Re: Baby left in shopping cart: crime or not?

sashamatthews · ‎03-10-2010

The scariest part for me is the child was left in the parking lot. Since I have never had even one child, I cannot imagine wrangling multiple little ones. But it would seem to me that the tiniest one would go into the car first. A misdemeanor is fine by me.

AngusandBuddhasMom · ‎03-10-2010

@Greenhouse wrote:
@AngusandBuddhasMom wrote:
Well brava brava to all you perfect humans who have never done anything wrong. Enjoy your direct root to heaven since you are all perfect. SMH.

Not one of you know this young mother or what her deal is and to bash her like this well I guess it is an age thing. Oh wait nope it isn't. Its just mean spirited and giving yourselves a pass. Since none of us know what is in the background of anyone on this board. And so we get to come on here and chastise other people.

My Mom who was the PTA president and a member of the welcome wagon and ladies who lunch and had the perfect manicured lawn and amazingly clean house and so on and so on.

Happened to be the mother of 5 rambunctious kids. Me being the second youngest and low and behold she left me in the store on a extra crazy shopping trip with all of us. I was 2. She was not on a cell phone and she was always an amazing Mom. So lighten up give this young Mom the benefit of the doubt. Before you go all Salem Witch trial on her.

Seems the saying there but for the grace of G-d is lost on this bunch.
I agree if she had a bunch running around in utter confusion, you could easily lose your child and being a mother is the hardest of jobs and a learning experience. But, the baby was 2 months old, wide awake strapped in a car seat in front of her. When you get in the car, you would look at the empty car seat....you just do....if the baby we're not so young, it wouldn't be as bothersome. It was 100 degrees out....I would check to see if all my kids had enough to drink, but especially a newborn. I don't think it was intentional but it is bothersome to me and I do think she needs to be followed. As stated, I was an OB/Gyn nurse and this just doesn't sit right with me. I don't think it should just be dismissed as a mistake because too often, incidents like this can be overlooked and then, something bad happens. If she is overwhelmed being a mom of 4 at 28, it is understandable and she may need help....not just giving her a pass as a busy mom....the Gilbert police dept did charge her with a misdemeanor, child endangerment. I don't think this is a punishment but she needs to be followed and given help if necessary.

Exactly she made need help. The baby is just 2 months maybe she is suffering from Postpartum depression.

colliegirls · ‎05-13-2012

I just saw the photo, the entire car seat with the baby in it was in the cart. No way could you not see him. Something is wrong with this story.

Tootie15 · ‎12-17-2012

Since I don't know the whole story, I won't judge. But HOW??

PamfromCT · ‎05-22-2014

Thank God nothing happened to this baby. Baby could have been taken by some sick person. Yes, as someone has said, mother is likely to be suffering from depression. I cannot imaging having all those children at such a young age. But that's a whole other story. Sounds like she needs some help here. It is such a sad story.

Puzzle Piece · ‎06-29-2010

Well, exactly how much time should pass before it's actually careless neglect.

ANYTIME a baby is left alone out in public or even at home is crucial. Some babies drown because the mother walked away for 2 to three minutes. Many are taken in less than a minute.

It's a crime.

Don't forget, if the baby had been taken in 60 seconds, society would be outraged and a massive search would take place - we all know the expense that lays on all of us.

Never Forget the Native American Indian Holocaust

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

There is nothing right now about her being on a cell so I'm not sure why that keeps getting brought up.

I'm not sure what to think of this. I have no children but the scenario presented doesn't seem to make sense to me. A 2 month old would be in a cart in a carrier and I just don't get how you could not see that big carrier in the cart when you are unloading your groceries or walking away from the cart. It would be right there. You'd have to be looking at it wouldn't you? I also don't understand the comment about a different parking space. I'll be darned if I can get the exact same parking space at the store every week and we don't have stores with assigned parking.

However, a friend of mine got in her car and left for church, leaving one of her kids in a swing in the back yard. She had 6 kids and they didn't all fit in 1 car. She thought her DH had that child in his car and he thought she had the child in her car. She realized what happened when she got to church and went home. Luckily she lives 5 minutes from church. She went racing into the back yard and her daughter was just happily sitting in that swing and had no idea everyone had left her.

PINKdogWOOD · ‎05-13-2010

How in the world does this even happen???? Baby in shopping cart faces you. Babies make noise too.

However people STILL walk away from their carts in stores ALL THE TIME to look at something!!! Women STILL put their purses in the cart where baby goes and WALK AWAY to look at something!!!! I will NEVER understand this practice!!!!

DO YOU DO THIS??? I sure don't. My purse in on my shoulder ALWAYS!!!! So many times I'm in a store and see this happen. Purse in cart, no one/no owner around. I could SO EASILY lift the purse and walk right out of the store and owner would not be the wiser. Not even sure WHEN then owner would even notice purse would be gone - until it's time to check out and pay!!!!

I would never take the purse but I DO say something outloud about purse here but owner is not!!!!!

So how a MOTHER could forget/leave baby behind for 40 minutes is SO BEYOND ME!!!!!!

CRIMINAL!!! I don't care if it was her only mistake ever in her entire life!!!!!!

AngusandBuddhasMom · ‎03-10-2010

Well regardless I am not going to judge this young mother without knowing all the facts.

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@missy1 wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@missy1 wrote:
yes.

IMO these are not "mistakes". I never forgot my kid. These people can remember their cell phones etc, not their kids. If one may be so tired etc. then they need reminers/alarms to remember kid in back seat. Put you wallet/cell there,
SO if it is not a mistake, then she did it on purpose?

I would not say she did it on purpose (some have to rid the kid), but I would not call it a mistake either. This baby is depending on her, and she negelected them. There should be a conseqeuence for this action imo.

So if a mother looses a child in the store, there should be consequences for that also. After all she had to be negelecting them if they got lost.

I was tired this am. The mom left the baby in a cart, not the baby in the car. I never left my kid or left them in car unattended. If you have kids that run off, then keep them in the cart or use another method .