Locking a baby in a hot car, where is the help?

The link is to a personal blog. The statement about the law being linked to the White House is neither verified nor objectively written. An ordinance that prohibits Slim Jims is passed at a local level; the White House does not have control over every piddly ordinance and law in every town. The town where my mother hails from also does not permit the Police to use Slim Jims, and I know for a fact that it predates President Bush.

I know all posts are subject to personal opinion. That's cool, and I accept that I often fall into a minority here. But please do not pass off other opinions (from unverified sources) as fact. It distorts the story.

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Anna, good catch! The thing that should tip a reader off in the original blog post is the line about "civil liberties b.s. from Dubya."

Dubya is not generally thought of as a big fan of civil liberties... and what on earth do civil liberties have to do with slim jims?

I did a google search for "slim jims and police" and got a bunch of links to websites selling slim jims to cops. So it can't be illegal like this everywhere. I did find a link to a website in Washington state where the police say they can't use slim jims.

I do wonder if the mom or police though to call a locksmith. One driving around and nearby might have been able to open the car more quickly. Ah, well, good thing the little one is safe.

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Our local police department carries them, so it must be a local law, not a federal one, so it's not really fair to blame the White House for this one.

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In that circumstance I would have grabbed the nearest blunt object and smashed the window. The heck with waiting for a locksmith. You have less than 20 minutes before brain damage sets in under those conditions.

This is a good reason to have AAA. I did this once (during the winter in Florida) and called AAA. Within 10 minutes they had someone there with the proper tools to open the car.

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I'd break a window and send the bill to the city council that doesn't fund slim jims for police officers to use in such emergencies.

I wonder if AAA has them and if someone had called the auto club if they could've helped.

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I once locked dd in an a/c car (door lock malfunction). Had the a/c failed, the window would have been smashed in a second. Because she was never hot or even upset, we waited for the FD

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I once did the same thing when my son was about 1 and a half years old. My car has electric locks that I swear if you just brush against it they lock. As I was Putting my son into his car seat one of us hit the button and I did not hear the noise. I goto get in and OH NO !!! yes he is locked in !!! First thing I tried looking for a spare set of keys in my purse and no I didnt have any. Next I climbed through a window in my house to see if there was any keys inside. No luck so I called 911. My luck it was one of those hot summer days. My son is screaming and crying I can see his face just getting red and more red . I tried my best to calm him down. The police came and they did have a slim jim with them. My son is now 4 so it wasn't that long ago. The police tried and tried to get in but they could not get it open. As one cop tried to jimmy it open, the other cop and myself was at the window making faces and trying to calm him down. Finally I thought I will try to get ahold of my husband, who has an extra key, and hope to God I get a hold of him and he is not working far away. Luckily I did get ahold of him and he was working like 15 min. away. When he pulled in and opened the door I think the cops were Thanking God just as much as I was. They were so happy they let my son in the car and let him put the lights and sirens on. From then on I checked the locks before I shut the door and I always leave my door open while I am putting him in his car seat and now booster seat.
Hard lesson learned but I thank God we got him out in time before something serious happened to him.

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"Dubya is not generally thought of as a big fan of civil liberties... and what on earth do civil liberties have to do with slim jims?"

Civil liberties have to do with slim jims in that with them police officers can conduct warrantless searches of private vehicles without leaving any trace of their malfeasance. Probably the reason fire/rescue can have them and police can't.

This is a local policy; police here haven't been able to carry them for at least 15 years. You certainly wouldn't expect the Bush White House to have anything against a little illegal search and seizure, would you?

I would have smashed the window farthest from my child, about five seconds after I noticed the keys were locked in the car.

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Good thinking Eden. I told the cops to break the window if they couldn't get it. I didn't care about the car I wanted my son out asap! They were afraid that they would shadder glass on him and cut him but they did say if it came down to it they would.

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They make these little gadgets that break safety glass without shattering it. Of course these are intended to get you *out* of the car in an emergency, so it's probably in your glovebox rather than your purse or backpack.

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I understand the idea of paying to replace a window would spark a call to local authorities, AAA, and a locksmith...BUT come on folks! You didn't just lock your purse or the groceries in there! Waiting 30 - 15 - even 10 minutes while your baby is broiling in a car is worth the cost. As a previous poster touched on, that baby is headed for some serious health problems if you wait too long and who knows what that magic number is considering all the factors (heat, car make, etc.) Just buck up and break the glass.

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Most towns that forbid police departments the use of slim-jims do so for liability issues. Thank overly litigious idiots who sue when the cops bust the electronic locks opening a car door. Since they're not allowed (by departmenal policy or local ordinance) to use slim-jims, they aren't given them either.

San - Believe it or not, most cops aren't out prowling the streets seeking the next opportunity to violate your civil rights. The implication that the cops should be denied tools because they can't be trusted not to do a little illegal search and seizure is offensive.

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Wow, so silly.

Just break the damn window.

End of story.

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Brenda, it may be offensive, but it's reality. Suing the police, especially suing and winning, is not all that easy. I still contend property damage liability is the not the major issue here -- or the fire department would face the same restrictions. Regardless, as to restrictions on criminal justice personnel, this is nothing unusual -- or offensive -- to have restrictions and procedural complications attached to their jobs. Indeed it's part of our criminal justice system. The idea behind this is not that all cops would violate your civil rights, it's that if even one made a habit of it, it's more than our criminal justice system can tolerate. Every day police officers may find themselves almost crippled by unusual restrictions on their activities; yet it's what keeps our system balance, and I think that sort of enforced civil liberty is worth some inconvenience.

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Yet another reason why I love that my vehicle has On-Star.

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Firstly, you break the front passenger windows, to help avoid getting glass on the baby and on the driver's seat. Secondly auto safetly glass is designed to be dull. Thirdly, stitches over brain damage any day.

Brenda
(A different one than the one above)
http://preoptimism.blogdrive.com/

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At least people tried to help. The Consumerist blog ran a story (http://consumerist.com/consumer/babies/baby-nearly-killed-by-walmarts-indifference-190910.php)
about a woman accidently locking her baby in a Walmart parking lot, and none of the employees would help. Apparently, it's not their job.

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Here in Arizona, within minutes a closed car can get as hot as 140. The news tells the public that if anyone sees a child or pet in a locked car...break the window and then call police.

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Speaking as one of the resident flaming liberals here, I'm inclined to believe that law came from our side of the fence. And I think this law, although well intentioned, is wrong.

Part of a police officer's job is (or should be) to protect. If they need to open a car in an emergency, they should be able to do so. If they're first on the scene at an accident, they should be able to get victims out of a car before it catches fire. Waiting for the fire department could have deadly results.

If they abuse the tools they need, they should answer for it in court. The Bill of Rights still protects against illegal search even though it's been watered down.

Thanks for running this Heather. I would have broken the window or told the police to do it.

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Lorraine I think that is valid advice almost everywhere, because you really do not know how long they have been in there do you? And some cars heat up superfast.

There was a sad story here (Toronto) recently about a mom and daughter (both adults) who decided to leave 90 year old grandma locked in the back seat. (Apparently the child safety locks were on, I thought those only worked when the engines was on?)

The woman was seriously il before getting them out.

Brenda

PS as a dog owner I would just like to point out, however that it is the sun that heats up cars, so when it is dark out Fido is not going to overheat in 10 minutes in a car that has AC. I rarely leave the dog in the car, but I know others have been hassled about it, and while leaving the dog in the car may not be the best plan, it isn't going to kill them as long as it is after sunset.

http://preoptimism.blogdrive.com/

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