So mad!!!

[Strike]

How can anyone be that stupid? Especially when it was 36C out that day? Just two weeks ago the same thing happened in Milton, Ontario.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2013/07/03/edmonton-children-vehicle-heat.html?cmp=rss

 

[staralfur]

Very, very tragic.

But there are basically no details in the story... until we actually know what happened maybe it's best to hold off judgement.

 

[Elisianna]

That's so sad.

I am in Calgary and it was super hot here as well. It was still 33 degrees at 10pm when we were trying to sleep. I was so freaked out for my baby!

 

[lhancock90]

Very, very tragic.

But there are basically no details in the story... until we actually know what happened maybe it's best to hold off judgement.

I agree with this.
Nobody has any idea what really happened and it sounds like the entire family are just devastated.

 

[Noelle610]

Very, very tragic.

But there are basically no details in the story... until we actually know what happened maybe it's best to hold off judgement.

I agree with this.
Nobody has any idea what really happened and it sounds like the entire family are just devastated.

I also agree.

Unfortunately this does happen more than it should. It's usually a tragic, horrible mistake. The suffering these parents experience must be worse than any punishment.

 

[JASMAK]

Mistakes ARE tragic, but costs lives. At what point do we hold parents responsible?

 

[staralfur]

I think if it was an honest mistake, knowing that it caused their child's death is probably painful enough without people adding to it.

 

[JASMAK]

There is a lady in my street who lets her 3 year old run in the road, completely unsupervised. I have seen her almost hit by a truck, and I had to honk twice now, just to get her to move. What if she got hit and killed. Is it an honest mistake? What about the person who hits her and cant ever drive again and needs therapy? They are a victim too.

What about the person who found this child? The paramedics who attemded? There is more victims than just the parents. What if this was a common thing for them?

I agree, it is painful, but I also think these incidents (they are not accidents) should be investigated, and charges at least considered.

 

[staralfur]

I just don't think you can possibly know that it wasn't an accident without knowing what happened.

It's easy for all of us to sit here and say "I could never forget my baby in the car" or "I could never lose sight of my toddler for even a minute" but I'm sure it does happen to people who have the best of intentions.

Again, this could be a case of stupidity and neglect but I prefer to give people benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions.

I think your example of your neighbor knowingly letting her toddler run on the street is different than what I'm suggesting, because she's being careless. I'm talking about a situation where the parents may have just had it slip their mind for five minutes that their child was in the car. Or thought their kid was playing in the fenced backyard without realizing they got out. Or whatever else could've happened. We're all capable of making mistakes. Unfortunately for some us, those mistakes can be absolutely devastating.

 

[JASMAK]

I just don't think you can possibly know that it wasn't an accident without knowing what happened.

It's easy for all of us to sit here and say "I could never forget my baby in the car" or "I could never lose sight of my toddler for even a minute" but I'm sure it does happen to people who have the best of intentions.

Again, this could be a case of stupidity and neglect but I prefer to give people benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions.

I think your example of your neighbor knowingly letting her toddler run on the street is different than what I'm suggesting, because she's being careless. I'm talking about a situation where the parents may have just had it slip their mind for five minutes that their child was in the car. Or thought their kid was playing in the fenced backyard without realizing they got out. Or whatever else could've happened. We're all capable of making mistakes. Unfortunately for some us, those mistakes can be absolutely devastating.

True, there is a difference....maybe.....I dont know what happened either. But...I do know some people who leave their kids in their car while they nap, or to get gas, or run into the shop....or??? Same with dogs.

 

[Tiff]

The biggest thing that I have a hard time wrapping my mind around is the fact that in both instances it was a caregiver who was in charge of the child.

Again, maybe I'm alone in my beliefs but I view babysitting as very serious. You are in charge of someone else's kiddo. It isn't a job like if you send a wrong email or muck up a presentation, (etc) then while it sucks and you can be reprimanded it isn't life or death. However, in watching a kiddo and you screw up its HORRIFIC.

I never understood the parents who used to drive up and down the streets when I was a teenager asking me if I wanted to watch their kids. Its so incredibly important!

So with that in mind, that's where I personally get critical. I can understand 100%, even though I may not agree with it, that parents can fall into loops. You're exhausted, sleep deprived. Not eating, possibly suffering from PND. I do get that. But as a caregiver to another's baby you are taking on the responsiblity. If you aren't okay to do it, then don't!

I think in my thread someone mentioned that it isn't easy for caregivers to back out and I get that as well. However, those are daycare workers who were watching the kids and as a source of income it can be tough to back out. But both times of the kids being left in a car it was a grandmother watching them. I do agree that the guilt these women are going to face will be for the rest of their lives. Horrid and horrific! I'm curious to see how it pans out.

I do know in the case of the Milton, ON boy the grandmother has been charged.

 

[JASMAK]

Yes, the child should have been the number ONE thing on her mind!! I agree!!!