Another Child Left in Car Death - MoCo

[Anonymous]

Yesterday in Wheaton, still under investigation with no details. Please make your safety precautions for the seasons: car reminders, talking to grandparents/nannys/spouses, etc.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/toddler-dies-after-being-found-inside-car-in-montgomery-county/3910525/

The high temperature Wednesday was 74 degrees, according to data from the National Weather Service. According to Kid and Car Safety, the temperature inside a car can spike within minutes even when temperatures are comfortable outside

[Anonymous]

Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I have unfortunately done a ton of research about this. It is 99.99% of the time not on purpose. It usually happens when its a different caretaker, different pickup time, etc. You are out of your routine and going on "autopilot". Have you ever driven through a traffic light and not really remembered driving though it? You're on autopilot. Usually the child has fallen asleep or is just quietly occupied not realizing the parent is not coming back. Many cars are being made now with weight sensors that alert you if there is something over 20 lbs in the back seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I would never ever say this -- there but for the grace of God and all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

The article only says she was found in a car and it was unclear who was supposed to be watching her. This could be the result of miscommunication between multiple caregivers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I'm in this camp. I can't understand how you forget a kid, but I can 100% see my husband doing this (my kids are teens) if he was in charge of pick up/drop off. He has ADHD and gets very distracted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I'm in this camp. I can't understand how you forget a kid, but I can 100% see my husband doing this (my kids are teens) if he was in charge of pick up/drop off. He has ADHD and gets very distracted.

Same situation here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

It could happen to anybody, including you. I think all parents have had days where they are functioning on virtually zero sleep and barely going through the motions. One morning I was driving my three kids to different schools and I could barely remember who had been dropped off and where I needed to go next. I looked in the rear view mirror and was astonished to not see my toddler only to barely remember I had just dropped him off at daycare. It is so important to always check the back seat when you get out of your car, even better if you keep your purse or computer bag back there so you have to look back to get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

Nobody said it was at someone's home. More likely it was at a workplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

Nobody said it was at someone's home. More likely it was at a workplace.

It did say it was at a home, but it may still have been someone who worked at the home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I'm in this camp. I can't understand how you forget a kid, but I can 100% see my husband doing this (my kids are teens) if he was in charge of pick up/drop off. He has ADHD and gets very distracted.

so you can understand it - for example someone has ADHD and or is very distracted. It's a horrible tragedy. But 99% of the time a terrible accident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I have unfortunately done a ton of research about this. It is 99.99% of the time not on purpose. It usually happens when its a different caretaker, different pickup time, etc. You are out of your routine and going on "autopilot". Have you ever driven through a traffic light and not really remembered driving though it? You're on autopilot. Usually the child has fallen asleep or is just quietly occupied not realizing the parent is not coming back. Many cars are being made now with weight sensors that alert you if there is something over 20 lbs in the back seat.

Car manufacturers won’t spend the $$

Of course it could be required, if legislators a cared about children instead of corporate profits.

I recently heard some advice: when you are dropping your kid off, especially if it is not normally your routine…put one shoe in the backseat, so you have to look there.

All humans are capable of mistakes, despite what the haters will now claim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I have unfortunately done a ton of research about this. It is 99.99% of the time not on purpose. It usually happens when its a different caretaker, different pickup time, etc. You are out of your routine and going on "autopilot". Have you ever driven through a traffic light and not really remembered driving though it? You're on autopilot. Usually the child has fallen asleep or is just quietly occupied not realizing the parent is not coming back. Many cars are being made now with weight sensors that alert you if there is something over 20 lbs in the back seat.

Car manufacturers won’t spend the $$

Of course it could be required, if legislators a cared about children instead of corporate profits.

I recently heard some advice: when you are dropping your kid off, especially if it is not normally your routine…put one shoe in the backseat, so you have to look there.

All humans are capable of mistakes, despite what the haters will now claim.

They already are spending the money on this. Just like they spent money to change the direction of electronic windows.... you used to push DOWN on the window button to raise it. This resulted in children stepping on the button while hanging out of it, and suffocating b/c the window went up. Now when you push down, the window goes down. There's lobby for this.

[Anonymous]

Youngins don't know recent DC history?


https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/fatal-distraction-forgetting-a-child-in-thebackseat-of-a-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime/2014/06/16/8ae0fe3a-f580-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html


Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a Crime?
March 8, 2009

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who goes home and forgets their kid in the car for several hours?

I'm in this camp. I can't understand how you forget a kid, but I can 100% see my husband doing this (my kids are teens) if he was in charge of pick up/drop off. He has ADHD and gets very distracted.

Same situation here.

Constant worry after I divorced my XH and my youngest was a baby.