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

[CZroe]

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

The kind of thief attracted to seemingly unattended cars with engines running with keys inside. The kid was probably hiding from them.

 

[Captante]

30 min? nope. that's silly.

5-10? sure.

Agreed. (Although I'd say it depends on the 8 year old)

 

[Jumpem]

Yes. You will get charged with something. I think in NY at least kids have to be supervised until 12.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

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.

This.

 

[Ham n' Eggs]

to answer this question, let's look at some data for what could happen:

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

Child gets kidnapped.
Is 8 years too young to be left in the car? Yes.

 

[Eli]

If life was based on what could happen, we would all never leave our houses.

I felt sorry for all of my friends that had strange arbitrary boundaries when I was a kid. I don't think that type of thing has gotten any better. I could literally go anywhere my feet, and later, pedals could take me(which was quite far!) for as long as I can remember. When teenagers get cars these days, are they only allowed to drive in a certain radius around the house??

/old man mode

 

[rh71]

A running car + 8yo? Hell no I would never even think of doing that. Well I've done that for about a minute at a time when I had to run back into the house because I forgot something, but I told them specifically not to mess with the controls of the car - don't even get out of their booster seats.

 

[Spacehead]

2. Car gets stolen with kid in it, but thieves drop kid off at school

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

Apparently they did care

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Here is a helpful website with state laws regarding kids in vehicles

http://www.kidsandcars.org/state-laws.html

 

[Eli]

Yeah, I admit the 'with the car running' part is a little perplexing. That was probably a duh moment, but charging with a crime when they are the victims seems over the top.

 

[pcgeek11]

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!

18? Really? That is just silly. Granted 8 is a bit young to be alone in a running car, but I think at 13 or so they should be grown enough and trustworthy to sit in a friggin car for a half hour alone.

 

[Lonyo]

18? Really? That is just silly. Granted 8 is a bit young to be alone in a running car, but I think at 13 or so they should be grown enough and trustworthy to sit in a friggin car for a half hour alone.

Also if they passed their test, then why shouldn't they be in a car alone... it might even be their own car.

 

[JTsyo]

I wouldn't.



That's some awful parenting.

Sounds like it's childcare issue. She needs to start work before school starts, so she takes him along and then drops him at school.

 

[Rakehellion]

I wouldn't leave my abandoned car running for any length of time. That's just stupid.

 

[Jumpem]

Everyone is also skipping over the fact that is illegal to simply leave your car running unattended.

 

[Ichinisan]

I was left in a car for 3 long years. 8 years is just too long.

 

[Ichinisan]

If life was based on what could happen, we would all never leave our houses.

I felt sorry for all of my friends that had strange arbitrary boundaries when I was a kid. I don't think that type of thing has gotten any better. I could literally go anywhere my feet, and later, pedals could take me(which was quite far!) for as long as I can remember. When teenagers get cars these days, are they only allowed to drive in a certain radius around the house??

/old man mode

I was 5-6 years old and roaming the neighborhood by myself in the mid-1980s. Dangerous, I guess...but everyone let their kids out back then.

 

[lxskllr]

I was 5-6 years old and roaming the neighborhood by myself in the mid-1980s. Dangerous, I guess...but everyone let their kids out back then.

I wouldn't say dangerous. The danger increases by a couple of points compared to being locked in a house, but it's worth it for added life experience. The desire for absolute safety is one of the most regrettable modern affectations.

 

[CZroe]

Everyone is also skipping over the fact that is illegal to simply leave your car running unattended.

Probably because there was an occupant.

 

[Subyman]

I don't see much of an issue here. She was at a post office getting ready for work before taking him to school. Charging her after such a terrible thing was done to her isn't productive. I think 8 years old is plenty old to be left alone for 30 mins at a "supposedly" safe place like a post office. Our focus should be on the criminal, not the mother trying to juggle doing her job and taking care of her child.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Apparently they did care

Not necessarily. You ever ride in a car with an 8 year old? They probably got tired of listening to him and dropped him off just to get rid of his whiny ass.

And to the subject of the OP, mom belongs in jail. That is some truly epic parenting fail.

 

[Dude111]

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

He probably should have LOCKED THE DOORS!!

Im glad he is ok!!

 

[nageov3t]

my dad would leave me in the car for ~half an hour when I was about that age, and we never had any issues (with strict instructions to keep the doors locked and not open them for anyone but him)

usually when he was grocery shopping... I preferred to sit in the car reading or playing my Gameboy than walking around the store with him.

 

[tortillasoup]

my dad would leave me in the car for ~half an hour when I was about that age, and we never had any issues (with strict instructions to keep the doors locked and not open them for anyone but him)

usually when he was grocery shopping... I preferred to sit in the car reading or playing my Gameboy than walking around the store with him.

this. I think the longest I spent in a car was about an hour waiting. I've sat in cars waiting, sometimes with the key but most of the time without. Got pretty boring but I put up with it.

 

[CZroe]

He probably should have LOCKED THE DOORS!!



Im glad he is ok!!

Many vehicles do not allow this when the engine is running. The engine was running.