Bentonville Police: Baby Left in Car Dies (live, club)

[gobrien]

As inconvenient as it can be (and I was a divorced mom of 5), I never left my kids in the car, not even to run in and pay for gas. I just don't get people. I don't like having kids in the store but the risk is not worth it.

I sure feel for that family with the baby who died....I used to have dreams that I forgot my child somewhere but thank God that never happened.

[ladyshasta2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I think our hearts have to go out to everyone involved in this horrible tragedy. The poor little toddler, the mommy and daddy and the siblings. Obviously from the remarks, this wasn't a reckless father, he made a horrible mistake and yes, I do understand how it could happen.

Many years ago, after having only 1 child for almost 4 years we adopted a darling baby girl. About 2 weeks after we got her we decided to take in a drive in movie one night. We got everything in the car, including our almost 4 year old. As we were driving out she said to me: mommy, can Mary Colleen take care of herself while we are gone. We had totally forgotten the baby and obviously we were anything but neglectful parents.

No, I can not imagine leaving a child in a hot car for any reason nor leaving an animal, but I do see how these things can happen. There is only one God in our world so that makes the rest of us human, and being human mistakes are made. This was a mistake that the family will live with forever...

NIta

I had the same thing happen . My last child was so good, he slept and ate when he was first born. More than ONCE we would gather up the other two in the car and then be as much as five miles away when someone would hollor..'O NO, WE FORGOT THE BABY AGAIN"

[ladyshasta2]

Originally Posted by gobrien

As inconvenient as it can be (and I was a divorced mom of 5), I never left my kids in the car, not even to run in and pay for gas. I just don't get people. I don't like having kids in the store but the risk is not worth it.

I sure feel for that family with the baby who died....I used to have dreams that I forgot my child somewhere but thank God that never happened.

Yeah well, in my day in the 1980's people were scared to death to leave their kids anywhere, especially, not in the car alone. There were too many kids getting taken. Your kids weren't even safe in the grocery cart!
Turn your back and they would be gone. That happened to a friend of mine who had an absolutely beautiful 3 year old daughter. She was in the grocery cart and my friend left the cart to look at some produce. She turned around and her child was gone! She immediately run out the store and saw a man caring her child to a car and she went yelling and screaming at the top of her lungs and let me tell you, attracted attention. The car was surrounded by other people and she took her child back. The man said he wanted to show his wife the beautiful child.

I would sooner leave my children home than in the car or in the store with me at that time. Even when they went out to play, I was there outside every minute. And we lived in the rurals!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by ladyshasta2

I had the same thing happen . My last child was so good, he slept and ate when he was first born. More than ONCE we would gather up the other two in the car and then be as much as five miles away when someone would hollor..'O NO, WE FORGOT THE BABY AGAIN"

aT least it wasn't summer or winter and they are no worse for wear, now that they are grown. Of maybe they are, maybe that is why she says she suffers from middle child syndrom...

Nita

[Isitmeorarethingsnuts?]

This is a tragic story. I can see how it could happen. Especially if mom and dad took turns dropping off at daycare. I'm from the boonies and when my kids were little I left them in the car to pay for gas or stort things like that where I could see them. Now, with my grandkids, I never leave them. Things have changed a little. We lost my second husbands only daughter in a car accident when she was 18. My heart goes out to this family. It will be with them forever.

[dvcgal]

This is a horrific story! I feel so bad for the family involved. I totally understand how this can and did happen.
A few years ago, I was on my way to school (college) and had my son in the back seat. He was sitting so quietly that I forgot he was in the car with me and I took him to school with me! I didn't realise it until I pulled into the parking lot so I had to call my babysitter and let her know that I would not be coming to her house. Then, I had to drag him around with me all day~ after that, I never forgot! Having a 2 year old at college with you is a good reminder of why you hired a sitter to begin with!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by dvcgal

This is a horrific story! I feel so bad for the family involved. I totally understand how this can and did happen.
A few years ago, I was on my way to school (college) and had my son in the back seat. He was sitting so quietly that I forgot he was in the car with me and I took him to school with me! I didn't realise it until I pulled into the parking lot so I had to call my babysitter and let her know that I would not be coming to her house. Then, I had to drag him around with me all day~ after that, I never forgot! Having a 2 year old at college with you is a good reminder of why you hired a sitter to begin with!

Like my experience with forgetting our baby, your story is cute and luckily no damage was done, but you will never forget. I know we will never forget and it has been over 45 years. Anyone who thinks it couldn't happen to them needs to think again. We are all human, we make mistakes, most cause no harm and can be a reminder of how human we are (often with a funny ending) too bad some people are a little on the self righteos side and think it would never happen.

[Harpuna Hadley]

Seriously? The real issue is being avoided!!!! Memory is not the issue!!!! Why in the world did he not take the child to the hospital to be checked out?! Regardless of whether he forgot his responsibility is for the safety of his child!!!! I'm sure that his job would not have been compromised in order to rush his child to the emergency room! This discussion is absolutely mind boggling!!! Were not talking about running cars left unattended!!! We are talking abou a human life!!!!!!!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Harpuna Hadley

Seriously? The real issue is being avoided!!!! Memory is not the issue!!!! Why in the world did he not take the child to the hospital to be checked out?! Regardless of whether he forgot his responsibility is for the safety of his child!!!! I'm sure that his job would not have been compromised in order to rush his child to the emergency room! This discussion is absolutely mind boggling!!! Were not talking about running cars left unattended!!! We are talking abou a human life!!!!!!!

Yes, we are talking about a human life, but we are talking about a mistake and they do happen. It is a moment in his life that will haunt him forever. I am sure we can all judge, but we were not there, we do not know how we would have responded. Now, our prayers and thoughts have to go out to the entire family. Pointing fingers or second guessing will not bring this child back.

I know, I am not God, so I have made many mistakes. I think of all those times my actions or lack of same could have caused serious problems. Some of these thoughts scare me today, but like, most of us, I have been lucky. No one was ever hurt or killed. Each of us have done things we wish we could undo or are thankful turned out ok.

Nita

[MaryleeII]

Many years ago we adopted two babies. I was disabled at the time, still am. There was so much backlasah when I joined the "motherhood" club. I'd obviously wandered into a club I didn't belong, and other members of the "good mother club" never missed a chance to let me know it. How can you take care of a baby, let alone two? No, never any kind words, never any support, neither practical nor psychological. Hey, you waltzed into our club, you're on your own.

Guess what? I never "forgot" my children, not even for a second. I never just left them for a second to dash in for an errand, leaving the car running. And that was two children to grapple with, along with my disabilities. So, hmmmm...................perhaps I belonged to the "good mother club" after all? Its a matter of using your brain and accepting responsibility.

Every year we hear more and more of these stories about children being left in cars to die. I bet it wasn't so much the parents forgot as they were simply too lazy to take the child with them on what they thought was going to be a quick errand, then something happened to distract them. hey, getting a kid in and out of his car seat is a hassle, for me it was x2 everywhere I went. Sometimes I buckled and unbuckled them 20x/day, running errands. Then I had to carry dd, ds was barely toddling, I don't know which was worse, carrying an infant or chasing after the other. All that just to run into the store for a quick loaf of bread and milk. Why not just leave them for a few minutes? Because they were my responsibility, not my convenience item.

Come on, folks, if a disabled person who's somehow "defective" can assume the responsibility for two lives, why can't so called "normal" people assume the responsibility for one little life?