx 15 mins. When we returned to the car, the police were there waiting for us!!

I was mortified and quickly learned my lesson, and never did it again. The police just said it wasn’t advisable to do that, checked our details and we were on our way.

I don’t know what we were thinking, all I can say is it was 20 years ago and we were a lot younger then and obviously make a stupid decision.

But we don’t know how long it took for the MOP to get involved. You et al are just assuming it must have been some considerable time.

Fine, except it wouldn’t (thankfully) be down to the police, but the CPS (who would almost certainly conclude a prosecution wouldn’t be justified).

Arrest, yes.

Prosecute, no. Thankfully