Babysitter Reported To Police For Leaving Children In Hot Car

A four-year-old boy has reported his babysitter to police after he and six other children were left in a hot car for more than twenty minutes…

A US mother and babysitter has been charged by police after she allegedly left seven children she was looking after in a hot car for more than twenty minutes. The woman was reported to police by a four-year-old boy in her care, who called 911 to say that they were extremely hot and disorientated 9News reports.

Should Have Known Better

The woman was the mother of two of the children in her care and was taking care of the others when the incident occurred. After receiving the call, police headed to the scene where they found the car locked with the windows rolled up and the seven children trapped inside. The children were aged between two and four years of age.

Officers said that the situation could have escalated quickly, with the kids already ‘scared’ and ‘sweaty’ when they arrived. “The temperature inside a parked car can quickly rise to high and even fatal levels in a short period of time,” they said.

Breaking The Law

The mum was charged with the confinement of children in a motor vehicle and further negligence charges are still pending. Parents in Australia who leave their children unattended in a vehicle may face a large fine, imprisonment or both, highlighting the seriousness of the offence.

Thankfully, all children were treated at the scene without the need for further treatment or hospitalisation. We can’t believe that any babysitter, let alone on that is a parent themselves, could be so careless!

Do you think parents who leave their children in cars should face fines and imprisonment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

18 Comments

- - serotonin said
  - 04 Jun 2019
    12:38 pm
Unreal! What a cleaver lad to call 911. A scary situation and a lesson she needed to learn.

- - mom206279 said
  - 20 May 2019
    7:53 am
They should lose their kids for a couple of days while its investigated. And if thats harsh, consider how they would feel losing their kids permanently if they die in a hot car.

- - Mum2archer said
  - 19 May 2019
    10:12 pm
Of course they should be fined! I don’t know how anyone can do that to their kids. it’s abuse, plain and simple
- mom93821 replied
  
  20 May 2019 , 5:56 am
  I agree – it is never ever ok – cars can get so hot and dangerous and every caution needs to be taken with children in cars.
  - Ellen replied
    
    21 May 2019 , 4:15 am
    
    Yes you sure can call this neglect !
- - becstalou said
  - 19 May 2019
    3:59 pm
Lucky the little boy could call for help. Definitely needs to be a deterrent but there are obviously vastly different circumstances.

- - mom93821 said
  - 19 May 2019
    4:34 am
Thee possible outcome of leaving children in a car is just unthinkable.
There should be heavy fines and in tragic circumstances harsher penalties.

- - Ellen said
  - 19 May 2019
    4:33 am
Yes they should at least face a heavy fine. I can’t believe this babysitter dared to this with children who are entrusted in her care, in which case imprisonment is appropriate.

- - mom265671 said
  - 18 May 2019
    11:35 pm
So sad this is still happening. Despite all the news

- - ashna9 said
  - 18 May 2019
    9:10 pm
This simply should not happen. How much coverage does there need to be about the dangers of this?

- - Blossom said
  - 18 May 2019
    7:45 pm
Is is fortunate that the Mum left her phone in the car. I know guy who in…. very cold…..cloudy weather used to leave his daughter in the car while he rushed into a shop to get a special treat of fish & chips. He always stood where he could watch her and the car. The owner of the shop knew and kept watch in case somebody went too close to the car. The fish & chips were pre-ordered. The guy only had to run in. pick up the fish & chips and pay for them. He decided that was a better option than the child getting wet when it was raining. He was in and out within 5 minutes. He never left all the windows closed. He had special wind shields on both the front windows.

- - mom112217 said
  - 18 May 2019
    7:38 pm
We all know the consequences of doing this.It is so wrong and yes they should face fines if doing so.

- - BellaB said
  - 18 May 2019
    7:27 pm
It’s impressive that a four year old could make that call.

- - AmbieBambi said
  - 18 May 2019
    3:46 pm
I’m not really sure but it’s definately not very good to leave em in the car on a hot day! Even if you think you’ll only be a few minutes because let’s face it, us mums are always wayyyy longer than we say!

- - mom90758 said
  - 18 May 2019
    12:48 pm
Oh wow. Kids nowadays are amazing. At 4 years of age he could already use the phone and phone the police?

- - mom81879 said
  - 18 May 2019
    12:07 pm
Absolutely! If you leave a child or an animal in a car on a hot day, you need to get fined. I see so many dogs suffering through summer. So lucky the 4 yo had access to a mobile phone and knew to call emergency services

- - Jmac said
  - 18 May 2019
    10:36 am
Yes people who leave kids in the car should face fines. HOWEVER we still need to be sensible. Eg when at the petrol station when you are just going to pay for petrol, i think it is ok. I have 2 toddlers and it actually would be more dangerous to get them out of the car to go and pay.
- Ellen replied
  
  20 May 2019 , 5:34 am
  True ! That’s why I always did everything to avoid that and organise it so that I get petrol without the small kids in the car.