Community Chat

[ECBG]

I can't believe in this day and age with all that happens in communities actually happened at work tonight about 8pm in 45 degrees in the dark!

A young mother, in her twenties came to file her taxes.  She had to leave to get her driver's license (yes, she drove there without them!).  When she came back, she left her car, locked with an eight year old child responsible for an eight month old baby!  The office where we were had no visability of the car at all!  There were open vacacancies all around us and no other activity.  

The only thing between her and her babies was a window!  Again, in the cold, and dark in a deserted parking lot.

I made her go get them!

What would you have done?

[Pandalady]

@ECBG  You absolutely did the right thing.You were a hero to those children today.

[NicksmomESQ]

 @ECBG you definitely did the right thing!!

[NativeJax]

I would have insisted she get them as well. I would have observed her with the children to see if she appeared to be s loving mother. If I thought it was a teachable moment I might work a story in about myself as a young mother and leaving my infant son in the car while I ran into pay for gas....when I came out an elderly man on the other side of the gas pump told me never to leave my baby like that. He said, I could have taken your baby! This is a true story and I never ever did that again! It was only for two minutes to pay for gas, he was right though and I learned my lesson.

If I thought that child services needed to be called, I would call.

[Shanus]

@ECBG. I probably would have called Child Services. If a "mother" could leave children alone in the car...day or night, summer or winter....someone needs to take better care of the children. They need protection and assurance they'll be safe. I would not let her leave the office with the children.

[jaxs mom]

I'd have made her go get them too. 

[GCR18]

That is a tough one.  Bringing them in is the right thing to do.  My mind wonders to how often this happens.  It seems to me if it was the first and only time, she would have brought them in and apologized.  Just thinking out loud.

[MacDUFF]

You did the right thing!  That's what I would have done...plus, I would have given her "the look!"   I don't care how overtaxed she may have been (pun intended), you just do not leave your babies unattended!  Sheesh!  What is wrong with some people!??

[Annabellethecat66]

She's probably done this many times before.  You did the right thing.

You have her name and number.  If I were you I'd ask the supervisor what you should do about having child welfare services check up on her.  It's hard to know what to do because maybe they just need to put a scare in her.  

[cherry]

I had a neighbor that left her baby locked in the car and went in a restaurant to eat. She didn't give it a thought. Her husband did and went to sit with the baby.He had a conscience

She wasn't some poor frazzled  mother, either. She did stuff like leaving her baby in the tub to play ,with a1/2 inch of water in the tub.  An older neighbor finally had heard enough , when Margo said she left the baby in the crib ,all alone, while she made a quick run to the store, to pick up a few items. She said if you ever do that again, I will report you,

She didn't come from a poor home, either. Her dad was athletic director for West Point.  Her mother was good friends with President Ike's dil, Barbara, I think her name was.

You did the right thing.