At this point, the overwhelming majority of us are well aware of the dangers that come with leaving children and pets alone in a hot car. Yet some people still haven’t gotten the message.
Over this past weekend, a mother of seven was arrested for leaving her kids alone in the car while she shopped. And were it not for the quick thinking of a 4-year-old boy — the story could’ve ended in tragedy.
Needless to say, being a caregiver is extremely difficult.
Whether you’re a parent, or you get paid to do it, that doesn’t make it easy.
Not only are there universal rules you have to follow, but each family goes by their own rules on what works and what doesn’t as well.
One of those universal rules is making sure that you don’t let any harm come to the child you are protecting.
Seems easy enough, right?
Well, not quite. Sometimes, things slip our mind through human error, but sometimes, these small moments of misstep can have grave consequences.
One dangerous accident that happens far too often is leaving children in hot cars.
It even happens often with pets.
It’s not safe at all, can lead to a fine (and maybe even death) because the heat of the car can be overwhelming to those inside it.
Recently, a Maryland mother left her seven children in the car while she shopped.
The children were told to wait in the car for their mother to return. The windows were rolled up, the temperature outside was 80 degrees Fahrenheit , and the children were left unattended for more than 20 minutes.
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Realizing the gravity of the situation, a quick thinking 4-year-old used a cellphone inside the car to call 9-1-1.
The ages of the children varied; the youngest was only 2 and the oldest having just turned 4-years-old. When the officers finally arrived on site, the children were terrified and dripping with sweat.
A responding police officer reiterated how it was illegal to leave children under the age of 8 in a car unattended.
“It is against the law to leave a child under the age of 8 unattended inside a motor vehicle if the caregiver is out of sight of the child unless a reliable person at least 13-years-old remains with the child,” the Charles County sheriff’s office said.
There is only one exception to this law.
If there happens to be a reliable person left with the child, who is at least 13 years of age . Since this wasn’t the case, the mother was quickly arrested after she returned.
Leaving children alone in a car can be extremely dangerous.
Even on a day where the outside temperature is only 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the inside of a car can still reach temperatures of over 100 degrees F in less than an hour.
So whatever you do, make sure to never leave your little ones or fur babies alone unattended.
Leave a comment down below if you have ever had a similar experience or know of someone who did!
