Baby found dead in vehicle. Mother apparently forgot to drop off baby at day care.

grandfolksherald.com ^ | Thu, Jun. 29, 2006 | Lisa Gibson

[xjcsa]

When I have kids someday I'm sure I'll be terrified of doing something like this.

[AlexandriaDuke]

That's not an excuse and you know it.

That's WHY it happens. It doesn't make the stupidity "excusable". But she wouldn't have made this mistake if she had the option of switching off the airbag and keeping the baby beside her. Why aren't we allowed to make these decisions for ourselves?

[Yaelle]

Which is why mothers should probably make a decision: bringing up my baby, becoming symbiotic with him, OR focusing on my career.

A stay-at-home mom also gets tired and forgetful. But she is so in tune with her baby that she would, could, never forget him in the car. The opposite tends to happen. I find myself in the carpool lane and remember that for once my baby is NOT with me, get a red face, and hop out of that lane.

[maine-iac7]

You write: "Please know that my husband and I have been making plans for years that will allow me to stay home once we decide to have children. It requires sacrifice, not living above your means, staying out of debt, etc...but it can be done! We are not wealthy, we sacrifice. " end quote.
**************** Please know that I struggled to raise my 5 children as a single parent - when women's wages were still slave wages. And yet, through much sacrifice of personal choices, they were NEVER in day care ( I even ran a day care myself for several years to avoid MINE being in one.)

Now these children are raising my 15 grandchildren...they have modest homes and second hand cars because they will NOT put their children = whom they consider their true 'wealth' in day care.

If we want to see children enjoy their God-given birthright of a parent in the home, insisting that Washington pass HR 25

http://www.geocities.com/cmcofer/ftax.html
will go a long ways towards putting the extra money in our pockets...It would balance out the amount of money a second working parent actually has left after taxes, day care and other work related expenses are deducted.

[Prince Charles]

A 5-month-old baby died in a minivan Wednesday after the mother apparently forgot to drop the child off at day care.

Why didn't the kiddie kennel employees call mom to ask where the baby was that day?

[Jeff Chandler]

their children = whom they consider their true 'wealth'

What a concept!

[coconutt2000]

Actually, see post 153 or thereabouts. There's a way for cars with car alarms to have a baby seat monitor set off the car alarm if the car key goes out of range.

Just like you can buy and program a new car alarm remote, a baby seat alert could be programmed to be able to set off the car alarm using the "panic" button code.

[justche]

Not every state requires them to be in the back state. Most recommend it. For me personally, my driving was much safer when I could see into the rear facing seat - and adjust what was necessary, instead of trying to watch in the rear view mirror and reaching back to adjust, not knowing if I was getting the sun out of her eyes, etc.

[yellowdoghunter]

I honor your sacrifice and know that you are very proud of your children.

Thanks for the info. on that bill, I will be calling my Reps. tomorrow. And please know that lowering taxes or whatever needs to be done has always been on the top of my agenda and is something I have always spoken about with my Reps. when I call them. I want to do everything possible to make it easier for moms to stay home with their babies.

[Jeff Chandler]

kiddie kennel

LOL! You're gonna get flamed for that.

[I_like_good_things_too]

I doubt she's a monster too, however, I think this type of horrifying incident points to one of the problems with daycare. It occurred to no one to question the whereabouts of a 5-month old for an entire day. If no one sees that as a problem, our society is completely screwed.

I'd like to think at a bare minimum that a daycare/ school would call all available numbers if a child did not show up when expected. And I also think it's terribly sad that any mom or dad would need a phone call from a stranger to remind them about their baby, but I realize that is reality for some.

[bert]

Judgemental aren't we....

[GLDNGUN]

I see your point. I suppose you might become blasé about your sacred responsibility for a precious human life. After a few months an infant is "same old, same old" to you.

All I'm saying is that your analogy is faulty, unless she is indeed driving with that cash every day. I'm not excusing the mother here in any way. In fact, I'm the one on this thread saying that SHE is responsible for this tragedy and no one else. Not the "nanny state". Not the car manufacturer.

Personally, I don't understand how one could forget a 5-month old in the backseat. Then again, I've not had the experience of being responsible for one so young, so I'm a little hesitant to pass swift judgment on the mother here and condemn her to hell. I do understand the concept that it would be a little easier to forgot something of great value in the backseat IF it was there every day, as opposed to one time.

Do you get it now?

[maine-iac7]

Mothers should buckle their purse to the child's safety seat. No woman gets out the car without their purse. I know a girl who works with me that leaves her work badge attached to the baby seat. She cannot come in the building without it. So many things they can do

WHOA!

THOSE are both EXCELLENT ideas - an they should be printed, shouted, mailed, on TV - so that EVERYONE can get the idea!

[ican'tbelieveit]

I know you are going to catch a lot of flack for your comment, but I completely agree with you. As a single mom that made bad choices early and had to work to feed my kids and not having the choice to stay home with my kids for those first few years, I know what I missed.

If there is a breadwinner, one parent should make every effort to stay home with their child(ren). If you even just stay home until you put them in school, that is 5 years. Five years is nothing, give up those years of income, and the rewards will be immeasurable.

I am raising my kids with that value. Go to school, get a job, live some life, save. Then, when you are stable & secure, have kids.

And finally, if possible, if you do find yourself in a situtaion where this isn't possible, live near family.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

I don't disagree that many parents have twisted priorities. What I do object to is the characterization that:

but almost without exception the parents who outsource their parental responsibilities to strangers are those whose priorities are themselves, their material possessions, and their social life.

Perhaps I just live in an area where the situation is exactly reversed, where the exception is the material-obsessed parent.

[ClearBlueSky]

I don't see raving- I see opinions. NO one here has any power in this situation, but we can post our feelings about it.
Just tell me if ' whoops' would cut it in the following scenarios?
" I forgot the baby in the bathtub, and it drowned."
" I forgot to feed the baby for three days, and it died."
" I forgot to give my baby its prescription medicine, and it died."
Death is the important thing here. Death by NEGLIGENCE whether intentional, through stupidity, or ' whoops'. Why not just allow every parent one ' whoops' death of a child, for whatever reason?
I am of the opinion that anyone who causes a helpless child to DIE because they were NEGLIGENT should not be allowed another shot with another baby. A baby is a valuable human being, with a right to live, or it's not. Tragic 'accident' or not- if it causes DEATH, should there not be some consequence beyond sympathy for the negligent parent?
And if we're never supposed to 'judge'- why do we have a judicial system. Societies judge their own, and set standards for behavior.
My OPINION is that this mother should not be allowed any more babies, and I'd say that if it were my own sister. I
wouldn't care if she liked it- that would still be my opinion.

[soccermom]

They may not require them to be in the back seat -- but that is what is recommended. Also, I think every state does require the seat to be rear-facing when they are infants. (The cutoff date for my baby's care seat was 1 year and 20 pounds.)

[maine-iac7]

Wow, glad to know SOMEone in here is fallible - I was beginning to feel out of place in here with the 99% perfect people

[staytrue]

A temp alarm could be made for a few dollars and could be attached to existing car seats via a few straps.