re: What is your opinion on parents who forget their children in the car?

I totally could've forgotten my kid in the car. I never did, but I'm pretty absentminded.

I forgot my cat in my car for like 3 hours after the vet once. Poor thing was covered in sweat and panting.

I worried about it a lot when my wife was pregnant. Like "could that ever happen to me? I forget shite in the car all the time.". Hasn't come close to happening, and my son sleeps every time he gets in the car, so it's quiet back there. I don't even get worried about it much anymore, because if I'm in the car with him by myself, I'm usually talking to him or something.

I still don't see how people can jump on parents like they are murderers though. I'm not trying to make this out as a simple "stuff happens" type of thing, but the most perfect person isn't perfect every time. 99.9% of the time it's something insignificant. But it could always be something that is a catastrophe such as this. For me, that makes it hard to judge. I'm sure they already judge themselves harder than you ever could.

Now people like that a-hole who left his kid on purpose to make it look like an accident can rot in Hell.

I think the OP is talking about those situations where the parent forgot the baby was in the backseat and went about their day....with the baby dying of heat stroke from being strapped in the carseat all day long.

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I still don't see how people can jump on parents like they are murderers though.

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I agree. Like someone else posted...this has happened more after they recommended carseats be rear facing. So it's obviously a serious issue that can happen to the best of parents. I think the best approach for parents would be to realize and acknowledge that IT CAN HAPPEN to you and take precautions so that it never does.

before I had a kid I thought they were awful. Now I am less convinced. It is a terrible mistake but I can see how it happens especially when the kid is asleep and the routine is changed. When you are a zombie running on no sleep its amazing what basic things you can screw up.

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I think 8 or 9 is still too young

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What are they going to do though? Just have the air blowing, the radio on, and then playing on an iPad or a DS. I really think kids are smarter than most people give them credit for. They're not going to open a door for a stranger just because he says he has a puppy. If I feel comfortable letting my kid go around the neighborhood by himself to ride his bike (which kids should be doing at that age), then I should be comfortable enough to let them sit still for 20 minutes by themselves.

i would dare say that the people who've made this awful mistake were just like some of you saying it would never happen to them. "Those parents should be put in jail" or "not fit to be parents..." Then bam! Mistake made.

I'd rather acknowledge how human I am and prone to make mistakes. Only then would I realize my vulnerabilities so I can keep my guard up.

Be careful with the phrase "that would never happen to me"

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But, each time, I was out of my routine and something happened to shift my mind.

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I understand that. There was one case several years back in DC where the guy broke routine and was supposed to take baby to daycare or wherever. He carried out his usual routine and went to a Metro station parking lot and took the train, leaving sleeping baby in car. I guess he remembered when he got to work. I think the baby made it but it was close.

I get it was a mistake and don't think the parent was evil, but I don't understand how you could get that far.

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Saw a car with a bunch of older kids (8-12) in the car while mom went shopping. Few minutes later car was put into drive and across the parking lot it went striking a few cars.

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If a fricking 12 year old is too stupid to sit in a car for a few minutes, then they're beyond help. They are just stupid. They're 3 years away from legally being able to drive. If you can't trust a 12 year old to sit in a car by himself, then you've failed as a parent and you've likely abused them by being a helicopter parent.

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If I feel comfortable letting my kid go around the neighborhood by himself to ride his bike

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this is a fair point.

But my issue is leaving the keys. Kids around that age are curious and I jut think I'd be worried they'd try to take off driving. But I don't have kids, so idk what I'm talking about. I'm sure a harsh warning could prevent that.