At 3?!
Nope. You said: "It is NOT safe to let a child wander off in an environment that you have no control over."
The child did not "wonder off." He was FIVE FEET AWAY. That's why your make believe scenario has nothing to do with this case.
I call 5 ft wandering off. If the child had been by Mom, that 5 ft would have saved his life. Mom has NO control of WalMart and it's environs. She only has control over her children. I take it you're a younger parent. I'm 56 and remember being under control in a store. I raised my kids the same way.
If a 3 year old can pull it over, then, no, it wasn't secured.
If he could pull it over, Mom wasn't watching him, was she.
Baseless assumption.
Is it?
Well, at least this toddler's death was good for something.
It gave us all a chance to hear you preen what a superior parent you are.
You are getting beat up over the distance between mom and the child. I have to agree with you.
Five feet in a grocery story (long straight aisles) is not far.
Ten feet (or even 20) in a public park or field isn't far because it's open and you can see what's going on and where the child is.
OTOH, five feet (or even 3) is far for a 3 year old when your view is obstructed in a crowded and/or cluttered uncontrolled environment.