https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:28:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1213728 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:12:10 +0000 mrsjyw 1213728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd call the cops. </p> <p>The only times I wouldn't is at our local dry cleaners (the parking is like 30-50 ft from the drop off/pick up... and at gas stations.</p> <p>Though, I think most ppl pay with CCs nowadays around here and I usually see them right by their cars. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1213473 Wed, 13 Nov 2013 12:43:10 +0000 Boogs 1213473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: I recently saw kids left in the car with the keys in the ignition. My same thought was that someone could drive off with the kids! I alerted the store manager to call the authorities since you can get a hold of them quicker on a landline than a cell. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207761 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 01:54:33 +0000 lemondrop 1207761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As much of a PITA as it is to take them in and out, I don't leave mine in the car alone, no matter how quick or close the errand. I try hard to plan errands around naps, and just sit in the car and read if I have to wait a nap out. </p> <p>Every year there is a handful of infants and toddlers that overheat in cars here locally, I wouldn't hesitate to call the police over a child or an animal. I have called over several dogs in the past, but never noticed any children. I've seen the effects of overheated dogs all too many times at work, the results are truly horrific. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207751 Mon, 11 Nov 2013 01:28:55 +0000 shopaholic 1207751@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: :( This is what is horrible! </p> <p>I would totally evaluate the situation, wait at the car, and call the cops and/or if it were a supermarket, go have them make an announcement for the parent to come out. </p> <p>I once was at the gas station where a dad left a toddler in the car, with the engine on, while getting gas. And the toddler was climbing over the seats. I just watched for the kid's safety. When I told the dad (when he came back) that he shouldn't leave the engine running, I got cursed and yelled at for several minutes, even as he was driving off. :( It's sad how some people don't think about the consequences. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207671 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:38:22 +0000 citymouse 1207671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My concern with running inside for a second is, what if something happened to you? Fainting, tripped fell and passed out, etc... And no one knew your kids were in the car? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207632 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:07:05 +0000 BabyMats 1207632@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TurtleDoves: yup..it pissed all of us off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207628 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:03:10 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 1207628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyMats: what the FUCKITY fuck?!? An infant and she thought she did nothing wrong?</p> <p>I'd probably only leave a child who was old bough to open the door and leave if need be (overheating). But the again, I don't think I could ever be gone in the heat or long enough or without keeping the car on (remote start). Meh.<br /> They would have to be like 10 and even then I would have to be running into a gas station or something. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207626 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:02:13 +0000 PointeShoesTutus 1207626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I called 911 once when I saw a baby in an infant seat in the car with all the windows rolled up on a summer day. I waited in the parking lot about 5 minutes before making the call and it felt like the longest 5 minutes of my life.</p> <p>I've also called once for a dog left in the car. I don't know how long it had been in there but poor thing looked like it was in obvious distress. </p> <p>In my opinion it's better safe than sorry. DH is a cop. He'd much, much rather respond to the call and deal with an angry parent with a broken car window and a safe baby than have to respond to a call with a dead baby in a car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207623 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 22:58:46 +0000 StbHisMrs 1207623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ZombieBullfrogHoller: i can't remember what age I started staying alone, I want to say sixth grade so 11-12. My son is in sixth grade, he's very intelligent and I leave my phone with him incase of emergency. Here's what I found which pertains to the state I live in.</p> <p>“14A.80.040 Unattended Minors in Vehicles.<br /> It is unlawful for any person having the care and custody of a minor under 6 years of age to leave the minor unattended in a locked vehicle, or to leave the minor unattended in an unlocked vehicle for more than 15 minutes. A minor is unattended within the meaning of this Section if the oldest person with the minor is under the age of 10 years.” </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207605 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 22:31:11 +0000 erinpye 1207605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would absolutely call the police, I don't care if it's "just for a second," "the car is running with AC," etc. leaving a child alone in the car for any period of time is not ok in my book. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207604 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 22:30:44 +0000 ZombieBullfrogHoller 1207604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StbHisMrs: This begs the question, what do people consider the cut off for leaving a child alone in a car while you go inside. I know at 10 I was frequently left in the car if I didn't want to go shopping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207603 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 22:29:38 +0000 ZombieBullfrogHoller 1207603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I'm getting gas or visiting DH at work (he works at the local gas station) I'll leave LO in the car, provided he's sleeping, as long as I can see the car. I wouldn't leave him to run into a building where I wouldn't have a constant view of him, though. </p> <p>If I saw that someone left a child in the car in a parking lot or something, I would call the police. With all the things that could go wrong, there's also the possibility like a PP mentioned that the parent could have forgotten the child was in the car. I've heard too many stories of parents going off routine and forgetting their baby in the backseat since they don't usually have them to take a chance like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207580 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 22:05:56 +0000 mrsbookworm 1207580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've left LO in the car when running into the dry cleaners. I have one of those cars with a keyless remote. I can leave the car running and the doors locked, so the AC or heat stays on. The dry cleaners storefront is all windows and I park right outside the door. I can see LO the whole time. Plus, I wait until there is no inside so I'll be helped immediately. I've only done it twice, when I had too much stuff to carry him and the clothes, but I felt confident that he was safe. I would never let him out of my sight or leave him in a hot/cold car! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207526 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:26:42 +0000 blackbird 1207526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee, hahahaha. It's pretty neat what they're doing to cars! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207519 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:17:35 +0000 mrbee 1207519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: Man the world is changing... I haven't had a car in 15 years, and got into a newish rental car the other day and realized I had no idea how to start it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207510 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:11:18 +0000 blackbird 1207510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee, Not if it had remote start. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207507 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:08:27 +0000 wonderstruck 1207507@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lindsay05: Yeah I don't really think the gas station could count. I definitely don't pull LO out of his carseat and put him back in for the 30 second walk in and our of the gas station. But I lock the doors and keep an eye on the car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207489 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:54:10 +0000 Penny Lane 1207489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: a butchers knife!? what the what...</p> <p>like a few PP who live in lands of no-pre-pay-pumps-at-gas-stations, I have left LO in the car while paying for petrol. i see it happen a lot here.</p> <p>if I saw it at somewhere like a supermarket? i would probably call someone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207481 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:47:02 +0000 mrbee 1207481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: if the car was running, couldn't someone have driven the car away? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207472 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:40:35 +0000 Kemma 1207472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mum once called the police for an unattended toddler locked in a car with a butcher's knife...</p> <p>I have left my LO in the car when paying for gas but that's about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207466 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:36:12 +0000 StbHisMrs 1207466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I leave my 11 year old in the locked car when I'm running in for a couple items. I would not ever even think about leaving my toddler or infant. It's a pain to get them out but I would never be able to forgive myself if something went wrong. It's a very selfish choice those parents make. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207450 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:17:08 +0000 Boheme 1207450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally knew a baby who was accidentally left in a hot car and died. I call the cops when I see kids left in cars and I stay there til the cops arrive. My tolerance for it is zero. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207413 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 19:58:35 +0000 blackbird 1207413@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually parked next to a mom who left her two toddlers in the car and left it running. She BOLTED into the trader joe's, grabbed something, and bolted out. I didn't call the police or anything, but I watched to see that she wasn't doing a leisurely grocery trip. The car was on and everything and the kids were happily watching a dvd. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207336 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 18:50:42 +0000 Ree723 1207336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No but after all the stories I've read of how quickly babies can overheat in a car, I would have absolutely zero hesitation in calling the police. Leaving your baby to pay for petrol (we don't have pay at the pump in Australia for some crazy reason) is one thing, albeit not a choice I would make, but a child left in an unattended car out of the view of the caregiver - unacceptable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207197 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 16:37:32 +0000 MarieJ 1207197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, thankfully. I would call the police immediately if I were to see a child alone in the car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207181 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 16:25:13 +0000 BabyMats 1207181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@indi: My parents didn't leave my brother in the car or anything but your story reminded me of when my ten year old brother at the time (he is three years older) took the car for a joy ride with my cousin..not a very good situation.especially when my parents thought the car was stolen and went to report it. ( My brother was suppose to be at a friend's house two doors down) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207172 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 16:15:22 +0000 indi 1207172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was very common when I was young, and still is semi-common around here. However, it's mostly at quick-stop places where I'd see kids in the car (gas station, grocery pharmacy runs, etc). I usually time myself in there and see if they're still there when I get out, and check out the temp, etc. </p> <p>I'll never do it, though. With the heat/cold issues, stranger/abduction issues, and the fact that my siblings and I backed our truck into a building when we were left unattended, I am sooooo not about to take that risk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207163 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 16:08:03 +0000 Lindsay05 1207163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was so common back in the day. Now I will leave LO in the car if I have to run into a gas station really quickly and I can see the car at all times. Also as long as its not hot out. I would never ever leave her to do some casual shopping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207154 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 15:57:25 +0000 BabyMats 1207154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This woman left her infant in the parking lot while she was shopping. My managers went out there called the cops and had the police waiting for her when she came out. She didn't think she did anything wrong</p> <p>Eta: it was a hot day and the car was not in any shade </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-left-alone-in-cars#post-1207152 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 15:55:38 +0000 Mae 1207152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. When I was in high school my mom and I saw two kids (ages maybe 2 and 4?) alone in the parking lot of a strip mall. In summer. My mom called the police. (Go mom). </p>