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

[highland145]

No comments on the kid getting dropped off at school?! That's a courteous thief! .

This. Probably told the kid to keep on the straight an narrow or he would end up a felon.

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.

 

[highland145]

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

Well, duh, you wouldn't have abandoned it if you didn't run out of gas.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

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.

oh contraire mon friar, it is very productive. Mommy Government will send the car thief to one of it's many slave labor camps, AND get a hefty paycheck from the mother. It's a win, win!

 

[master_shake_]

au contraire mon frere, it is very productive. Mommy government will send the car thief to one of it's many slave labor camps, and get a hefty paycheck from the mother. It's a win, win!

ftfy

 

[Krazy4Real]

Very responsible decision dropping the kid off at school for the mom.

 

[z1ggy]

8 is too young to be left alone anywhere IMO. Youngest I'd leave a kid alone in a car is probably 12 years old. When I was a kid, they didn't even let us walk alone down to the cafeteria in school alone til we were 11.

I think the first time my mom left me home alone all day was when I was around 13 or 14.

 

[NetWareHead]

8 years old? Shit when I was 8 years old, I already was in charge of watching my 5 year old sister while both of my parents worked. We had some rules when staying home alone ay that age. Dont answer the door for anybody. Dont touch the stove. And dont let anyone know you are home alone if answering the phone. Food is in the fridge. We had a TV and nintendo to keep us busy.

Makes me wonder if we have kids, at what age I will leave them home alone.

 

[slag]

Time limit shouldn't have a bearing on anything here. Either you think its ok to leave an 8 yr old in the car or it isn't. I have left my 8 yr old in the car before, but never running and always with an older sibling. I also tell them to lock the door when I leave and unlock it when I get back or I take the keys with me, usually the latter. I would never ever ever leave my kids in the car with the doors unlocked and it running or any variation of the two.

 

[Kaido]

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

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

Wow, it's under 12 in my state. Seems high, but at least it's a concrete number you can work with rather than a vague maybe yes, maybe no. Nice link!

 

[zinfamous]

rather kind of the thieves to drop the kid off at school.

:hmm: Which of the 2 parties here will be seen as the better parents?

 

[ultimatebob]

It's a crime to leave a kid in a car under the age of 12 in Connecticut, but then we're a liberal nanny state here. The law varies from state to state.

 

[BurnItDwn]

by the age of 5 they should be old enough to walk to school on their own, so perectly OK to sit out in a CAR for a half an hour.

 

[K7SN]

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

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

Thanks for the link.

Nevada State Law
​

​

NRS 202.575 Leaving child unattended in motor vehicle; penalty; exception.
1. A parent, legal guardian or other person responsible for a child who is 7 years of age or younger shall not
knowingly and intentionally leave that child in a motor vehicle if:
(a) The conditions present a significant risk to the health and safety of the child; or
(b) The engine of the motor vehicle is running or the keys to the vehicle are in the ignition, unless the
child is being supervised by and within the sight of a person who is at least 12 years of age.
2. A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of a misdemeanor. The court may suspend the
proceedings against a person who is charged with violating subsection 1 and dismiss the proceedings against
the person if the person presents proof to the court, within the time specified by the court, that the person
has successfully completed an educational program satisfactory to the court. The educational program must
include, without limitation, information concerning the dangers of leaving a child unattended or inadequately​

attended in a motor vehicle.

Not in Nevada - Seems like a reasonable law since dismissal is possible if the parent attends an educational program.

My guess is if you're in a rural community then take your keys and leave your kid for a few would not be consider a violation while leaving your kid in a car outside a casino would be. A concerned rural policeman might talk to the kid and would know the kids name; big city, not so much friendliness and much more risk..

 

[highland145]

by the age of 5 they should be old enough to walk to school on their own, so perectly OK to sit out in a CAR for a half an hour.

QFT. I did. And it wasn't up hill both ways. But crime was way less then, 1969...er...the FBI says that a lie.:hmm:

 

[HologramSkin]

I read the article and it baffles me.

She needs him in there so she can start her work day, but why can't she just drop him off earlier, or negotiate to start half an hour later, etc? Seems like a waste of gas to me.

 

[CZroe]

I read the article and it baffles me.

She needs him in there so she can start her work day, but why can't she just drop him off earlier, or negotiate to start half an hour later, etc? Seems like a waste of gas to me.

You wouldn't negotiate different work hours because your kid would rather sit in the car and play a video game than come inside. If the kid doesn't want to spend his extra time inside with her at work he probably doesn't want to waste the same time at school. If anything could be called "abandonment," it would be dropping off a kid who doesn't want to be at school early enough that the school isn't ready to receive him.

Look at it this way: their routine is to leave a half hour early to stop at work on the way to school so that some aspect of the job could be ready by the time she gets back from dropping him off... like turning on the equipment for warm-up/self test so it'll be ready when you return. It's likely something that would waste even more time to leave earlier to drop him off first. I don't think the mom or the kid wants to leave even earlier and waste more time.

The kid is welcome to come inside but has made it clear that he would rather entertain himself in the car than go inside with a bunch of working stiff adults (probably how I would feel too). There was never any issue that required negotiating alternate hours.