The Wal-Mart parking lot- Future Victims?

[WolfPack]

I opened the pool up Sunday, the green sheen alerted me to the need for chlorine/algaecide asap. Monday afternoon, ~ 2:00 I arrive at Wal-Mart with my oldest son to purchase the needed chemicals.

I'm usually alert and observent whenever I'm out, probably more so from reading these forums and getting pointers. The lot is fairly full, so I park almost at the end of the lane, but in an open area where I can observe my truck easily. As we exit the truck I notice a young (and attractive) woman ~ 5 vehicles down heading toward the entrance with a young baby in her arms. As I pass her vehicle, a Toyota SUV, I notice the engine is still running. I glance back and inside the truck are 2 kids. One, a young child, is in a child seat in the second row behind the driver side. The other is a young girl, 6-7 years old sitting beside the younger child. I remark to my son that this is a dangerous situation for young kids. All a BG had to do was wait one minute, approach the Toyota and tell the kids their mother was sick in the store/needed them in the store/was in trouble....anything to get them to unlock the doors. Or, a BG could have chosen to just break a window and drive off. It was a very nice and a very new Toyota.

We enter WalMart behind the young mother. She is not going in for a quick grab and back out. I see her twice in the store pushing a cart. I know she was there at least 15 minutes. I was there 20. When we left the Toyota was gone. There have been no reports of missing kids on TV tonight.

What should I have done? Probably stop the mother and tell her the danger she was placing her kids in, inform Wal-Mart there was a parked/running vehicle outside with 2 kids, or called the cops. What did I do? I made sure my son was aware of the seriousness of the situation and will not do that with his future children and my future grandchildren.

Just a story I thought I'd pass on to let you know people are still doing stupid things with their children in public places. I feel sorry for the children.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Rock and Glock]

I'm getting pretty vocal about this type of stuff - it is illegal to do what she did, at least in Texas. It is "endangering a child" - a crime!

I would have stayed by the vehicle, called 911, and identified myself as a concerned citizen. I would have then relayed the facts to dispatch, and I would have stayed until a LEO arrived, at which time I would again recite the facts.

Children die in cars in Texas EVERY summer because their parents are stupid, ignorant, lazy or all of the above.

Until the Britanny Spears of the world get thrown in jail for a few months or years though for their thoughtless irresponsible behavior, I despair.

[PatrioticRick]

I think I would have called the cops, that's just a bad parent. Let the cops take the kids and give the parent one hell of a scare. I think that would be considered child endangerment

[Rugerman]

I agree with Rock and Glock I would have called 911 and waited by the vehicle. That is too dangerous. In the summer time kids die in situations like that. I cannot believe that someone would leave the engine running let alone leave the kids in the car.

[SARR001]

+1 on calling the law. R&G is 100% correct; kids die all the time in cars in TX and the authorities don't play around with that stuff.
Inattentive mother need to get a VERY rude wake up.

[Macattack]

wow it makes me wish you had to get a liscense to breed. You know pass a few background tests and go to a few classes to make sure you don't endanger innocent people. I remember my aunt had her three year old in the car while it was running and she was standing next to it talking to my mom. Next thing we know the toddler had climbed into the front seat and thrown the van in reverse. I was close by and caught up to it and pushed the emergency brake. It was near a hill that would have launched it off a dock into puget sound. (If the railing and pedestrians didn't slow it down enough) Kids in a running car is a bad situation. Wheter its a bg or a kid being a kid, someone could get hurt.

[Captain Crunch]

Absolutely, call the Police on this airhead mother.

This is child endangerment in Montana and will result in CPS taking at least temporary custody of the children and a citation for the parent.

[gregarat]

wow it makes me wish you had to get a liscense to breed.

Ive been saying that for years!

I cant stand it when people endanger others out of stupidity.

[rstickle]

Like most of the rest have said....... Call the cops, that way she could have her 15 minutes of fame on the evening news. If that isn't illegal in your area, it should be!

[Ti Carry]

I am not sure I would jump to call the cops until I gave the lady some very serious lip service first to see if that would work and she would wake up to reality. If not I'm on the phone, many today ignore things like this or don't do anything when an obvious situation is right in front of them and those are the times when things will go bad and you will be left there saying, if I only would have done something those kids would still be alive!

I never want to carry that guilt around with me for being passive and not saying anything, I am not shy in the least and I will blow up at somebody doing this as I would expect you or someone to do the same to me if I am out of line or doing something stupid that I apparently didn't think through.

I did this the other day in a totaly unrelated situation but the guy actually thought about it, responded, and said! you know, you are totaly right and you probably just saved me a lot of time and a lot of money and he actually thanked me for pointing out the potential problem to him. so it is worth a try to talk to them first before involving the cops. You could have taught her a great lesson that day that she probably had no clue about or she thinks it will never happen to her.

You have to approch the person in the right way and say the right things to the person to help them understand but it can be done.


Ti.

[enigmaone]

Call the police....

[srfl]

...I would also call the locals.

[Doc Holliday]

[QUOTE=Macattack]wow it makes me wish you had to get a liscense to breed. You know pass a few background tests and go to a few classes to make sure you don't endanger innocent people.

I didn't learn much in school but my high school Civics teacher used to always say:

"Stupid people have stupid kids."

[havegunjoe]

I think I would have called the cops, that's just a bad parent. Let the cops take the kids and give the parent one hell of a scare. I think that would be considered child endangerment

Unfortunately you don't have to pass a test to be a parent. Any idiot can become one.

[P95Carry]

Highly dangerous as well as idiotic. Not ideal even for a one minute quick in and out but longer - crazy.

I would hope to inquire from the lady what her intentions were and if rebuffed then call it in. Motor running too - sheesh!!