https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:01:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643747 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:20:53 +0000 boiledpnut 643747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to add that I don't even leave DS in the car at the grocery store when I take the buggy back, even if I'm parked right next to it. I'll unload all the bags, take the buggy back, and carry him back to the car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643741 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:19:10 +0000 lisa1783 643741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She was just being concerned - what if something had happened to YOU while you were inside the restaurant (i.e. if you happened to slip inside and get a concussion and pass out). Then your baby would have been by herself in the car. Wouldn't you rather be safe and have her call the police just in case? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643711 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:09:15 +0000 LemonLong 643711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my little brother and cousin were toddlers, they weren't behaving at my older brother's baseball game, so my mom locked them in the car. Well, they found a butterfly knife in the car's glove compartment, managed to open it, and spent the next 20 minutes gleefully stabbing the car seats. My mom was lucky they didn't hurt themselves, but the car seats were ruined beyond repair!</p> <p>Two little boys aged 2 and 4 died this year in CO while being left in a running car for 90 minutes. I guess the exhaust wasn't working right and they got carbon monoxide poisoning. </p> <p>That being said, I'd totally do the same thing you did, especially if the baby was sleeping and it was only for a few minutes but I can also see why that lady was concerned if she didn't know how long you were going to be. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643620 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:36:51 +0000 purrpletulips 643620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oops, I do this at the gas station regularly because we pay with cash and I don't want to unload two kids just to run in and pay. I always lock the doors and keep the car insight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643593 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:21:58 +0000 anbanan15 643593@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs Hedgehog: @boiledpnut: I'm also with you guys! There are too many preventable deaths from children who have been left in the car even for a second. Not to meantion the risk of someone stealing them.</p> <p>@kml636: You never know what could happen! Last summer my car locked itself with LO inside! I had stepped out of the car to let my dogs into the house before LO (so I was literally 10 feet away, just opening the front door) and it just locked all the car doors when I shut mine! I was freaking out, crying hysterical and he was in there for what seemed like forever until assistance came. It was a freak thing with my car and happened in my parents driveway with the car still running so the AC was on, but it was one of the scariest moments of my life. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643560 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:00:33 +0000 boiledpnut 643560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs Hedgehog: I'm with you. I would have called the cops too. We don't live in a safe society like we did 20 years ago. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643374 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 02:19:27 +0000 erinpye 643374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have thought about how annoying it is to wake LO and run in somewhere really quickly, but I would never, ever leave her in the car. Just couldn't do it knowing the world we live in today. You hear too many parents say they "just looked away for a second." Makes me shudder in terror! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested/page/2#post-643321 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 01:04:55 +0000 Boogs 643321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaisyMay: They do that with my husband's work, I loove it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-643302 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:48:53 +0000 anonysquire 643302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My cousin leaves her 5 year old to babysit the 3 yr old and infant in her car all the time when she runs into the store. She said she's scared of whooping cough. </p> <p>I don't judge. I'd just be paranoid though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-643261 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:21:52 +0000 MaisyMay 643261@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TurtleDoves: A lot of dry cleaners now have free pick up and delivery services, you just leave your clothes out and they return them to you. It's a service we offer where I work and most people really like it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-643230 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:55:24 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 643230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Crumbs: wwhhhaaaattttt???? Why? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-643219 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:48:24 +0000 googly-eyes 643219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: the street parking is like within ten feet from the dry cleaners and I leave LO in the car when I pick up DH's unis.. Sometimes the lady even comes out to me!! It's in a very quiet area too. I'm sorry but I can barely carry the dry cleaning when I bring LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-643211 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:44:38 +0000 Mrs Hedgehog 643211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Apparently I am a total biatch because I am 100% with that lady. Sorry. I have been the one to call the cops when I saw a child in a car with no parent around. Too many kids die in cars or, as I have personally seen working in Law Enforcement, get kidnapped when a car is left running and somebody steals the car. I don't care if you will be inside for "just a minute"... a minute is all it can take. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-643196 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:30:37 +0000 googly-eyes 643196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just a minute and you were clearly right there.. That lady should get over herself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-641808 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:06:44 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 641808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: same.</p> <p>I went into a coffe shop (glass, could see LO from the line) because they got my order wrong in the drive-thru.<br /> The whole time I was paranoid that people were judging me.</p> <p>Anyways- I see why its illegal. It's ASKING for trouble. But, the thing is, parents sometimes need to run out for a minute! Of course, i'm sure some people do it when they can't see their child and for more than a minute. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-641800 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:05:42 +0000 sunny 641800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: omg same! I keep putting off going to the dry cleaner bc it's a pain to bring my LO. It would be a max of 2 min to dropoff things and the parking spot is visible from where I'd be standing inside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-641773 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:01:10 +0000 kml636 641773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: omg, that would be terrible! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640633 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:01:16 +0000 winniebee 640633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Threadjacking, but my 2 year old niece locked herself in the car while we were getting in the car for Christmas Eve! My BIL put her in her carseat, went in the house to get the other baby and somehow the car locked in the process....and it was running...!! The police came almost immediately and my niece wasn't upset, but it was a little crazy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640590 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:49:38 +0000 rachiecakes 640590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I were to see a sleeping baby alone in a car, I probably would watch for a few minutes and if a parent seemed nowhere in sight, yeah, I would call the cops. Clearly you were only a second running in to get takeout, no big deal - however, my coworker just told me a story about how she did the same thing when her LO was small and the car locked itself! Fortunately her MIL lived down the street and they had given her an extra set of car and house keys. Yikes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640570 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:45:02 +0000 T.H.O.U. 640570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: Just for future reference, apparently you can call the cops if your baby is locked in the car and they will come out immediately. </p> <p>If LO is sleeping and secure in her seat I leave her in the car if we are home in the driveway (or at a friends driveway). I could see why you would want to do it at a store, but I've never been that brave. </p> <p>A mom I used to sit for had twins and knew the man at the gas station convenience store. She would honk and he would bring her out a gallon of milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640538 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:40:37 +0000 bunnylove08 640538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH is so paranoid about cops being called on him, he refuses to leave our dog in the car. I dont know what I would have done in your situation., I might have just not had lunch, or if I was not sleep deprived I would have called and asked if they could drop it off at the car for me</p> <p>I think if someone walked by and didnt see you were running back and forth I could see why they made comments. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640506 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:35:43 +0000 winniebee 640506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I definitely agree - there is a difference between leaving a baby in a running car and going into a store for 10 minutes....and running in to pick up takeout while you can see the car (and baby is secured in car)... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640466 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:28:23 +0000 Boogs 640466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Exactly why I haven't. </p> <p>I do think there is a difference between still being able to see your child and not, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640458 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:25:48 +0000 winniebee 640458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have thought about doing this a million times but I've never done it for fear of ppl judging me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640431 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:21:04 +0000 mrs. wagon 640431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm very paranoid, so I never leave my kids in the car even for a second. I even feel weird stepping out to get the mail from the mail box or stepping out to pump gas (I open the window). That being said, I would not call the cops on a mom who popped out with the baby left in the car. I wouldn't say anything to her either. Mind your own business, people... if a cop saw her and arrested her because it's against the law, fine... but no need for a citizens' arrest for this kind of situation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640404 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:17:12 +0000 SugarplumsMom 640404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>People leave babies asleep in their stroller out in the cold, while having a cup of coffee indoors - all - the - time(!) here in Sweden. That lady needs to take a chill pill! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640384 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:12:15 +0000 T-Mom 640384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can totally understand your situation and I don't like people who make my business their business. However, I think this particular law has gotten a lot of attention in recent years (at least where I live), and my day care even has a sign up that says "Please do not leave your children in the car, it's the law." So I know that I am pretty hyper aware of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640370 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:10:39 +0000 Rubies 640370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've done this before...I think it's a real life thing for moms. Yeah, the law is the law, but I wonder if she HAD called the cops, you'd probably be gone by then and what, she'd take down your licence plate? The cops would track you down? Whatever, man. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640349 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:02:10 +0000 Andrea 640349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have contemplated this now that I have 2 kids. Leave baby in car while I run into daycare and pick up my toddler for a few minutes. There is one mom with twin babies and she does that while picking up her older one. I totally get it!! But I am too worried that someone will steal the car because I won't be able to see the car for the whole time even though there is a security guard right there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/leaving-a-sleeping-baby-in-the-car-guess-i-could-have-been-arrested#post-640330 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:57:38 +0000 matador84 640330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so paranoid too I don't think I could do it...but warranting a call to the cops is a little extreme! </p>