If you pulled into a parking space and directly opposite you was a car with two little children inside and?

Question

parents were no where to be found (except maybe in the store shopping) would you call the cops?
That scenario played out for me one day as I was taking my wife and son shopping at Wal-Mart.
As I applied the park brake, I looked out the windshield of my VW Vanagon and saw in the new, sporty Mustang, a tiny head in the back seat. I spotted another tiny head way down in the front passenger seat as well. As I began to realize that these children were all alone in a very busy parking lot on a weekend, I became angry. "Where the heck are the parents?," I asked my wife.
We discussed the situation for a few moments and then we addressed the children (found there were three kids in the car and the oldest said he was 11, his little sister was maybe three or four, and then there was another little girl who was about seven years old. For more details on this story go to my 360 page here: http://360.yahoo.com/eric_g_hoff
So what would you have done? Was I wrong to call the police?

I didn't know I could add details. Here is more of the situation...
All the kids were clean, well-dressed, and did not appear to be from a family that was 'ignorant' or 'challenged'.
The windows in the car were rolled down. The little sister moved up to the front seat and I then noticed that the back rest was lowered so that she could move from front to back easily. This was the most disturbing thing that my wife noticed, because "anyone could come and snatch that child out of the car without a problem and get away."
I decided to call the police.
I explained to the officer the situation. They informed me that a patrol car unit was alerted and would be arriving soon.

After hanging up, my wife and kid went in to go shopping. I stayed behind to wait for the cops and to: 1) Ensure the children's safety, and, 2) To confront the parent(s) when they finally came out.
I explained to the kids how dangerous it was for them to be all alone and that the police were on the way to protect them.

...to help protect them in the absence of the parent(s). The boy said his mom was shopping. His little sister began to cry at the mention of the police and so I explained how she was not in trouble and, in fact, no one was 'in trouble' - the police were merely coming out to be sure that they (the kids) were safe.

Quite a while later (maybe ten or fifteen minutes) the mother came out. The police had not yet arrived.

I told the mother that the police were on their way. She looked at me with an indignant grin and never said a word. I explained that what she did was negligent and irresponsible. How a little boy was no match for a grown man and his little sister could have been snatched away out of the driver's seat at any time. I also reminded her that our community is not the safest place for children. (We live in a town that for some reason is a government drop off for sex offenders - go figure).

Well, the lady basically ignored me, and took off out of the parking lot and that was that.


The police never showed up and I ending up calling them as soon as the mother left. They informed me that there are no laws governing such behaviour - leaving your little children in the car while you shop. I found that appallling. We have laws to protect animals left in cars, but not our own children? This is ridiculous! I was informed that I was abusing the law. That in fact, there is no law against leaving your animal in the car. Except if the temperature outside is so high that the temerature in the vehicle could rise to unsafe levels and then it could be a legal issue.

But isn't that the point - safety? Is it safe to leave your little children alone in a busy parking lot? The police said no such laws exist.

Let me see...Rapists, murderers, molesters + countries that are rampant with child slavery and theft. And a little boy, maybe sixty to seventy pounds left to watch over these girls

Answer 1

Sorry, at 11, that oldest has probably watched his sibs many times before that, you should have minded your own buinsess.

So was the mom a pro-wrestler? how would she have been much more of a match to a 200 lb man that wanted to snatch her babies. Maybe you should phone the police for everyone you see walking around with children but w/o at least 2 armed gaurds. <>

Answer 2

You were not wrong. The mom was irresponsible. The 11 year old would have been destroyed if something had happened to the kids.

Last year a very old murder was solved in our area. Three kids---two sibs, one cousin---were jumped in some woods by a pervert who snatched one of the girls and later murdered her.

One of the kids who got away was interviewed as an adult now the crime was solved. This man's torment for not saving his little sister will haunt me for the rest of my life.The anguish he suffered is unimaginable.

The parent was terribly, terribly wrong and staying by the car was the right thing to do as was calling the cops. Where I live the cops would have come. I know because my neighbor called the police for a similar situation and they came right away and had a chat with the parent.

A suggestion: If it happens again, take the license plate to the customer service area in the store and perhaps they will page the owner of the car. I did this when I realized a golden retriever had been sitting in the closed car next to me on a 90 degree day during the whole time I changed, nursed and again changed my infant.

Answer 3

No you were not. What the F**** were those kids parents doing leaving an 11 year old in charge of 2 other kids in a car in the parking lot for?! That is insane especially with all the wackos and freaks out there today! I do not blame you for being angry at all and don't blame you for calling the cops either! That's irresponsible on the parents' part! WTFH?!

Answer 4

I am with you, I would have done the same thing.....alas I was in a situation where my wife and I were walking behind another couple at a state fair, it was a husband,wife and a young girl about 9, and a toddler in a stroller. The toddler had been whinning for cotton candy, and the father finally growled and bought the toddler some. about a minute later the toddler took a hand full of cotton candy and offered it to the 9 year old girl...the father reached down and slapped the toddler very hard and shouted "You whined till you got it now you eat it." I saw red and reached out to grab the father by the collar, when my wife grabbed my collar and and said " Don't do it " "he won't learn a thing, and you will only scare the kids and nothing else".....I saw her wisdom and stopped....that was 15 years ago..but I think of those kids even today.

Answer 5

OMG were these parents insane!!!! its not safe to leave your child no matter what their age unattended in a vehicle! Seems to me that they were just asking for someone to snatch their child. A similar situation happened here a few months ago where parents left there 10 year old in the car with the baby with the windows up and doors locked. I would have called the police too. Parents that do stuff like that are irresponsible!

Answer 6

I've called the police on parents that left their children in their car then came into the office furniture store I was working in at the time. You did the right thing.

Children should never, regardless of weather, temperature, conditions, age, etc be EVER left in a vehicle unattended, ESPECIALLY when the car is running. As a parent, you are responsible for your children. If you are not responsible enough to get a babysitter if it's a store you ABSOLUTELY Have to go to and your children don't want to go with you, then LEAVE. Your children not wanting to go in with you is not an acceptable reason to leave them unattended.

Kudos on doing the right thing.

Answer 7

I am a mother of 2 young boys and it is very difficult sometimes when ou are in a hurry and you just need to run in somewhere, BUT i would never leave them in a car by themselves. so yes i would call the cops even despit the fact that they are clean and look healthy but as you said anyonw coulve snatched those kids and then the parent would have been explaining themselves to the cops as to why the kids were in that situation in the first place.

Answer 8

I would have called and reported it. Even if I had seen the 11 year old. Besides, there is no way to know the age of a child by looking at him. Its best to let the police be the investigators...

The question is not whether an 11 year old is capable of watching other children. Without knowing the exact age of the oldest child, and just seeing them in the vehicle, I would have reported it.

Answer 9

You did call the police? I would have, absolutely. That is SO dangerous. If you don't want to take your kids in the store with you, get a sitter for a few hours. What if it wouldn't have been you who pulled into that spot? What could have happened if it was a pedophile?? Those parents should be greatful if you called the police. The possibilities are endless as to what could have happened.

Answer 10

You know, they could've been gone for just five to ten minutes. Unless it was REALLY hot in the parking lot and you live in a desert, I wouldn't worry too much and just mind my own business. However, if you came back say 20 to thirty minutes later and still found them in the same spot, I guess I'd talk to the 11 year old. I wouldn't call the police or anything becuase I don't think it's any of your concern. i guess I would do it differently because even if I've never had children, I can understand the situations that people seems to have. I also understand that maybe you are misinterpreting the situation or overreacting. I'd hate to be the parent who comes to her car and sees my children outside with a police car parked next to it.

Answer 11

First of all, my heart goes out to you and those children you thought about and cared for - more so than their own mother! Secondly, thank you for taking the time to bring this to our attention!

AND you were NOT wrong! I would have called the police and when they didn't come, not only would have I went into the store to report it to the store manager, I would have called DSS.

That makes me IRATE! There is no such law to protect those under aged children. It makes me disgusted when I hear about abuse, neglect or any other harm done to children. IT SHOULD NEVER HURT TO BE A CHILD!!!!

WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS LAW, WE NEED TO WRITE OUR CONGRESSMEN! WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR CHILDREN IN THE US since our own government can't or won't.