Bottom freezer door left open!

[Anonymous]

So. I am a SAHM. I just came home from picking up my older child from school, unloaded both kids (toddler and K-er) and found that the bottom-freezer was left open, 100% the doing of my toddler; it just didn't occur to me to check, and unfortunately our model doesn't have an alarm when it's left open (maybe I can install one after-market?). I estimate that the freezer was open for 2-4 hours; There are just a few items; the food is still mostly frozen, half the ice packs are thawed, and it just didn't feel cold when I touched it. I've closed it now. Did I destroy my new fridge? Because we just got it 2 weeks ago. The fridge portion above seems to be cold still.

I was doing other things around the house and didn't check in the kitchen much, and toddler was playing in the living room or "helping" me out here and there. It didn't occur to me to check. Other than basically prohibiting my toddler from coming within 10 feet of the fridge for the next 5 years, what are the chances I didn't just destroy my fridge entirely?

Thank you. Maybe it's not so bad, and it'll work again...

[Anonymous]

Your fridge is probably fine but I would not refreeze food even if it's half frozen.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine you did any damage to your fridge at all. Leaving the freezer open is annoying and wasteful (wouldn't make a habit of it) but it happens but I can't imagine how it would mechanically impact your fridge. Throw out all the food -- thaw and refreeze is a sure fire way to get sick. It happens. I have done it as an adult. Thought the freeze was closed but did not click it all the way closed. Bottom slide freezers can be heavy and are not likely to swing closed on their own like a side by side or a top freezer. I don't think you need to bar your kids from the kitchen because of it. It happens. Live and learn

[Anonymous]

It's fine and I bet barely any of your stuff thawed.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine. Relax.

[Anonymous]

OP Here. Thanks for the responses. There's not a lot of food, and the frozen meat is way in the back and didn't thaw. The official guidance seems to be that it's considered "frozen" until it's fully thawed, and everything is basically a solid block of ice yet.
The ice packs, which were in another drawer and closer to the opening, are some frozen yet and some semi-thawed.

I have a suspicion my old one (side-by-side) broke because it was opened and not fully closed without my knowledge in these ways, but I can't be sure. Anyway. Thanks for the reassurance.

[Anonymous]

OP again. I'm less worried about what to do with the food than if I broke a new fridge, haha.

[Anonymous]

OP again. It seems to be working again. It's weird that this got moved to "food" and not "electronics/appliances" or "home improvement", haha.