Child left in car dies
Posted: August 3, 2012 at 5:29 p.m.
Updated: August 3, 2012 at 8:02 p.m.
A child died after being left in this car in Walmart parking lot in Springdale.
A two-year-old boy died Friday afternoon after his great-grandparents left him in a car for more than two hours.
Children In Cars
Even in cool temperatures, cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures quickly. With the windows cracked open, interior temperatures can rise almost 20 degrees within the first 10 minutes. Anyone left inside is at risk for serious heat-related illnesses or even death. Children who are left unattended in parked cars are at greatest risk for heat stroke and death.
When traveling with children:
w Never leave infants, children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
w To remind yourself that a child is in the car, keep a stuffed animal in the car seat. When the child is buckled in, place the stuffed animal in the front with the driver.
w When leaving your car, check to be sure everyone is out of the car. Do not overlook any children who have fallen asleep in the car.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Comments
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And a lady at the Bentonville McDonalds got made at me the other day because I was writing down her license plate because she left her sleeping toddler in the car! When will everyone learn?
Posted by: ArkieDiplomat
August 3, 2012 at 6:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I hope they drug test the parent that did this . This is so absent minded !! how can you forget you got your kid with you and if you knew they were there how could you think to leave them in the car like that!!. What is wrong with these people?!?!?!?!?!
Posted by: oldrustynut
August 3, 2012 at 6:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
This could be prevented if large parking lots were patrolled when the temperature reaches a certain point. Persons who leave children and pets in parked cars should be given a ticket. volunteer organizations could take turns checking cars and when a child is found in a car the police should be called immediately. It does not do any good to rant and rave about something happening after the fact. Preventative action is the key. This should not be necessary, but stupidity, neglect, forgetfulness, and any other defect in humans will always surface. This might be an idea some of our lawmakers should consider. Heat related deaths in parking lots can be eliminated and Arkansas could lead the way for the rest of the nation.
Posted by: kinggeorge
August 4, 2012 at 10:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
If you see a child or pet locked in a hot car, call 911. Even a few minutes can mean the difference between life and death.
Posted by: SarahMarsh
August 4, 2012 at 12:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
In some instances, busting a window out is warranted.
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 4, 2012 at 1:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I agree with Tank, and not with any of the posters preceding him.
Our Constitutionally guaranteed right wingedness and overarching American rugged individualism allows us to stick our individual noses into each others' business, but demands that our government does not.
Posted by: GenBuckTurgidson
August 4, 2012 at 2:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I think if you see a child in a car or a pet locked inside a hot car you should bust out all their windows and the windsheild and back glass as well.
Posted by: oldrustynut
August 4, 2012 at 4:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Why are the names not released? This is a crime and they list accident names too. Put these villians names out there for all to see.
Posted by: Wildturkey
August 4, 2012 at 10:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kinggoerge says "It does not do any good to rant and rave about something happening after the fact. Preventative action is the key."
I like that sentiment, and about a lot of other situations too.
Posted by: Coralie
August 5, 2012 at 4:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Coralie..how do you prevent stupidity??? While I am sure the grandparents did not want this as the end result, they obviously knew their actions were wrong, morally and criminally, or they wouldnt have lied about the time. Any idiot can tell the difference between 45 min and 2.5 hours. They didnt want to be bothered with the child and chose to let the car be the sitter. So again....how to do you prevent stupidity?
Most here on these boards have come out as anti police so arresting and prosecuting the stupid seems unpopular which rules out kinggeorge's idea of patroling the parking lots and calling police.
Yes prevention is the answer, but again I ask.. how to you fix stupid???
Posted by: icatchem925
August 5, 2012 at 6 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Phillip (NWAobserver): I still have no idea what you are talking about. I asked long ago for you to give specifics and I would FOI the incident and even get the press involved...you refused....claiming it would hurt the civil case (which is ridiculous since the incident would be public record if it existed). Now it is supposedly in litigation (by which I am assuming you mean officially filed in circuit court) yet you still wont divulge even the date it allegedly happened so it can be researched.
Ironically, Phillip, you took personal offense to a generalized comment i made about people wanting to bash police for trying to do their job, when my question was merely what solutions other than prosecution after the incident others might have in mind. I wasnt calling you out with the "anti cop" statement, but if the shoe fits.....
My opposition to stupidity in this incident is the needless death of a innocent child. My opposition to stupidity on this forum is quite another matter. That said, you have side-railed this article and discussion for your own personal cop hating agenda as you seem to do quite regularly and I will not be a part of it any further, as it detracts from the somberness of this tragedy.
Posted by: icatchem925
August 5, 2012 at 9:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Who found this child? It seems to me that a 2 y/o would make some noise at the beginning, crying, etc. I wonder how many people walked by and did nothing? How could it be that it took 2 hrs. for someone to notice...and by then, he was already dead, so....how did they notice it only at that time? I have a lot of questions about this. There is not enough information in the coverage of this event.
Posted by: SPA
August 6, 2012 at 11:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I was agreeing with kinggeorge about prevention being in general better than punishment after somebody has been hurt or died.
For instance, in the "War on Drugs" almost all money spent is for catching and incarcerating users and dealers. Only a tiny portion goes for helping people get off hard drugs.
A lot of people who abuse alcohol and other substances are "self-medicating" for depression.
Quite a large number of violent offenders in prison have suffered from head injuries.
Why not get to the roots of these problems instead of always dealing with something after it goes bad?
So why not have volunteers patrol parking lots in hot weather--or even have periodic announcements in large stores like WalMarts where people may spend a large amount of time saying "Don't leave a child or pet unattended in your car."
They may suddenly remember what they forgot.
Posted by: Coralie
August 6, 2012 at 2:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
These were not parents, they were great-grandparents. That means they are probably at least in their 60s, possibly much older. This is possibly a case of older people having a lapse of memory. (I am 82 and have some senior moments myself --nothiing like this.)
In other words, before you call them criminals and monsters, consider that this may be a great tragedy for them as well.
Posted by: Coralie
August 6, 2012 at 2:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
NWA- to assume identity based on a hijacked moniker would be silly... surely you are smarter than that.
Posted by: icatchem925
August 6, 2012 at 4:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Coralie, this day one cannot assume anything like you said...that includes assuming that Great grandparents are old.
With "babies having babies" and the trend to continue from generation to generation, a 15 year old mother could have a 2 year old great grandchild when she reaches 47 (given that each generation continued to have one at 15 years old). That said, the great grandparents in this case are 51 and 61 according to other news releases. And also true that memory affecting diseases can affect people even in their early 40's.
I also agree that better education and other means of prevention would help... so would changing society's view of children being disposable as is now with often lighter punishments for crimes against them than adults.
As far as the war on drugs... only Portugal has been so bold as to "decriminalize" personal use and did so 10 years ago. While still "illegal" the emphasis is on treatment and rehab rather than lock up. Results...less than half the addiction rate, and lower AIDS, drug related crime, etc. Keep in mind they didnt legalize drugs, they merely changed from a punishment deterrent to a rehab approach. The problem they havent disclosed is how it is funded, and what happens if the accused refuses treatment or cant pay.
Posted by: icatchem925
August 6, 2012 at 4:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Initial article listed the ages of the great-grandparents of the child left in the car as 51 and 61. Don't know if this is accurate but they were capable of driving and shopping. Their statements that they "thought it was just a short time" that they were in the store rather than the actual 2 hr. time frame in my mind makes it worse. Almost sounds like they knew he was there and chose not to take him in because it was ONLY 45 minutes or so. It is never okay to leave a kid in a car unattended for ANY length of time. What a preventable tragedy!
Posted by: Dellmann
August 7, 2012 at 8:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
where were the toddlers parents? we know he had great grandparents moving in to HELP, but did not say if there were parents or grandparents.
i wonder what the pundits from this new child abuse training center would advise? let's get the experts opinion...maybe some education of child care needs to be mandatory of each child born in our state to PREVENT any deaths due to ignorance?
in a previous article:
Last October, NorthWest Arkansas Community College announced the opening of the Southern Regional Center for child abuse at the college.
Posted by: ladyLiberty
August 8, 2012 at 9:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Arkansas has a “Good Samaritan” law, Arkansas Code Annotated 17-95-101, that protects both health-care professionals and the general public from civil liability in cases where they simply want to help.
If it is a case where you feel like it’s imminent danger, you could absolutely do what you thought was necessary
Posted by: spinsister
August 8, 2012 at 1:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I am the mother of 4 children who are now grown, with my 2 oldest children having 2, each, of their own children. My grandsons are 14,12, and 6. and my granddaughter is 11. When my children were small, I used to say I should be able to park in a handicap parking zone because I had 4 kids. Shopping with any number of children can be hectic, but shopping with 4 kids is sometimes beyond description. I NEVER left them in the car alone, but one time I left them in the store...ON PURPOSE because I had told them I would if they did not stay with me. I would leave them there...and I did. I moved the car, and watched them...a couple started to cry....I probably would get in trouble for doing that today, but they got the message.. I never had a problem after that. But to leave them in the car...summer, fall, winter, or spring has always been out of the question , not only because of the weather conditions outside, but, these days, the thought of someone snatching my child or grandchild runs in my mind. There is no way I would do that,even for a minute because that's all it takes ..just a minute or less to grab a child, especially if he or she is alone...and not everyone would think it suspicious just to see someone take a child out of the car.. Just like these terrible incidents of the children who lost their lives in extremely heated cars, stories of children being taken from cars or being in cars that are stolen happen too often. So , NO MATTER WHAT, YOU TAKE THE KIDS OUT OF THE CAR AND WITH YOU!!!!!
Posted by: eaton_jeanette_yahoo_com
August 9, 2012 at 9:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I reiterate: children, throughout history, often suffer and sometimes die as a result of the stupidity or hubris of their parents. The Bible even says something about it - it goes along the lines of "the sins of the [parents] are visited upon the [children]".
Get over it - unless it was your own child that died, it's not really newsworthy to you, now is it? Come on, people - we're Americans, right!?! Keen over your dead on your own time, and on your own dime; meanwhile, close ranks and march on.
Posted by: GenBuckTurgidson
August 9, 2012 at 7:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jack,
The conversation on this page is on my time and my dime. The loss of any child is a tragedy and is absolutely newsworthy. This is a serious and important conversation. You could have a little class.
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 10, 2012 at 5:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Data on child fatalities is maintained by the state so apparently someone feels it is of interest/concern to many. I find it interesting that two of the three children's names have been publicized but the one who crawled into the family car in Benton County and died still has not been released. Not sure what or who determines the criteria for when names are published.
Posted by: Dellmann
August 10, 2012 at 2:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Good questions, Dellman. I too want much more info on these cases than has been published. Wondering why the children's names are not published, though they are already deceased.
Posted by: SPA
August 11, 2012 at 8:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I'm just happy that Tank's government finally stepped in and arrested somebody for this misdemeanor crime.
(And Dellmann: data are [not "is"] maintained. Get your verb tense straight before posting to Tank's blog.)
Posted by: GenBuckTurgidson
August 12, 2012 at 1:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
And, Tank - how many chirrins them drones you fly killed, anyhow?
As I said before - human life's pretty cheap to our type.
Posted by: GenBuckTurgidson
August 12, 2012 at 1:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jack,
I don't fly "drones". I am Joint Terminal Attack Controller. Older folks would know the title as Forward Air Controller or FAC, and every time I call in a strike, the overall intent is to save Americans, Allies, and innocents. For the record, I have never killed any children. I am not suprised that your comments continue to be tastless and offensive.
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 12, 2012 at 2:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tank, your offense and indignation doesn't change the basic fact: human life is one of the most plentiful, and therefore expendable, commodities available to us. That's why we have wars, and why God makes folk forget their children in the back seats of cars. It's simply natural selection - it's how evolution works.
I'm only trying to understand how the loss of one child in Springdale, Arkansas, while tragic in the extreme, is any more newsworthy than the preservation of any of the many "Americans, [a]llies, and innocents" you claim to have saved by dropping bombs on somebody else. (And, some unsolicited advice: be really careful about going on record about who you have, or have not, killed. Do you do your own BDAs? [If that's even the correct terminology anymore.])
In short, why did this story ever make the news in the first place? No one has yet told me why I, as a good American, should care.
Posted by: GenBuckTurgidson
August 12, 2012 at 11:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jack,
Battle damage assessment (BDA) is gathered many ways. Yes, that is still the term. Self-assessment is one way BDA is gathered.
Here is some unsolicited advice for you, be careful who you accuse of killing children.
This story made the news because the issue is important to a civilized society.
Are you a Nihilist?
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 12, 2012 at 6:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Sociopaths and psychopaths have no regard for human life and are not upset about the death of someone no matter what the reason. The exception is if it pertains to them personally.
Posted by: kinggeorge
August 13, 2012 at 10:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
General, according to two dictionary sources data can be used as a singular or a plural noun. When referring to a body of information ( the compilation of facts pertaining to child fatalities) a singular verb can correctly be used. Also, I thought this was an online comment section on newspaper articles rather than anyone's personal blog. Rather than engage in grammar wars, I was hoping the point of my comment would have been the focus here: there appears to be considerable discrepancy in whose names are released and when criminal charges are filed. I would hope that focusing on these incidents would perhaps have some newsworthy value in terms of making people who transport their children more aware of the importance of NOT leaving them in vehicles.
Posted by: Dellmann
August 13, 2012 at 11:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
King, yes, this is an interesting point. I once read a biography of a man called "The Iceman" who did muliple killings for organized crime with an apparently complete lack of remorse. He did, however, seem to care deeply about his own family's well being and security.
Posted by: Dellmann
August 13, 2012 at 11:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I think GeneralJack is trying to make the point that we are outraged about the death of this one child yet ignore the thousands who died the same day of famine and preventable disease.
Or tfrom collateral damage in various wars.
Or from pollution caused by technologies we feel we can't live without.
At least that's how I interpreted it.
Posted by: Coralie
August 13, 2012 at 7:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
And the prize goes to Coralie.
Posted by: GenBuckTurgidson
August 14, 2012 at 6:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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