BDE Noya bat Efrat - 1.5 year old forgotten in a car :(

octopus

Sun, Jul 21 2013, 12:37 pm

amother wrote:

Tragic. Absolutely devastating. BUT, as a mother of a large family kah, I must tell you, this has happened to me a few times in my very own driveway. Each time I cried and cried and each time I had established security measures and each time it happened anyway. In my case, Hashem hadn't decided it was the time. I know that I am the parent, and it is the parent/driver who is ultimately responsible. until it happens to you, you can't believe anyone could ever be so "negligent". I am not negligent and in these stories it is hardly negligence. It is so easy to say, pocket book in the back, and all will be well. you can always go inside your house without your pocket book and wallet. This is an awful gezairah. May Hashem send them nechama and the Geulah now.

I'm not disagreeing, just sharing my own experiences. I leave my pocketbook and cell phone in the car a lot of the times. I get so distracted I forget them a lot. drives dh crazy. I've never forgotten my children, ever, b'h. I once forgot my pocket book at an app't I had . I think it's because I go places without my pocketbook a lot. mostly I am with a diaper bag. But I'm forever with my children. I never go alone anywhere. so it's just second nature to me. I'm guessing the working moms can sometimes get confused because many times they are w/o kids? just a thought. this is not to offend. and I never, ever leave my kids in a car just to run in somewhere. even for one second. whether to pick up a kid from school or whatever. never. ever.

Inspired

Sun, Jul 21 2013, 12:44 pm

Culturedpearls wrote:

BD"E this is truly tragic.
I keep hearing these stories & I for the life of me cannot understand how it can happen. How does one forget a baby in the car?

Its 11 pages, if you sincerely want to understand read the whole thing- http://articles.washingtonpost.....-trip

MaBelleVie

Sun, Jul 21 2013, 2:08 pm

No one is safe. This can happen to anyone, whether you're a mother, a father, a working parent or a stay at home. You can be the most devoted parent in the world and still inadvertantly leave a child in the car.

All you need is one sleepless night with a sick child/newborn, one change in your usual routine, one child sleeping or silent in the seat, one distracting phone call right when you switch off the engine- and you have the perfect setup for a lapse in memory. You don't even need all of those factors, the human brain is limited and just one or two can be enough to align and make you forget the most important thing in your life.

Thinking you're above this means your kids are not safe. Please, take an active role in making this part of your routine.

Culturedpearls

Sun, Jul 21 2013, 5:34 pm

MaBelleVie wrote:

Yes I can see how exhaustion can be a huge factor & distraction.
I work & do drive without kids but its just second nature to open the rear car doors to get the kids out even when they aren't there.
Just tragic.

granolamom

Thu, Aug 08 2013, 8:44 pm

Culturedpearls wrote:

BD"E this is truly tragic.
I keep hearing these stories & I for the life of me cannot understand how it can happen. How does one forget a baby in the car?

There but for the Grace of G-d go I.

true story, last week I was getting ready to go to the supermarket. I asked my kids if they wanted to come along, only my 3 yo was interested. she told me she had to use the bathroom and I should wait for her before I go.
ok so fine. I make myself a cup of tea. I read the newspaper. I check imamother. I wonder whats taking so long. I call to her, no answer. I check the whole house. cant find her.
I go to check the car, which I had left unlocked.
she went into the car to wait for me and LOCKED HERSELF INTO HER CARSEAT. it was 91 degrees outside.
she was in there for 15 MIN SCREAMING and I had no idea. she was sweaty and red and nauseous and said her head hurt.
obviously I took her inside, gave her a drink, etc. BH she is fine.
but I was really shaken.

these things can happen to anyone.

forgetting a baby in a car never happened to me because Hashem always reminded me that the baby was there. I spent 10 years in a sleep deprived stupor, its only due to chasdei hashem that my children are still healthy and whole.

BDE, my heart goes out to the family.