What would you do? (parents, boy, appropriate, son)
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Yesterday my 9 year old son and I went to the grocery store. As we were approaching the car after shopping, my son pointed out a young boy who appeared to be in a van by himself. The boy looked about 6 or 7 years old. Although it looked like he was by himself, my first thought was that it couldn't be. We sat in my car and looked for a minute trying to determine whether the boy was in fact alone and I could not see anyone else. Finally, my son asked me what I was going to do.
Note that the temperature yesterday was mid 80's and it was extremely hot in our vehicle. Only the rear windows were cracked slightly in the boy's van so I know the child had to be hot.
I went up to the vehicle (that was parked adjacent to mine) and asked if the boy was alone, where was his mom, was she coming right back, how long he had been left by himself, how old he was, etc. He told me that his mom was shopping and that he was 7 and turning 8 on the next day. Granted the boy never opened the car doors while talking to me, but he did willingly talk to me.
I got his mom's cell phone number and called her. I wasn't trying to judge, but I did tell her that I was concerned about her boy being left alone with it being so hot. (Not to mention we were in the parking lot of one of those superstores where there are lots of people coming and going). Her excuses were that he didn't want to come into the store and that he was 9 years old. When I expressed my concern further and told her that he said he was 7, she replied that he could open the doors if he got hot. I started to say something else, but she hung up on me.
There was an older gentleman in the car next to mine who asked if he should call 911. While I was talking to the man, the boy's mom came out to the vehicle (with no groceries) and appeared to be scolding the boy. I approached her gently and explained that I was just concerned. Again, she replied that it wasn't like he was 5 years old and that he could open the doors if he got hot. She got in her van and drove off.
My question is: Did I act appropriately or should I have minded my own business?
Even my 9 year old had sense enough to know that you don't leave a young child in a very hot car parked in a busy parking lot.
You were really too nice in calling the mother instead of the police. She on the other hand obviously has some issues, first in thinking it was ok to leave her son in the car and second in being dismissive of you. I feel like calling the police when I see pets locked in vehicles. I wouldn't even have given a second thought to calling the police if I had been in your place. There are so many sad stories of kids dying this way, it's amazing that a parent would actually consider doing this.
You did the right thing! 7? Heck I wouldnt leave a 10 year old in a car alone you never know what could happen! Good for you for not looking the other way.
In some states what this woman did is against the law. I have personally called 911 on two occasions after finding kids alone in a car. I was told it is not against the law here in NC but I know it is against the law in Florida.
It really is a shame that people feel they cannot handle taking their kids into the store. Nothing is more important than my children's well being and I wouldn't dream of leaving one of them in the car when they were little. My youngest is 10 and I wouldn't leave him alone to go into a store. What is wrong with some people? I mean, if you are getting food why not take them in too? Give them a box of animal crackers and get your shopping done. Inexcusable!
I guess I am going to be the dissenting voice. While 7 (well, 8 really) is on the young side, and I think you did the right thing in speaking to the boy and making sure he was ok, calling the mom is a bit much (assuming the child seemed fine- not scared or ill). I know at that age, I was often left alone in the car, by my choice, reading a book while my mom did a quick grocery shop.
Kids and pets die in cars here in the summer. We've been having some really hot weather already. I would have called the police rather than the mother.
https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_P...dalone.asp#car
According to that, leaving a child younger than 7 alone in the car for more than five minutes is a crime. This boy was 7, but leaving him there could still be considered neglectful supervision.
The mom is lucky that you spotted the boy, not someone who had something bad in mind.
I leave my 6.5yr old in the car if I'm only going to be a few minutes. If you were worried about the weather that's different but at 8yrs old I think a child is fully capable of sitting in the car by himself for a few minutes. And even if it was the weather, I grew up in Texas and by 5 was perfectly able to open a door while waiting for my mom to get back.
All these people willing to call the police over something so small seems ridiculous to me. When was the last time you heard of an 8yr old child dying from heat stroke in a car? Really you're going to subject that family to a full CPS investigation because the mom ran in to grab something without her EIGHT year old?
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