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The deaths of three young children in hot vehicles on Friday (July 5) in separate incidents in Virginia, Maryland and Louisiana raises the death toll to 19 in the deadliest day for such incidents this year.
I second that. It was a fascinating thread. The first time I heard of this happening, I was so angry. My daughter was very young, and it happened in the NY metro region, where I live, and I wondered how someone could possibly be that stupid as to have forgotten to drop his child off at daycare.
But when this thread came out last year and I read all the articles, especially Lynn Balfour's story, I realized how easily it could happen.
I'm not talking about people who left their kid in the car because they were drunk or high. Just ordinary parents with busy lives who made a terrible mistake when distracted or had an interruption to their normal routine.
I second that. It was a fascinating thread. The first time I heard of this happening, I was so angry. My daughter was very young, and it happened in the NY metro region, where I live, and I wondered how someone could possibly be that stupid as to have forgotten to drop his child off at daycare.
But when this thread came out last year and I read all the articles, especially Lynn Balfour's story, I realized how easily it could happen.
I'm not talking about people who left their kid in the car because they were drunk or high. Just ordinary parents with busy lives who made a terrible mistake when distracted or had an interruption to their normal routine.
It is a heartbreaking story...BUT...there is something REALLY REALLY wrong with our lives if we are that distracted while taking our babies anywhere. Perhaps it's time to slow down and THINK. I am so grateful that this has not touched our lives, or any of our family or friends. And my heart breaks for each and every one of those babies. Not the parent who left them in the car. They can suffer.
It is a heartbreaking story...BUT...there is something REALLY REALLY wrong with our lives if we are that distracted while taking our babies anywhere. Perhaps it's time to slow down and THINK. I am so grateful that this has not touched our lives, or any of our family or friends. And my heart breaks for each and every one of those babies. Not the parent who left them in the car. They can suffer.
I don't disagree with the bolded. There is something wrong. People are under constant pressure, and we are ruled by clocks.
But my heart also breaks for the parent who inadvertently killed a child they loved more than anything else in the world and can't ever change that.
My best friend is a together chick, smart, organized, etc. So is her husband.
Well her husband went away for three days during the week of finals (we teach at the same school). She normally dropped her daughter off in the mornings and her husband picked her up. Well she forgot her daughter. At 5:30 I was walking by her room (we had both been grading) and asked her who picked up the baby. She looked panic stricken. Her cell had been ringing but it was in her purse in her desk, and the secretary had left for the day so no one was answering those calls.
The people at the daycare weren't even mad, just concerned. Apparently, people tend to forget things whenever the schedule changes and they expect it.
So really, it is easy to say you would never make such a horrible mistake. But I know a new schedule, something weighing on your mind, and a handful of other things can make such a mistake possible. Maybe just take these things as a warning to be more careful in your own life.
I have deep sympathy for any parent who loses a child, especially over such a heart breaking MISTAKE.
My best friend is a together chick, smart, organized, etc. So is her husband.
Well her husband went away for three days during the week of finals (we teach at the same school). She normally dropped her daughter off in the mornings and her husband picked her up. Well she forgot her daughter. At 5:30 I was walking by her room (we had both been grading) and asked her who picked up the baby. She looked panic stricken. Her cell had been ringing but it was in her purse in her desk, and the secretary had left for the day so no one was answering those calls.
The people at the daycare weren't even mad, just concerned. Apparently, people tend to forget things whenever the schedule changes and they expect it.
So really, it is easy to say you would never make such a horrible mistake. But I know a new schedule, something weighing on your mind, and a handful of other things can make such a mistake possible. Maybe just take these things as a warning to be more careful in your own life.
I have deep sympathy for any parent who loses a child, especially over such a heart breaking MISTAKE.
What happened to your friends' baby???????????????
My best friend is a together chick, smart, organized, etc. So is her husband.
Well her husband went away for three days during the week of finals (we teach at the same school). She normally dropped her daughter off in the mornings and her husband picked her up. Well she forgot her daughter. At 5:30 I was walking by her room (we had both been grading) and asked her who picked up the baby. She looked panic stricken. Her cell had been ringing but it was in her purse in her desk, and the secretary had left for the day so no one was answering those calls.
The people at the daycare weren't even mad, just concerned. Apparently, people tend to forget things whenever the schedule changes and they expect it.
So really, it is easy to say you would never make such a horrible mistake. But I know a new schedule, something weighing on your mind, and a handful of other things can make such a mistake possible. Maybe just take these things as a warning to be more careful in your own life.
I have deep sympathy for any parent who loses a child, especially over such a heart breaking MISTAKE.
But she left her baby at a child care facility. How about leaving your child in a hot car and forgetting about them. That just makes no sense at all. Small children have been left in hot cars while mom has been inside a Wall-mart shopping. Just the idea that you can leave your children alone in the car in the first place is unimaginable. Let alone on a hot summer day.
When you leave your child at a baby sitter, back in your mind, you know your child is in a safe place Therefor I can see how other things can distract you. However, I cannot understand how leaving your child alone in a hot car for any amount of time is ever ok. And these are parents who go shopping!
One time when my son was only about 2 months old I locked him inside the house by mistake. I was stuck on the outside, while he was inside laying on a blanket screaming. I panicked. I was wearing a tank-top and underwear so it was not like I could run to the neighbor and borrow a phone to call my husband. Well, I probably could but I was too worried about leaving my baby alone. So I pick up a brick and smash the bathroom window and climb inside. I did cut myself pretty good but somehow it didn't bother me. I was so relived to finally get to hold my son again. Was I overeating, probably...
So leaving a child in a dangerous place and walk away and forget about it, it does not make any sense at all.
Last edited by glass_of_merlot; 07-07-2013 at 07:51 AM..
What happened to your friends' baby???????????????
She was fine. She left her at daycare and hour and a half past her normal pick up time. The daycare center doesn't even close until 6pm.
But it is the exact same scenario as in the OP with a different, lucky outcome.
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