leaving kids in cars - Real Mum story on MoM

Thanks everyine for your responses!

I have found out it is actually illegal to leave a child aged under 12 alone in any circumstances. You can be charged with child abandonment. This is in Vic – I am not sure what the rules are in other states, but I would imagine fairly similar.

I actually saw the same woman yesterday, this time the police car was parked blocking her in, and she was not looking happy, so I think she did it again and someone else must have called it in. Mind you the car park she was in this time is 2 doors down from the police station…

I do know also if you lock your child in the car by accident, ring 000. Emergency services will carefully break in for you, BUT lock them in while you do the shopping etc and they will just smash the window!! ( They put stuff like contact on the windows to stop glass flying everywhere)

Posted by katelt, 15th April 2013

4 Comments

- - mom81879 said
  - 08 Nov 2015
    6:42 pm
It’s also illegal to leave dogs in your car in Victoria. About time someone did something to protect the vulnerable and helpless in our society.

- - mom94125 said
  - 02 Jan 2015
    9:25 pm
wow seriously? it isn’t that hard to take your kid with you otherwise shop online. i know that we don’t know this ladie’s situation but that behaviour is negligent and dangerous especially in this hot weather

- - stepmom107932 said
  - 30 Dec 2014
    4:54 pm
why would anyone even think about locking kids in the cars while doing shopping, i thought everyone knew better by now.

- - mom57522 said
  - 26 Dec 2014
    5:56 pm
Thanks for keeping up updated.