PHOTO: Authorities were notified today after children were found unattended in a vehicle while their mom shopped nearby, officials confirm to TLS.
At about 11:30 a.m. this morning, a security official at the Shoprite plaza noticed three young children in a vehicle parked in the lot with no adult around. The vehicle was left running with the air condition on.
After unsuccessfully trying to locate the parent, the security official phoned police.
The mother, who eventually returned to the vehicle, had reportedly left the children – the oldest about 7 years old – alone in the vehicle for over 15 minutes.
Police notified Child Services about the incident, an official said.
A Chaveirim coordinator, who was also called by a passerby, says this incident should serve as a strong warning and a chilling reminder.
“Leaving children unattended in a vehicle, even with air condition, can have severe consequences,” the Chaveirim Coordinator told TLS. “What if the engine shut, caught fire or a predator hopped into the car? It’s a tragedy waiting to happen,” says the coordinator. [TLS-CCP/TLS-46/TLS-DSC]
U have facts wrong! Kids were older! Times were wrong!
Ok no 1. How old and how long??
what is everyone waiting for?
This parent must have some z’chusim since nothing dire, chas v’sholom occurred, but how many warnings must someone get?
Hey #1, maybe it was another car too!
When will people learn!!!!
Even if you think its not dangerous: 1.Someone will call authorities
2.the authorities will call child services. Even if you are the best parent, do want to have DYFS knocking on your door?
When will people learn!!!
I don’t care if the children were 12 years old & if it was only 4 minutes!!! U don’t leave kids in a car unattended! PERIOD!!!
its unreal. if you cant shop with your kids, DONT! but dont leave them in the car in this weather. Let the husband watch the kids….its insane that adults still leave kids in cars with engines running…
“Leaving children unattended in a vehicle, even with air condition, can have severe consequences,” the Chaveirim Coordinator told TLS. ”What if the engine shut, caught fire or a predator hopped into the car? It’s a tragedy waiting to happen,” says the coordinator
Forget about the engine shutting (highly unlikely). What about the consequences of having to deal with child services? Police? which are very likely.
“U have the facts wrong! Kids were older ! Times were wrong !”
Unless they were old enough to drive and exit the vehicle with their younger siblings had the air conditioner shut off or car shut off , they are not old enough to be left ALONE in a car , as far as the times , no time is short enough , especially in this weather . There has been horrible accidents / near accidents in the past few days, check the news People just don’t learn … R”L
Even if the child is 12 years old – it is not safe.
Hello. Its never safe to leave any child alone in a car especially with the car running. Yes Air conditioning is vital. But a person can gain entry and kidnap the children. Start thinking of your kids as Diamonds and done leave them alone.
How old must a child be to watch other children? Is there a legal age or general age?
#12.
Not sure, but I would guess driving age should be ok.
I was wondering what all the commotion in Shoprite was this morning. I was there at that time shopping and a cashier was telling a story how a kid two weeks ago was left in a car in Shoprite and they flew the kid out from the Shoprite parking lot because the kid was unconscious. She was wondering how the kid was. I said if you travel with kids either buy a car seat alarm or put your purse or wallet in the back. You can forget your kid, but not your purse.
So u telling me that a 16 year old girl cannot watch kids in a car with ac if she don’t drive?? Or how about a 20 year old that doesn’t drive can she watch kids in a car with ac running
Car catching on fire? What happens if shoprite catches fire while the 30 year old is in the store with here kids? What happens if a bullet hits the store? I’m not saying kids should be left alone but there is a age that can watch kids and that age is not license age!!
There enough local stores that accept phone orders and will have it delivered to ur home or even after delivery cut off time they will still bring it out to ur car, without u needing to get out of the car
If you had a million dollars cash in the car you’d never leave it there. Our Kids are worth more than that.
Parent here is clearly negligent. Doesnt matter how long you don’t leave a kids in a car while you go inside and shop.
I was in Atlanta a few months ago when a woman left her kids in the car right around the corner from my hotel, when she came out of the store about ten minutes later the car and her children were gone. They found the car about eight hours later.
I just started my timer at a local shopping center at 6 minutes now while mother ran in store with parked in no parking as well with kids inside. Should I call who? I can’t believe it, so hot today!!!
I think the legal baby-sitting age is 14. if the oldest child in the car is 14 u should be ok. So, #1 – how old WAS the oldest child in the car ? Also, 5 minus what, is 2 ? Hmmmmmm.
12 minutes went by before she came out. I guess no big deal, only start of nine days and 100 degrees. I think if I see again I will just call police.
To@3:59
No one implied 16 or 20 is not old enough.
The poster just implied driving age should be ok.
I don’t care go ahead and leave them with a 14 year old and when child services shows up ask them.
really negligent ,leaving the car running poses another real problem What if one of the children accidently put the car in drive ? NEVER leave your car running with or without children in it unattended. Every summer we see the same thing happen ,there is no excuse for this PERIOD ……………………….
With all the hyperbole, nanny state, nosy people around, its not worth doing what you deem safe with your mature children. The meshugoyim will call the cops…
A car is not dangerous, kids can easier be kidnapped on the street than in a locked car, the only concern is a baby on a hot day with the AC off. Almost never applicable in all these stories on TLS/Yated
still not clear to me, a new lakewood resident, when to call police and when not.
To those wondering if they should call police or not. I don’t know, I prob wouldn’t but:
In the meantime stay there and wait for the parent to come out and watch the kids. If its possible – without compromising safety of the kids – go and locate the parent.
Ok here’s one for you all, what if the child decided to take the car for a “spin”. The car’s runing is it not? So what happens when that child accidentally puts the car in gear or reverse and causes a crash? Don’t say it can’t happen because it can and it has. A G-d forbid someone other than the children get hurt, who do you think the injured will go after? You, the parent who left the children there
relax everyone! its not that bad.
Perhaps the kids left in the car were old enough and responsible enough. But, in this day and age, it is not acceptable to do such things. So what is the big deal about taking your kids out of the car and bringing them into the store?
Running a car with kids. Great for carjacking or kidnapping.
Just last week in broad daylight a child was abducted from a wal mart in FL. She was found the next day not alive. She was abducted by a predator who sweet talked her.
“overreacting says:”
really! that’s exactly why this kind of poor parenting skills keep happening ,because there are people who think this is no big deal ,let me tell you that kind of thinking is going to get some kids in big trouble and then we will here I was only gone for a minute ,well it only takes a second to cause you a lifetime of grief due to not thinking
LPD Officer,
Such a true point. In fact I know exactly such a case! A really young kid got to the wheel of the car, I believe the car was on a hill with the keys OUT of the ignition but somehow the kid got the car into neutral? This story was many years ago and thankfully ended with no serious injuries but the reality remains, it is VERY dangerous to leave kids in a car. If you want to be a parent, responsibilities(and sometimes, inconveniences) come along with it!!
to 29 it is a big deal. why would you say that its not that bad to leave your kids in car and go shopping. maybe you should have your children taken away since you sound like a bad parent who does leave their kids in car.
If the child in florida would have been secured in an air conditioned locked car she would not have gotten killed,
Statiscaly speakng, the kids were probably safer in the car than out. The reason you hear about the story in Florida, is because it is very rare. Every day kids are hit by cars, when they are OUT of the car. Children are worth millions, but even a single dollars will be stolen quicker, so don’t give me the million dollar comparison. Truth be told, kids are safer at home, so maybe we shouldn’t take them out at all… So stop the nanying!
# 36 your no chacham but one stupid person so pleased keep your stupid comments to yourself and if you feel a need to voice of your comment share it with your brilliant wife !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I was eight, my mother left me in the car to open the garage. Somehow, my brother or I put the gear into reverse and I thought it would be cool to put the petal to the metal. Slammed our nice 67 Plymouth into the neighbors brick wall. That car had power!
There is another issue here…why aren’t shopping at a frum supermarket? You should be mekayem a mitzvah and be supporting your brothers. So so many dollars leave the community because of this. Why?
Bottom line, there are laws and no matter if you think it doesn’t make sense or not or you know better the cops really don’t care if you leave a child unattended in a car they will call child services so think before you do something stupid that even though you might think your right which you are not but the cops don’t care for your cheshboinis and all the lomdis why you are able to leave your kids in the car it goes for the same thing if you are speeding to get to yeshiva on time and a cop will stop you he will give you a ticket even if ur goung to yeshiva he doesn’t care y you were speeding because it makes no difference because u were doung something illegal
It is dissapointing to see that many commentators- frum ppl included ascribe to the modern kefirah that since there is no G-d, anything and everything that can go wrong must be blamed on human behavior. If we take this idea to it’s logical conclusion, every type of human behavior should be regulated and avoided due to the endless risks involved.
Basic common sense: we take many risks throughout a normal day. Only those things which present a clear & present danger or statiscally have a high probable chance of happening, do we need to make ourselves crazy about.
So…… We may fly on an airplane despite what if the engines fail, what if the plane is hijacked, bombed etc. We may travel in a car despite the fact that we may get in to an accident, the car may catch fire, a squiral will run in front of the car & we will tip over trying to avoid it etc. (We prudentally put on a seatbelt as a simple precaution). I can allow my responsible 14 year old to babysit my 3 year old even though “what if the AC fails? What if home invadors invade the house? What if lightning strikes & the house catches fire?” But I probably should not allow my irresponsible 16 year old to babysit my 6 year old. I can allow my 5 year to play in the backyard but I should not let him play near an open 2nd story window. I can put my baby in a crib (what if he suffocates? What if what if) but not near blind chords. My 3 year old can ride her training wheels without a helmet but I insist my 12 year old who rides in the street wear his helmet.I should never leave any child in a hot car but if the AC is on & my older children whom I deem responsible are watching then what is the problem? (I know what if the engine shut? What if it caught fire? What if a bomb exploded) The list goes on & on but understanding these basic points will allow for some stable mental health.
We as frum yidden understand that the poor mother who R”L forgot her baby in the car all day has no connection to the mother who leaves her children in an air conditioned car for a few minutes. There is a borei oilam. He wants us to take prudant precautions but ultimately everything is in his hands.
the authorities were rightfully called. this should be a warning to all parents AND ONLOOKERS! i was in a parking lot last week when a father pulled up next to my car, turned the car off, left 3 kids in the car!! the oldest was probably 5. they were not buckled in, 1 was out the window from the waist up, and the another was sitting in the driver’s seat playing with the gears and steering wheel. the father came back 2 minutes later screaming at the kids for their behavior. REALLY NOW?! whose responsibility is that???
come on people, use your brains! they are there for a reason!
ok one last statement ,enough has been posted here about pitfalls of leaving your kids alone in a car, if I ever see this happen I will call the police immediately .the safety of a child is far more important than anyone’s opinion one way or another !
When you are trigger happy to call the authorities, first verify if you are acting L’shem Shomayim. If you are a responsible adult, stay by the car, don’t intimidate the children by going into the car unless its a situation of Sakana and do offer a phone to the kids to call their parents ASAP. You can spare the family untold grief and get a very important message across the same way.
To #41… very irresponsible comment. How can you say, “ultimately everything is in his hands”???? If you don’t put the kid in the dangerous situation, there is nothing to fear. It is not left in anyone’s hands when you take the dangerous situation out of the equation. Don’t get into a bad situation and you won’t have to worry.
I believe in G_D but he is not going to save me when I am not wearing a seat belt, helmet, or leave my kids is a swealtering car. Blind faith will get you killed.
# 45,
First of all, read the entire comment.
Second of all, you may think that you beleive in G-D but to say “Don’t get into a bad situation and you won’t have to worry.” shows that you are a koifer. Bad things happen to people who do things right every single day.
The key word is PRUDENT. look it up in the dictionary after you gain some reading comprehension skills.
(and by the way since you mention “sweltering”and since we’re on the subject of reading comprehension, you may want to read the story over again)
Do you leave your kids in the car in your driveway with the car and AC running? Is that different?
Yes it’s different. From your front door you can see your driveway and the car, and you are probably locking up or grabbing something which would take one or two minutes. Not going shopping and leaving the car in a crowed parking lot, with lots of people you don’t know walking by.
Uncle Mo…the accident where a kid reversed a car down a hill with bh no serious injuries….were you referring to the 9th and Madison development one…..are you an old neighbor of mind?
i just want to clarify that comments #42 and #47 are different posters, despite us using the same user name.
i don’t agree with leaving children in the car alone in the driveway either.