Is 8 years old too young to be left in a car?

[Kaido]

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/11/19/car-thieves-kidnap-boy-drop-off-school/

TL;DR:
1. A mom leaves her 8-year-old son in a running car (listening to music) for 30 minutes
2. Car gets stolen with kid in it, but thieves drop kid off at school
3. The mom may face charges for leaving the kid in the car

Is that legit? Is 8 years old too young to be left in a car? When I was 8, I walked like a half a mile to school when I was growing up (80's)...everyone did. Let alone hanging out in a car for awhile...I realize times have changed, but it's not like she left an infant or a toddler in the car. If 8 years old is too young, then what's the age limit? Teenager?

 

[Homerboy]

30 mins? I wouldn't leave my 14 year old in the car that long.
Not out of fear, just out of not being an asshole.

 

[Kaido]

Yeah but at 8, I'm sure he had a tablet or something he was glued into for 30 minutes, you know?

 

[SearchMaster]

I'm sure I left my kids in the car at that age, but I wouldn't leave it running (open the windows in the summer). I don't think I ever did it for 30 minutes though, usually just to stop by the grocery store to get a couple of things so maybe 10 minutes tops. If I knew I was going to have a longer trip I always made them come with me.

 

[Homerboy]

I'm sure I left my kids in the car at that age, but I wouldn't leave it running (open the windows in the summer). I don't think I ever did it for 30 minutes though, usually just to stop by the grocery store to get a couple of things so maybe 10 minutes tops. If I knew I was going to have a longer trip I always made them come with me.

Exactly -- 10 mins or so makes sense.

If you read the article, she did it routinely as she started her work day (postal worker) then took her son to work after.

 

[OutHouse]

i have but i took the keys and not for 30 min. 10 min while i ran into the store or post office.

 

[TwiceOver]

30 min is pretty long, but at least an 8 year old can properly communicate with someone what is going on, probably where they live, etc. Me personally, 10 minutes is probably too long for me to leave an 8 year old in the car. I won't leave my 5 year old in the car if I can't see him from where I'm going (gas station, etc).

 

[K7SN]

I drove a Ford Ferguson on streets when I was 8 so it really depends on the kid, If a city cop would question me (only the days when the regular cop was off) I'd just tell him I was going down to another ranch (I was) to grade something (usually had a blade on the back except planting time) and it was legal since the tractor was considered a minor vehicle of husbandry. The reality would be I was going to the friends house to play baseball, football or sometimes to grade a road or plow a field.

That was 1954/1955 by the time I was 10 or so drove a ford jeep off-road, it was quicker. The problem is that was then and in a rural area where no-one locked a house and left the keys in their cars. Obviously this wasn't rural, wasn't safe and wasn't prudent; is it criminal is suspect not but in today's meddling society it problem can be construed as such. Having your kid go two miles to grade a path or plow a field probably is illegal many places nowadays.

 

[Mxylplyx]

I leave my 8 yr old in the car if I need to run in somewhere real quick and it's not too hot. I take the keys and lock him in the car. I tell him to not open the door for ANYONE. He'll retort with "what if nana walked up" or "what if it's a policeman", to which I reply "NO ONE".

 

[CZroe]

I think 8yo is fine to leave in the car if that's what the 8yo wanted and he wasn't locked in.

 

[twinrider1]

Agreed, the age is fine but the duration is pushing it. I'd take him in with me if I had to be gone that long.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

At age 8 I would attempt to operate said vehicle. I would have known I could not get it started without keys, but I knew enough that putting the old car in neutral meant we would be rolling shortly.

 

[waggy]

30 min? nope. that's silly.

5-10? sure.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I used to hang out in the car when I was about 5. I used to specifically ask my parents to stay in the car cause I didn't want to go inside a lot of places. Could be 30 minutes to an hour as much as I could remember.

 

[master_shake_]

yes.

you'd be charged in ontario for child abandonment and failing to provide the necessities of life.

and Childrens aid would be all up in your ass until your child turns 18.

 

[RPD]

30mins and the car was on? That kid is fucked.

Car on, under 45s. Car off, 5 minutes tops. Otherwise WTF is the logic here?

 

[MarkXIX]

I've done it, but I have keyless entry and I take the key fob with me. Windows are cracked for fresh air, doors lock automatically and they know where I'm going and for how long. If it's overly hot or overly cold, it doesn't happen. Sometimes they want to stay in the car too instead of going into an auto parts store, etc.

It is NEVER more than 10 minutes though, period.

 

[Newell Steamer]

I wouldn't.

The mother, a postal worker, told police she often leaves her eight-year-old son in the car while it's running so he can listen to music while she starts her work day before dropping him off at school.

That's some awful parenting.

 

[dat722]

No kid under 18 should ever sit in a car alone. Not to jinx anything but If something bad happens, it's all on the parents. Consequences!

 

[lxskllr]

No comments on the kid getting dropped off at school?! That's a courteous thief! 30 minutes is a long time, and I wouldn't leave them with the engine running, but in the right area, at the right time, I could see doing it as a one-off.

 

[Markbnj]

I don't think 8 is too young to be left in a car, no. However 8 is too young to be left in a car with the keys in the ignition and the engine running, absolutely.

 

[Linux23]

Wait, what? What kind of thief would steal a car with a kid inside?

 

[Mayne]

I walked to kindergarten there and back at age 4 in a sketchy neighbourhood back in the day.

 

[Eli]

Was it one of those situations where she thought it would take 10 minutes, but it ended up taking 30? Seems strange to leave the car running for that long.

When I was 8, I was able to do far "worse" than sit in a car alone for 30 minutes - like you know, go outside. Seems a little outrageous that she would be charged with a crime just because her car happened to get stolen. Nobody would have paid any attention otherwise.

 

[LOCO LAPTOP]

Wait, what? What kind of thief would steal a car with a kid inside?

You would be surprised... They don't care about the kid, they want the car and It's not the first time for sure.