The Question: You decide to go out to the 24-hour supermarket late at night to pick up a few things to avoid the crowds. You park and begin walking toward the store. As you pass the back of one particular vehicle, movement catches your eye, and you look toward the car windows. As you walk closer to the car, you discern that all the windows are shut tight. When you get close enough to actually see through the windows, you realize there are three small children, all in pajamas, unattended and sleeping in the back seat of the vehicle. What do you do?
My 2 Cents: Seeing unattended children in a parked car late at night with the windows completely shut would disturb me, but my mind would most likely first go to the best-case scenario in this situation. Maybe the parent(s) just needed to dash into the store very quickly to grab one or two things, and s/he didn’t want to leave his/her small children in the house unattended. Maybe s/he thought it would be better to bring the sleeping children along in the car, because they would be closer if there was a problem.
Having thought that, my mind would most likely then wander over to the worst-case scenario. The parent of these children actually works at the store and can’t afford childcare, so s/he brings them to his/her job each night s/he has to work and leaves them in the car while s/he works his/her shift. Nothing has happened so far, but what happens when something unfortunate does happen; the car is hit by some careless person not paying attention or under the influence of mind-altering substances; someone steals the car and doesn’t realize there are children in the back seat; someone breaks into the car and abducts one or all of the children; with the windows shut tightly there isn’t enough air and the children never wake up?
Regardless of what I’m thinking, I’ll have to say that I’d most likely do a combination of what @JoshDamage and @ObiOrion suggested. I’d go on into the store and get what I came to get. If the children were still in the car and unattended when I finished shopping, I’d go back into the store and report the situation to the supervisor on duty. If there was no supervisor on duty, and no one could/would claim responsibility for the children in the car, I’d then call 911 and report the incident.
I couldn’t just drive away thinking, “Well, that’s none of my business. I don’t really know what’s going on, so I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.” No way. Knowing I walked away and did nothing would eat at me for days. I may have done more harm than good by taking the stance that it was none of my business. How would I feel if I turned on the news and heard a story about three small children being left in a car and harmed in some way? Uh-uh. If I err on the side of caution, and attempt to seek capable supervision for these children, then the blood would be off my hands. If I just walk on by and do nothing, I’m just as responsible as the person who left those children in the car and unattended.
If it takes a village, let’s start acting that way.
Check out some articles on this subject:
Children Left In Car During Cold Day <– This was reported on 17 Decemeber 2009
Caretaker of dead Jacksonville boy previously cited for supervision issues
Child dies in Ellicott City after being left in hot car <– Ellicott City is about an hour’s drive away from where I live.
Hyperthermia Deaths of Children in Vehicles <– Interesting Fact Sheet
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Take a few moments to check out the tweets from Twitter on this subject:
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Mitch_M I call 911.
Write_Of_Fusion Oh heck no! I go straight to the manager, tell him what the deal is, and go back to wait by their car for the police or parent.
MusingMom call the police, stay there with the car and talk to kids until police arrive….mandated reporter
iJustJason assume parent ran in real quick & will be back very shortly. If still not back by the time YOU return, tell security
consciousskillz For the first time I don’t have a comment. You really pose some thought provoking questions.
MissMeandI Probably nothing. But then I’m not one to go to the store in the middle of the night (Honestly I don’t know)
tclarkusa I’d prob wait awhile & later call 911 & report it. Praying I did right thing.
NancyWelker I would go back to my car, sit there and wait for an adult to come back to the kids. If no one came in an hour I’d call 911.
ObiOrion Notify the store manager to send an announcement over the PA system. If no response then escalate.
md20737 I dont even know..
davidsbass Easy. Don’t leave the children. Point at them, face the convenience store, YELL “WHOSE KIDS ARE THESE?” Get your cellphone.
JoshDamage Conduct my business and if they are still in the car when I come out call the authorities…
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Also check out comments from my personal Facebook account.
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C.H. –> Call the police. Child endagerment!
K.B. –> I’ll start by saying that this is a very dangerous situation. BUT most peoples answers will be based on their life experiences. I can see how the situation could happen and both understand AND disagree with it. I wouldn’t leave MY kids unless I have no other alternative.
D.D. –> Monitor the car for a few minutes. If no adult returns, contact the police. If the adult returns have a “difficult” conversation.
The commentary doesn’t have to end!
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And, here are more comments from my public Facebook account.
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R.M. –> Is this what happened when you went to the supermarket? Maybe the parent works there overnight & has no other babysitter arrangements then again maybe the parent was in the store buying something real quick. I would have to think before I acted on that one even I would’nt leave my kids like that if I had any.
E.M. –> Looks like a case of quick shopping to me (and no baby sitters) but to be on the safe side, i would ask the supermarket to make call asking for the driver of the car to come forward so they can advise driver. No response & I would call the authorities.
The discussion doesn’t have to end!
Please feel free to continue to add your comments below.
