Pretoria woman leaves 4-year-old in car while shopping
Now that the holiday season is in full swing and lots of Christmas shopping needs to be done, we know how going to the mall with your child can often be difficult.
With toddlers who are exploring and wanting everything their eyes meet, it is not uncommon to see an unhappy (crying) child at the mall. Unfortunately not enough South African shopping centres have facilities to keep children busy while their parents are filling the trollies.
A Pretoria woman did something many people think is okay when it’s absolutely not. The unidentified woman went to Tiffany’s shopping centre on the Dolphin Coast and left her four-year-old son in the car, according to News24.
The incident occurred last Friday when a concerned citizen noticed the child and started communicating with him through a small gap left open in the car’s window. After waiting for 10 minutes she then contacted emergency services, said IPSS Medical Response Spokesperson Paul Herbst.
Herbst added that after the woman had returned to her son and vehicle, she responded that she does this all the time and it is perfectly safe before she got in her car and sped off.
In 2014, News24 reported on the deaths of three children who suffocated after being left in a car. Children who are left in cars are at risk of suffocating and heatstroke, among other things. In the United States, a reported 39 children have died due to heatstroke after being left in a car this year.
Heatstroke can damage the brain and other body organs – which can lead to death. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, the temperature inside of a car can increase by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes . Cracking a window doesn’t help the temperature from rising to a dangerous level.
Also read: What should you do if you spot a child alone in a car?
Here are 5 reasons not to leave your children in the car according to Michelle LaRowe, writer of ‘Parenting’.
1. It is scary for a child to be left alone.
2. A car’s temperature can change quickly. It can become too hot or too cold in minutes.
3. You could lock your keys in the car, along with your child.
4. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 30 children die each year when they are alone in the car. One of those 30 could be yours.
5. In some countries, it’s illegal. It can be considered a misdemeanour offense and if your child is hurt or worse, it can become a felony.