left kids in the car on a cool fall day for 5 minutes while i went into the store

[Just Blue]

i have an attorney cost me $1500. he says with no criminal background im looking at a 6 month ACD. frankly when i was growing my parents would leave me in the car for a few minutes, it was common place. that however was a different era. my 7 year old would not run off, i know my kid. i have changed my habits. if i need gas, i get it before i pick the kids up; if i need something to eat i get it before i pick them up. i am no longer taking my kids in public unless absolutely nessary, and no i wont leave them in the car period. i made a mistake and came from an era when it was not uncommon.

That's the ticket. Punish the children by keeping them locked away from society because you have the common sense of a flee. You're a piece of work lady.

 

[Just Blue]

the law i got charged with is a very blanketed law open to interpretation. i will get this taken care of and move on.

Don't forget the fun time you will have with child protective services!! Enjoy!

 

[quincy]

the law i got charged with is a very blanketed law open to interpretation. i will get this taken care of and move on.

You are right that the laws have changed over the years.

These changes are due in large part to several highly publicized and easily preventable child deaths in cars.

The same reason behind the law you were charged under helped drive the laws for child safety seats, child proof caps for medicine bottles, nonflammable children pajamas ... the list goes on.

Keeping kids safe is a common concern of most people in this country and the laws are designed to do that.

If nothing else, you have learned not to leave your young children unattended in vehicles. That is a good thing.

 

[Just Blue]

You are right that the laws have changed over the years.

These changes are due in large part to several highly publicized and easily preventable child deaths in cars.

The same reason behind the law you were charged under helped drive the laws for child safety seats, child proof caps for medicine bottles, nonflammable children pajamas ... the list goes on.

Keeping kids safe is a common concern of most people in this country and the laws are designed to do that.

If nothing else, you have learned not to leave your young children unattended in vehicles. That is a good thing.

Let not forget that it would take 3 min for someone to break into the car and snatch the children...and they would likely end up on some disgusting child porn web site being raped. All because this stellar example of parenthood thought it too much effort to bring the children into the store while s/he grabbed some frozen dinners. That the kids weren't harmed by OP's gross neglect s/he should get on her knees and Thank God.

 

[ad4517]

i learned a lesson just wished it didnt take $1,500 lawyer. i had planned on buttoning the house up more for winter and make it warmer for the kids, storm doors were going to be installed. well not anymore. the money that would have in some way benefited the kids went to a lawyer. i have also been working everyday since the incident and i have no intention of taking a day off until 1. its resolved. 2. i have $1,500+ in savings and im back to where i was before all of this happened. i drive milk tanker truck (class A CDL) and i can work as much as i want.

 

[mjpayne]

Let not forget that it would take 3 min for someone to break into the car and snatch the children...and they would likely end up on some disgusting child porn web site being raped. All because this stellar example of parenthood thought it too much effort to bring the children into the store while s/he grabbed some frozen dinners. That the kids weren't harmed by OP's gross neglect s/he should get on her knees and Thank God.

Where do you live that leaving your kids unattended in a car for 3 minutes stands a serious chance of having them both kidnapped, raped, videotaped, and put on a website? Or are you just being melodramatic?

 

[mjpayne]

i learned a lesson just wished it didnt take $1,500 lawyer. i had planned on buttoning the house up more for winter and make it warmer for the kids, storm doors were going to be installed. well not anymore. the money that would have in some way benefited the kids went to a lawyer. i have also been working everyday since the incident and i have no intention of taking a day off until 1. its resolved. 2. i have $1,500+ in savings and im back to where i was before all of this happened. i drive milk tanker truck (class A CDL) and i can work as much as i want.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the cops that cited you, the lawyer, and the judge don't give two craps about your kids.

 

[quincy]

i learned a lesson just wished it didnt take $1,500 lawyer. i had planned on buttoning the house up more for winter and make it warmer for the kids, storm doors were going to be installed. well not anymore. the money that would have in some way benefited the kids went to a lawyer. i have also been working everyday since the incident and i have no intention of taking a day off until 1. its resolved. 2. i have $1,500+ in savings and im back to where i was before all of this happened. i drive milk tanker truck (class A CDL) and i can work as much as i want.

It was an expensive lesson for you but you now know the law well.

Good luck.

 

[cbg]

There's also the fact that my sister's beagle knows how to unlock the car door and lower the electric windows. A kid can do it easily. Or release the brake. Kids could get into a whale of a lot of trouble in three minutes without anyone else going anywhere near the car. And don't tell me, Oh, they know better. Accidents happen and the best behaved child can be distracted.

 

[quincy]

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the cops that cited you, the lawyer, and the judge don't give two craps about your kids.

mjpayne, many police officers and lawyers and judges have children of their own.

Many have had to handle cases where children were injured or killed due to the negligence of the parents.

You are SO wrong with your statement.

 

[ad4517]

the keys were in my pocket. i might have made a judgement error but im not that dumb. the car wasn't going to go anywhere, not to mention even my car being a 1996 camaro still has an interlock. in order to put the car in gear the brake must be depressed. however as formerly mentioned the keys were in my pocket.

our society is nothing but do-gooders. the cops, lawyer, and judge as formerly mention likely dont care, they want my money. regardless i will never do it again.

SO is it a concern when my son is a 10 year old? 15 year old? 16 year old (old enough to drive a car). what is the law? no one seems to know.

my kids wont be going out much anymore. the next thing that can happen is someone calls the cops because they dont like the way you are verbally disciplining them. heck, i dont really want to go out anymore either. pickup my milk and go home, i dont have to worry about my farmers messing with me. they have better things to do.

really what were the odds of anything happening in the small rural town i was in? its not like i was in a high crime area. i take all of those things into consideration when i left them in the car. how safe is the community? the weather (55 degrees)? did not leave the keys in the vehicle either.

i guess remote possibility anything can happen but you have a better chance being struck by lightning. still i will protect them and myself in the future regardless of what i think about the situation.

i have no wish to ever find myself in this situation again. i have heard stories of people getting charged for leaving the kids in the car long enough to put a shopping cart back. my wife is guilty of that she admits, she simply was never caught in the act. one of my fellow drivers said he was helping load a grill in a pickup 3 cars away. someone approached his car and started to call the cops. he walked over, and the woman hung up the phone and walked away.

its getting ridiculous. also, instead of being criminally charged i wished the cop would have simply informed me...... this is what can happen, dont do it again. it would have been enough. i try to avoid trouble and for 37 years on this earth i have done exactly that..... until now.

 

[ad4517]

if i could become a hermit and live the woods away from society, i would.

 

[Just Blue]

Where do you live that leaving your kids unattended in a car for 3 minutes stands a serious chance of having them both kidnapped, raped, videotaped, and put on a website? Or are you just being melodramatic?

It happens everyday across this country. Unattended children that Mommy or Daddy swear they only took there eyes off for a min.

 

[quincy]

if i could become a hermit and live the woods away from society, i would.

The woods are really pretty in New York this time of year.

And, if you live in the woods, you won't run into as many people who might show some concern for your children.

You only have to worry about ticks, rattlesnakes, moose, coyotes, black bears ...

Good luck.

 

[mjpayne]

It happens everyday across this country. Unattended children that Mommy or Daddy swear they only took there eyes off for a min.

So could you post links to at least a few articles where that particular set of events occurred? Anywhere in the United States will do.

I have a feeling that it's quite rare and that the "car" aspect of it is functionally irrelevant to significantly increasing your chances of having your kids kidnapped.