Forgetting a baby in the back seat of a car- is it a crime?

[XJessicaX]

Warning- this article contains some very upsetting material.


Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a Crime?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/27/AR2009022701549_pf.html

I wanted to know your thoughts.

 

[Spunky]

My husband thought so, I don't know. It's so tragic I would rather not think about it....

 

[redstiletto]

DH and I both think it is. Not too long ago a father had forgotten his baby in the backseat of his car when he went to work. He left him there for from 7 am to 6:00 pm and parked his old car outside where there was no shade. It was the middle of July and a 115 degrees outside. Poor poor baby cooked to death

 

[Kaede351]

How do you forget a baby in a car?!?!?! Just how?! I don't know how anybody could forget they had their child in the car with them :/

XxX

 

[Ruth 1980]

Wow. I don't know what I think about the culpability part but [and I can't believe I'm actually saying these words] I know I would kill myself. End of story, I'm sure I would find a way even in custody. Bloody hell, what a double morbid thought!!!!!! x

 

[whit.]

I also wonder how you forget your child in the car. I don't ever forget my keys or my cell phone and I would think most others don't either. So, something you gave life to, how can you forget it?

 

[cat lover]

LO is always the first thing on my mind. I have no idea how someone can forget their baby for 2 minutes let alone all day

 

[smileyfaces]

Its awful and very distressing to think it could happen to any baby.

Obviously as a parent, you would not wish that upon your child. Ever.

Very clearly a TRAGIC accident.

However, a child has lost thier life, therefore it must be punishable.

 

[Rhio92]

It's such a hard one...

 

[stardust599]

I don't know.

The way the article explains it, in the circumstances if something happens in an exact pattern it can "trick" your brain into thinking that you have already dropped the LO off at nursery etc.

Plus I text 2/3 times a day to see how she's doing. The one case where the babysitter tried to ring the Mum baffles me, how would the babysitter have gotten the Mum in an emergency if she didn't answer her mobile and hadn't given her work number?

 

[whit.]

It's neglect.

 

[Squirmsmum]

Yes it's a crime, it's negligence! How could anyone forget there baby was in the car with them!!!

 

[seoj]

I honestly cannot imagine HOW you could forget our child is in the car with you... but with that said... I have heard some stories (from people I know)- who forgot to take their kids with them- even for just a short period of time. My MIL/FIL actually went to the store once and forgot to take LO with them (as new parents)... they didn't even realize till they were on their way home!!!!! It's a story they've told- because their LO was just fine (and still sleeping when they arrived home). But, god forbid if something horrible had happened while they were gone????

I truly cannot imagine forgetting my child- ever... but I also know how sleep deprived some new parents get, and how, in the chaos of the moment it could happen (given certain circumstances I can't imagine). Although, I didn't read the full article... I just couldn't. It's too heartbreaking to even think about. I have seen, on the news, similar stories in my community where a child was left in a car on a hot day by "accident"...

It's so so horrible... but I really don't know if I'd consider it a crime??? I don't know. Even if I cannot imagine it EVER happening... still... it's just too heartbreaking to think.

 

[whoops]

I don't know. The cases written about were tragic, but they weren't deliberately neglectful - the parents had no awareness of what they were doing. But then, jeez, if someone was watching Lily for the day and left her in a car, I'd rip them apart with my bare hands.

It is different though to, say, leaving your 10 month old in a bath for a few minutes and coming back to find him drowned. In that case, you were actively doing something dangerous and neglectful, and I'd consider that a crime.

 

[whit.]

I don't know. The cases written about were tragic, but they weren't deliberately neglectful - the parents had no awareness of what they were doing. But then, jeez, if someone was watching Lily for the day and left her in a car, I'd rip them apart with my bare hands.

It is different though to, say, leaving your 10 month old in a bath for a few minutes and coming back to find him drowned. In that case, you were actively doing something dangerous and neglectful, and I'd consider that a crime.

I understand what you're saying BUT as a parent you have the responsibility of your child 24/7. Neglect is neglect deliberately or not.

 

[special_kala]

I don't think so. It's a terrible terrible mistake but not a crime.

I know people think how the hell can you forget your child but these people could have read a similar article and said the same thing. I imagine the hell they must go through every day is punishment enough.

What.those poor babies must have gone through makes me feel sick though

 

[MrsBandEgglet]

Very very disturbing and yes I do think it's a crime. It's not wilful neglect but it's 'negligence' and the only thing I could compare it to would be somebody causing a fatal car accident making a stupid mistake. It's very hard to define but I don't think you could be so stupid as to cause somebody's death and for it to go unpunished because it wasn't deliberate. Carelessness does not make something an accident because it was in the persons control to prevent it from happening.

 

[raychmumtobe]

I dont think it should be considered a crime... a tragic accident, yes, a crime...no.
No criminal offence has taken place, yes a baby can lose their life, but not through any deliberate fault.
The parents that did this, will have to live with this for the rest of their lives. They have lost a child due to absent mindedness... I think that should be punishment enough... I know i wouldnt want to live if this happened to Catey.

 

[Mooshie]

Nope, no matter how I try I just cannot fathom how someone could leave their baby in a car all day and forget about them. I don't care how tired you are, 9 hours?!

I take medication which makes me very forgetful, ask my husband, he'll tell you I'm a nightmare. But would I EVER forget I had my son with me?! God no, never. He the only thing I think about day and night, every minute since he was born.

 

[Fergie]

As Rachy said an accident yes, a crime no. The psychological impact of forgetting your own child in a car and that child dying, is a life sentence in it's own right.