'Negligent' mum slammed for leaving two-year-old child…

'Negligent' mum slammed for leaving two-year-old child in car at supermarket on hot day

A mum has been branded "negligent" and "cruel" for leaving her two-year-old daughter in a car at a supermarket while the weather was hot. A woman revealed on Mumsnet that the incident took place in a supermarket car park and asked other parents if she should have said something to this mum.

She wrote: "I was waiting for my husband in my car earlier when a woman pulled up next to me and got out of her car. "As she walked away from her car she said 'do not open the door or talk to anyone' and when I looked inside she had left her daughter in her car seat whilst she went into the shop.

"It's really hot where I am and she didn't leave the window open, and the little girl can't have been older than two. We left after about five minutes but it's been niggling me ever since. Should I have said something?"

Her post attracted scores of comments, with many suggesting the mother should not have left her young child in the vehicle. Some said they would have gone into the supermarket to report this or called the police. One Mumsnet user said: "I would have went into the shop and said that there's a child in the car without any windows open and you don't know how long they've been there. Stupid woman, that is neglect. The child is tiny, it's hot and how sure was she about safety."

Another parent agreed: "I would have gone into the supermarket and asked them to put out a tannoy announcement for the owner of vehicle with that reg, because she'd left her baby locked in a hot car. And yes I would confront someone over this, children have died from this?"

Others debated whether it would be ok to leave a young child in a vehicle if it was a smaller shop, for a short period of time and the parent could still see their child. One mum commented: "I wouldn't leave my 19 month old in a supermarket car park but I would to go into a petrol station shop to pay, even if there is a queue. It does seem reckless."

And another added: "Could the parent see the child at all times? I'm presuming not if it was a supermarket and if so then no it absolutely isn't acceptable and I would have taken the car details and reported to ss."

Would you have reported the mum who left her child in the car on a hot day? Let us know in the comments below

One mum added: "Hot or no hot I do think it's absolutely unacceptable. Just take your child with you. And I get this is highly unlikely to happen but what if something happened to mother in the shop, like she slipped, would've needed medical attention etc. How long would the child end up being alone?!! Far far too young. Imo petrol station would be only acceptable place to leave child in a car only to pop in and pay."

A third mum added: "Nobody should ever leave their tiny child in a car unattended while they go into a supermarket. Add the hot weather into it it’s not just negligent it’s cruel. If the 'mother' hasn’t reappeared with a trolley frankly I’d have gone in and informed customer service at the least."

However, some people suggested that the woman who posted the thread on Mumsnet was a "busybody" and she didn't need to interfere. "You sound a right busybody," said one.

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