[Guest_Bubbalicious9_*]

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This post has been edited by Bubbalicious9: 29/10/2011, 04:57 PM

[Kay1]

Just a warning - I read that Washington Post article a couple of years ago now and still have nightmares about it. It seriously messed with my head, it is very very confronting and I think it should always come with a warning. The information is essential and my heart breaks for the children and families in the story but some of the details are unforgettable and extremely disturbing.

Bubbalicious I believe in the WP article they talk about such a device being developed.

[liveworkplay]

I feel devistated for everyone involved. With no details, who knows the circumstances surrounding this.

We need to invent something, some kind of alarm that automatically triggers if the vehicle is switched off and there is a certain amount of weight in an infant seat (anything over a few grams). Just the same way most modern cars register weight in the passenger side and sound an alarm if the seat belt is not on (handbags need to go on the floor of the vehicle, or they set the alarm off). I believe this would save lives if they were fitted to every infant car seat.

No, what we need is for people to make checking a part of their automatic routine. Someone spoke of being on autopiolet. Since I had kids, part of my "autopilot" is to always glance in the back seat when I approach or leave the car. Yes we can forget things but after 7 years this is so much part of my driving routine I do it automatically. Even if I am getting out at home and the kids are running screaming hello from the front door, I still do it, middle of the night whilst out, yep, after I drop them at care whilst still in the car park, yes again. Sometimes I I chuckle to myself when I catch myself doing it, but, when I read articles like this I thank God that I do.

This post has been edited by liveworkplay: 26/10/2011, 03:54 PM

[MakeLoveNotBacon]

V&J - where did you hear that the mother does it regularly? Do you have a link? I'm keen to get some reliable info as this morning was pretty full on.

I was talking about a different case LG, an american woman on tv a few years back.

[Guest_Bubbalicious9_*]

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This post has been edited by Bubbalicious9: 29/10/2011, 04:58 PM

[Guest_Buggylicious_*]

We need to invent something, some kind of alarm that automatically triggers if the vehicle is switched off and there is a certain amount of weight in an infant seat (anything over a few grams). Just the same way most modern cars register weight in the passenger side and sound an alarm if the seat belt is not on (handbags need to go on the floor of the vehicle, or they set the alarm off). I believe this would save lives if they were fitted to every infant car seat.

I read something like this has been invented the problem is no one wants to market it because if it fails they have a huge lawsuit on their hands.

[MrsNorthman]

There is absolutely NO information in that story. I was always utterly appalled at any parent who could do this until I saw one lady's story on television. I believe her husband always took the child to daycare and it was just one of those horrific instances where the mother had to do the drop off on that particular day, but she got in the car, stopped in at a bakery on her way to work and set off on her usual morning routine. Autopilot kicked in and the poor child was fast asleep and left in the car all day, it was only when a co-worker came tearing into the office towards the end of the day that the mother realised what she'd done. She was vilified by the public and media, but hearing her story my heart broke for her. I am never so quick to judge now, no matter how impossible it seems that we could possibly forget our child.

Was that the woman on Oprah? If so, the memory expert or doctor was really very good at explaining why our memories can forget something as important as a child in the backseat.

That's great, but it's clearly not enough for everyone. If there is an alarm to let you know your seatbelt is not on; your lights are on; you are reversing; your door is open; your boot isn't closed properly... surely one more that could potentially save a life wouldn't be too difficult to implement?

This kind of thing was brought up I think in that Oprah interview. Not sure legally how they would work for the manufacturer...

[Lausii]

Just saw this on the early news. Happened on Thursday the 20th of October, which I believe was a pretty hot day in Sydney? Poor baby girl, dd is that age and it makes me sick thinking of what that baby went through. Not enough information as to what happened but the mother was released on conditional bail.

[madmother]

I am sitting here after being awake since 1.30am. I know a fog surrounds my brain, and I remember how terrible a toll regular sleep deprivation used to take.

We are human, we all stuff up. How terrible when your mistake takes your child's life. How could you go on?

I will wait until more facts come out on the case.

[heffalumpsnwoozl...]

Unless there was some kind of deficit (e.g. an active mental illness, developmental delay, drug addiction) I truly can't fathom how you could forget that your child is in the car with you.

I feel terribly sorry for what the mum will now have to go through but I can't understand how this could happen to an otherwise responsible aware and competent person.

And did you not read the Washington Post article linked earlier in the thread?

I have the kids with me 99% of the time. Autopilot for me means I'm always looking in the back seat, even when I know the kids aren't with me. When I put the kids in the car, my bag is always on the floor of the back seat, on the passenger side. I have to open the back passenger door to get my bag. There's no way I will ever forget my kids, as long as I remember my bag.

DH has the kids 1% of the time. Autopilot for him means he doesn't consider the kids at all. And the one time I ask him to drop them off on his way somewhere, I don't think it would be completely unfathomable for him to forget to make the side trip, and I very much doubt he'd think to look in the back seat before he left the car. Their presence hasn't been drummed into his psyche like it has mine. He's rarely with them alone, so he never feels like there's something missing if they're not around.

I can see how it can happen accidentally. It would be the most horrible thing imaginable.

The article doesn't say what happened in this particular case, but whether the child was left in the car deliberately or not, I doubt the mother meant for her to die there. It's an awful situation, either way.