Does the father deserve to be punished for forgeting his kid in car? Poll

[rodeodance]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11993964/

Live Vote
Does the father deserve to be punished for leaving his baby daughter in the car as he raced to catch his train?
Yes
No

[RB TexLa]

1. they had billboards here a few summers ago asking to put a purse

or laptop beside the kid in the back seat so you wouldn't forget them.

[valerief]

4. Or maybe a cowbell

Whoever forgets their child in a car doesn't deserve a child.

[RB TexLa]

7. Cowbell? They were saying to put something you remember beside them

most everyone will automatically grab a laptop bag or ladies will automatically grab their purse when getting out of their car for something. They were saying to place something like that beside the child in the backseat of the car to help in not forgetting the child was there.

[valerief]

9. I was thinking the cowbell would alert the parent of the child

And I was being sarcastic. I think it's criminal that parents neglect their children like that.

[Carni]

27. Do you have kids?

And have you ever had a baby with colick?

Sleep deprivation can do some very strange things to the human brain.

[Maru Kitteh]

62. I have kids and I've been sleep deprived but ANYBODY who "forgets"

their kid in a car SHOULD NEVER EVER EVER EVER under any circumstances be allowed to have kids. Any children they do have should be taken away and placed with sane people who will actually love and cherish them.

[valerief]

2. No 52%?

Are those people nuts?

[rodeodance]

3. No 52% geech, what a punishing society we have become (48% yes)

Does the father deserve to be punished for leaving his baby daughter in the car as he raced to catch his train? * 11361 responses
Yes 48%
No 52%
Not a scientifically valid survey. Click to learn more.

[rodeodance]

5. It was a terrible thing to happen--and I think father had a scare which

is enough. Let it drop.

[Gormy Cuss]

14. The reason for punishment is deterrent of future incidents by others.

This father made a terrible mistake (probably over tired and stressed.) He will punish himself severely enough that this one child is safe for now on I think. The question is whether a fine is going to do any good in ramping up the message to other parents. I doubt it.

The other reason to mete out a token fine is to have a court record that this occurred, which would only be relevant if the same parent or child is involved in a similar incident in the future.

[Catherine Vincent]

6. He should get some punishment but nothing drastic.

I really think it was an honest mistake. And I'll bet he will never do that again.

[Iris]

24. Isn't the horror of what he'd done enough punishment?

I think this sort of thing probably happens a lot on less severe level. I've heard many anecdotal stories about situations like this. I think parents are so overwhelmed with trying to take care of their children and work all on their own (b/c we can't have no Hillary's village helpin' folks out) that I'm surprised we don't hear more stories like this.

[Catherine Vincent]

39. I could agree with that.

[Iris]

41. I didn't mean to be prickly, but the desire to see people punished for

every single misdeed seems so right-wing.

[Catherine Vincent]

45. I didn't really desire harsh punishment.

More on the lines of a three month probation. And the other poster is right, his wife will punish him enough.:-)

[Iris]

53. Yes, that was a good observation!

[guinivere]

8. How the heck do you forget your child is in the car?

I think he needs some small punishment.

[TheDebbieDee]

18. Parents don't do that intentionally.........

If the child goes to sleep and/or is very quiet..........it would be fairly easy to forget that the child is in the car!

When my oldest child was an infant, she would sometimes fall asleep in the car still full from her morning bottle. A couple of times, I drove past the turn-off to her sitter's house.

Thank God I was able to figure out that I hadn't stopped at the sitter's before I could get to work.

[Mutley]

63. How do you forget your kid is in the back seat?

I have never even forgetten that my dog is in the back seat when she's being quiet.

[redwitch]

34. I once thought I had forgotten my little guy in the car

I hadn't, I had dropped him off at preschool before I went off on my errands, but the moment of panic I will never forget. People get too stressed and they need to slow down, get more sleep, etc. I feel really bad for this dad. He will never, ever live this down. He doesn't need more punishment, he needs less stress and more sleep.

[MemphisTiger]

10. He does need punishment

As a parent you are responsible for the safety and general well-being of the child. I have never even come close to forgetting my child in the car.

[Iris]

25. Isn't the horror of what he'd done enough punishment?

[valerief]

11. I wonder what he'd get if he dropped the child off in the middle of

Times Square and left him there. I don't think intent plays a role in this case. When you neglect a child either by accident or on purpose, you should be punished by law.

[Iris]

28. Oh, please. The child welfare systems are overwhelmed as it is.

They can't go around punishing parents for every parenting mistake they make. Parents make mistakes.

[medeak]

12. father in law forgot grandson in shopping cart in parking lot

drove off without him.. It happens!

[Lars39]

13. Probation and parenting classes.

[Greyhound]

15. And this "punishment" that you advocate will accomplish, what?

Do we put him in jail so that his child gets a first hand look the state child welfare system?
A big fine so he has no means to provide for this child we all care so much about?

You know what? People make mistakes and do stupid things every single day. Today he has, undoubtedly, learned that his priorities are out of whack, and we hope he will learn from this, but unless you are advocating some sort of state institution for raising every child in amerika, this kind of thing will happen. We are only human.

[MemphisTiger]

21. When people make mistakes of this nature there are consequences

I'm not to sure that being in the "care" of this man is better than being in the state child welfare system. At least they might not forget him in cars.

[Iris]

26. You have got to be kidding. You'd put a child in the foster care system

over something like this? I assume (hope) you mean maybe a social worker does a few home visits to make sure things are ok in that family, NOT, dear God, that they remove the child from the home!

[MemphisTiger]

59. Better than a clueless father, where will he leave the child next?

bus station?

[Greyhound]

29. Fortunately you don't get to make that decision. You apparently aren't

that familiar with state child welfare systems, either, if you think this kid would be better off with them. We're not talking about somebody that has their kids acting as mules for their crack wholesale business, or selling them to pedophiles, it was a stupid mistake and stupidity is still not against the law.

[Obamanaut]

60. I don't think this warrants foster care. I just did a search using

'foster care horror stories' and was given over 3 million results. I think at the very most take the guy to court, assign a guardian ad litem, make a couple of home visits, and voila! Another kid not placed in the system to get lost. This man is going to punish himself time and again during the dark hours before sleep comes.

[newportdadde]

16. I have three kids.

One just turned two in Jan, the other two, twins, are 1 month old.

How the hell do you just forget your kid? I mean my son isn't exactly back there being quite as a mouse lol, I get commentary on everything.

I could see the eldery maybe with the start of demensia or something but come on.

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. Yeah I raised two and I never forgot either of them

And I am a space cadet. I lose my keys regularly. Two weeks ago I left my purse in a restaurant, last weekend I left my coat in a dressing room at a dept store.

But I never once left or lost either of my kids anywhere. So if I can keep track of babies, anyone can :)

[Lochloosa]

17. I believe there is no punishment that will come close to what

the mother is going to put him through.

Leave the poor man to his misery.

[truebrit71]

33. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner....

Hell hath no fury like a pissed off mom....

[Virginia Dare]

19. In as much as public responders had to become involved...

maybe it cost the taxpayers some resources because of his extreme carelessness, maybe a fine.

[RB TexLa]

20. unrelated but, that is another reason you never call 911

you can call an ambulance yourself, and get an ambulance instead of these "public responders"

[BiggJawn]

42. Castrate him.

And then, while he's still screaming, shove his former nuts down his throat, stretch his pecker out till you can twang it like a bass fiddle string, then make him run down the middle of Main Street naked, with hot coals in his now-empty scrotum, then drawn and quarter him, and bury the 4 parts in seperate corners of the country.

Will THAT be enough punishment?

:sarcasm:

[seabeyond]

22. this is exactly what is bothering me more about u.s. than so much of

the other stuff. i look at this attitude to punish this man, make him pay a fine for services if any received, (like he doenst already with taxes), put child in foster care better off......

wow

i look at my childrens future and see how afraid our school administration and police are of and for our boys, how sad is that.

i could go into any home and tell where they do wrong in raising their kids, but they make those choices. you can come into my home and do the same. i can state where you would have an issue with my raising kids, i am well aware, and still i make my choices for my reason

this is just so in line with the fundies, the nanny dems, the no smoking outside, the charge being drunk in a bar, the no tolerance in schools............

no such thing as an accident. all error must result in punishment

for the grace of god, there go i

[bleedingheart]

23. I think the poor guy is probably beating himself up over this

he did rush back to her...however I would have given him a lot of extra credit had he called 911 to let them know and have someone keep an eye on his baby until he got back there...

[Karenina]

50. Why are so many so eager

to pile more pain on this guy? He fucked up, it made the "news," his wife may likely NEVER trust him again and all of THAT is not enough punishment. I.JUST.DON'T.GET.IT.

[bleedingheart]

51. Hey don't beat up on me...I feel bad for the guy

I can even imagine how it happened...I am just thinking that if had been me...I would have called 911 and gotten someone to look after the baby until I got there....but then I am an obsessive compulsive

[Karenina]

57. I was AGREEING with you Sweetiekins!

Sorry if that wasn't clear! :hug: As for calling 911, the adrenaline in the guy's system may well have further short-circuited his already overstressed, distracted brain as I'm certain his ONLY THOUGHT was getting to his kid...

Without checking your profile, I'd venture that you're female. Guys tend to want to do it all themselves, even if it means being lost for HOURS before asking for directions. :evilgrin:

[Bridget Burke]

30. Yes--perhaps a court appearance & a fine?

Nothing draconian, but a little reminder might help.

[zanne]

31. Almost the same situation a few years ago...

Somewhere in the U.S., I forget where. The guy was supposed to drop his baby off with a babysitter on his way to work, but forgot. It was a hot day in the summer and the car was in the parking lot of where he worked. The baby died. He was not charged.

[MissB]

32. No.

[SmokingJacket]

35. Yeah, but not a lot.

A fine would do, IMHO.

[truebrit71]

37. No.

Especially if he wasn't normally the one that took care of her in the morning. It is very easy to become so focused on getting to work, not pissing the boss off by being late because you can't afford to get fired, so you can take care of the kid...

I bet the poor bastard is beating himself up about this...

[savemefromdumbya]

38. This happens a lot

I can't imagine anyone forgetting their child?

[MoonRiver]

40. Depends on the punishment!

I definitely think he should be required to go to parenting classes if that's a punishment.

[Tinksrival]

47. The article states the punishment

"Sander, described as “terrified, embarrassed,” was charged with leaving a child under 8 unattended in a car or building. He could face a fine of up to $500 and 30 days in jail."

So I guess the answer is yes. The law is the law whether or not it was deliberate.
I would much rather pay the fine then be tried in the court of public opinion! :spank:

[Batgirl]

43. I can't be all that judgmental

just as I'm not able to assure myself and others that I am absolutely incapable of making such a mistake.

I once forgot to pick up my 8-year-old son from school. I had just started putting groceries away when I suddenly remembered today was a half day and instead of it being 10 minutes before I was supposed to be at the school, it was a half hour too late. I charged up to the school and literally galloped through the halls trying to find him. I was in such a state that people would recoil in alarm as I ran by with my eyes bugged out. It turned out that the neigbor down the road had given him a ride, so it all turned out okay. I think I was still apologizing for everything in my sleep that night.

Now it's years later and I have a young stepson whom I drive to school occasionally. Sometimes after I drop him off I'll be halfway through my commute, and in my driving trance I'll have a little moment of panic thinking he's still in the back seat and I forgot to drop him off.

Considering everything, I can't muster much righteous indignation for parents who are basically loving and responsible but who had a human memory lapse.

[SPKrazy]

44. I Say He Does

If you can't be more responsible for your offspring than that, then don't bring them into the world.

[Nikki Stone 1]

46. What would people say or if it were the MOTHER who did this?

Mothers get all kids of criticism for a whole lot less than this.

[Bunny]

48. No.

I was a single mother, completely alone, when my oldest was born. Being 100% responsible for a baby, while working full time, was extremely demanding. I was often addled. I never forget my baby in the car, but it is not hard to see how it could happen.

I would guess that his wife is kicking his ass plenty, and I'm sure he's beating himself up as well. Thankfully, no harm was done to the baby.

[crispini]

49. I voted no.

No harm done and sometimes people forget stuff.

Yes
49%

No
51%

[ecstatic]

52. He should get a special license plate color

so that everyone knows he is the type to forget helpless children in a hot car. hehe

[Xithras]

54. Egad. I did something similar once.

No, not in a car, at home.

Generally this kind of stuff happens when you're overtired, in a hurry, AND something has happened to interrupt your routine. In my case, my wife usually dropped our baby off at grandmas house when she left for work at 5AM. This particular morning, she had to go in early and left the baby at home for me to drop off. I ended up running late that morning, and in my rush to make it to work on time, I completely forgot that the "routine" had changed that morning. I was twenty miles down the road when I realized that I'd left my 9 month old son at home, alone, in his crib. Had any police officers seen me driving home, I'd have probably been arrested on the spot...I hit about 140mph at one point, was weaving through traffic like a madman, and blew at least two traffic lights...but I made it home in record time!

My son was still sleeping soundly in his crib when I got back home; he'd never even noticed that I was gone.

Those of you advocating punishment don't understand how futile it would be. We punish people to DISCOURAGE negative behavior, not to extract vengeance. I would have no problem imprisoning someone who deliberately locked their kid in a car, but accidents like this one aren't deliberate. You cannot discourage somebody from doing something they never intended to do in the first place. Punishing someone isn't going to make their memory better, and it's not going to reduce the stress in their life, so it will do NOTHING to reduce the possibility of this happening again. Any punishment given would simply be to extract vengeance, which I disagree with on principle.

As someone else pointed out, his wife will punish him far more than the police ever will. I know mine did (that was seven years ago, and I STILL hear about it whenever I disagree with any of her parenting methods).

[Spirochete]

55. His punishment should be

having to clean the shit out of his drawers, from when he realized what he'd done.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

56. 100% Absolutely Not!!!!!

It was a horribly frightening thing that happened and first and foremost I'm glad it worked out so well. I'm quite sure the semi-heart attack the father suffered today is more punishment than any father ever wants to have to endure. Shit happens. Mistakes happen. Sometimes mistakes are doozies. But I'm sure this is the last guy on earth who will have this happen to him again. God bless him and his family and thank the lord everything turned out ok.

Not sure of the sanity of those that want to lynch the guy (figuratively speaking), but I guess it's just the typical case of people rushing for their chance at moments of grandiose self righteousness.

[drmom]

58. I wonder what the repukes would say if it was a black family, or

the parent went into a bar instead of on a train. That's really the problem is that we as a society are much less likely to punish "upstanding" people. But honestly, punishment in cases like this serves as a warning and possibly a wake up call to everyone.

[proud2BlibKansan]

61. yes

[flyarm]

64. THEN HE SHOULD BE JOINED BY MANY FATHERS THROUGH HISTORY!! N/T