Community Corner
Local Parents Outraged After Florissant Mom Leaves Baby in Car With Nearly Tragic Results
After the woman left her baby unattended inside her running car, it was stolen while she was away. Though police managed to save the baby, Florissant residents are talking about whether it's ever a good idea to leave kids alone int he car. Add your
When a Florissant woman ran inside a North St. Louis gas station for just a minute on Tuesday, her life might have been changed forever had it not been for local police. Tiara Smith left her baby in the car, which was running, and during the brief moment she was inside, someone stole the car with the baby inside, according to a report from Fox2Now.
Thanks to quick action from police, the 1-year-old baby girl was quickly rescued safely after her abductor crashed the car onto a sidewalk. She was unharmed.
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This situation led to a discussion among Florissant residents on the Florissant Patch Facebook page.
Would Florissant Parents Leave Their Kids Alone in the Car?
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Most parents who posted said they wouldn’t leave their kids in the car under any circumstance.
“Anyone leaving kids behind anywhere in this day and age should not have kids,” posted Rachel M. “(Especially) if they leave them in cars. Children are precious. Anything could happen in a split second.”
Jerry Schoo agreed, saying he’d never leave his son in the car.
“I think that lady needs to be ticketed for leaving the baby in the car,” Schoo said.
Related: Leaving Pets and Kids in the Car: Should the Law Do More?
Laurie Tenshler said the she never has and never will leave her son alone in the car.
“People who do that make me sick,” she said. “I think they should be charged with child endangerment.”
“I don’t trust my child alone in a vehicle or anywhere by themselves, not even for a couple minutes,” said Pam Partell-Huff. “Too many crazies out there.”
Trish Caimi-Schroeder had just one thing to say. “Never, ever.”
Tenshler added that a teenager is a “whole different story than a little kid.”
“Anything could happen,” she said. “What if the kid unbuckles and decides to get in the front seat and puts the car in gear?”
Only one parent, Katherine Soberg, admitted that she has and will continue to leave her child unattended in the car.
“I do take my keys and keep my car in sight,” Soberg said.
For the record, Smith told Fox2Now that she will never leave her daughter in the car again.
Your Turn
What do you think? Is it ever safe to leave your kids alone in the car? If so, at what age does it become acceptable, as far as you’re concerned? Tell us what you think in the comments section, below.