Can I leave my infant in the car alone to...,

[Anonymous]

Get extra $ out when paying for groceries. Then you always have it and you can save an errand stop. Mothers hauling babies around must create efficiencies wherever possible. I have been wearing clothes from Target for 2 years because I can also buy diapers there and milk for the toddler. And get cash back. And a Starbucks. And Rx. Look for efficiencies, friend.

[Anonymous]

Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

These stories were about a mom who left her kids for an extended period to go tanning or to a job interview - not to an ATM 15 feet from the car.

Sometimes I leave the baby in the car while I unload groceries at my house or when I am returning the shopping cart at Safeway.

You are all overreacting - anything can happen at anyone at any time but you cant live your life in fear.

[Anonymous]

No.

I know it's a pain. I have 4 kids that are about 2 years apart--so there were times that I not only had to lug out the infant seat, but also make sure the 2 year old wasn't running away, and keep an eye on a 4 year old and 6 year old (who were basically easy/self sufficient, but still you have to keep an eye on them). It sucks but there really is no (safe) alternative.

[Anonymous]

How about in your own driveway? As in, put baby in car and then run in to get something you forgot right inside door?

[Anonymous]

If someone see's you do that and reports it to the police you can be arrested - it's against the law. If you want to take the chance of going to jail or being investigated by DCF go right ahead.

[Anonymous]

Not on a hot day. But on a cool day, I just don't see much if a risk assuming it is a safe neighborhood. More risky to just drive to the ATM. Same with putting grocery carts back. People have become crazy.

[Anonymous]

Here's the law for Maryland http://www.kidsandcars.org/userfiles/state-laws/maryland-state-law.pdf
Its only a problem if the car is "out of sight"

There is no current law in VA.

[Anonymous]

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/03/the_day_i_left_my_son_in_the_car/

interesting article about this issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

These stories were about a mom who left her kids for an extended period to go tanning or to a job interview - not to an ATM 15 feet from the car.

Sometimes I leave the baby in the car while I unload groceries at my house or when I am returning the shopping cart at Safeway.

You are all overreacting - anything can happen at anyone at any time but you cant live your life in fear.

Actually, no. A woman left her kids in the car for five minutes, to pick up dry cleaning or something like that, and someone videotaped the entire thing and then turned her in, even though the kids were fine and she really was only gone for five minutes.

That said, I just get cash when I buy groceries or go to the drugstore, so I don't have to go to the ATM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. A child should never be left in a car for any reason.
If you don't want to lug a baby around, use condoms.

Great answer!

Your standards are extremely low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

These stories were about a mom who left her kids for an extended period to go tanning or to a job interview - not to an ATM 15 feet from the car.

Sometimes I leave the baby in the car while I unload groceries at my house or when I am returning the shopping cart at Safeway.

You are all overreacting - anything can happen at anyone at any time but you cant live your life in fear.

Actually, no. A woman left her kids in the car for five minutes, to pick up dry cleaning or something like that, and someone videotaped the entire thing and then turned her in, even though the kids were fine and she really was only gone for five minutes.

That said, I just get cash when I buy groceries or go to the drugstore, so I don't have to go to the ATM.

Cite?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

These stories were about a mom who left her kids for an extended period to go tanning or to a job interview - not to an ATM 15 feet from the car.

Sometimes I leave the baby in the car while I unload groceries at my house or when I am returning the shopping cart at Safeway.

You are all overreacting - anything can happen at anyone at any time but you cant live your life in fear.

Actually, no. A woman left her kids in the car for five minutes, to pick up dry cleaning or something like that, and someone videotaped the entire thing and then turned her in, even though the kids were fine and she really was only gone for five minutes.

That said, I just get cash when I buy groceries or go to the drugstore, so I don't have to go to the ATM.

Cite?

Scroll up- see Salon link. She ran in to buy headphones on the way to the airport. No where in the extremely long article does it explain why she didn't buy headphones AT the airport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

These stories were about a mom who left her kids for an extended period to go tanning or to a job interview - not to an ATM 15 feet from the car.

Sometimes I leave the baby in the car while I unload groceries at my house or when I am returning the shopping cart at Safeway.

You are all overreacting - anything can happen at anyone at any time but you cant live your life in fear.

Actually, no. A woman left her kids in the car for five minutes, to pick up dry cleaning or something like that, and someone videotaped the entire thing and then turned her in, even though the kids were fine and she really was only gone for five minutes.

That said, I just get cash when I buy groceries or go to the drugstore, so I don't have to go to the ATM.

Cite?

Scroll up- see Salon link. She ran in to buy headphones on the way to the airport. No where in the extremely long article does it explain why she didn't buy headphones AT the airport.

That seems very different than using an outdoor ATM where you can see the car the whole time. Let's try to stay on topic and not lose our minds. Life is full of risk. Leaving your child in the car while you to 15 feet to the ATM doesn't seem to present much of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone needs to post the Salon.com story where the mother left her child in the car and some random person videotaped it and called 911. Even though the mother was long gone by the time the police arrived, they still prosecuted her.

These stories were about a mom who left her kids for an extended period to go tanning or to a job interview - not to an ATM 15 feet from the car.

Sometimes I leave the baby in the car while I unload groceries at my house or when I am returning the shopping cart at Safeway.

You are all overreacting - anything can happen at anyone at any time but you cant live your life in fear.

Actually, no. A woman left her kids in the car for five minutes, to pick up dry cleaning or something like that, and someone videotaped the entire thing and then turned her in, even though the kids were fine and she really was only gone for five minutes.

That said, I just get cash when I buy groceries or go to the drugstore, so I don't have to go to the ATM.

Cite?

Scroll up- see Salon link. She ran in to buy headphones on the way to the airport. No where in the extremely long article does it explain why she didn't buy headphones AT the airport.

But when you go to an outside ATM, you are not going "in" anywhere. You can see the car the entire time. Thats the difference from going into a store, finding headphones, taking them to the cashier and coming back out.