I must rant because I held in my anger earlier

Melissa11412

I had a similar situation happen last summer but it was with an animal....a dog to be exact. I was walking back from lunch and noticed that a co-worker was pouring water through a cracked window of a car. A pit bull was lapping up the water up by the window. The animal was locked in, windows open about 2 inches on both sides, and it was in the middle of July. In Houston. The temperature index can easily reach 107 or more (high temp and high humidity).

I work with law enforcement and went and told an officer but they said they couldn't do anything about it. Ugh. One officer would not approach because the dog was a pit bull. I waited for the officer to leave then forced the passenger window down, unlocked the vehicle and the dog bounded out. That dog was in there at least 30 minutes and the look on her face was so grateful, I will never forget it. I saw a leash on the floor on the passenger side, grabbed it and leashed the animal, then waited in the shade for the car owner to show.

Needless to say, about 99.99% of my language was peppered with ^*%^^(&!%%**^& because I was so ANGRY that this happened. Why not leave the animal at home, even outside in the yard...give the animal the chance to seek shade and not FORCE the animal to endure unbearable temps locked up in a car????!!

:explode:

affacat

while i agree with getting them into the daycare, i do NOT agree with some posters suggesting getting the cops involved.

Inviting Child Protective Services into any parents life can be life ruining. It is a drastic, terrible measure that has torn many good families apart. If the problem can be rectified in any other way (such as just getting those kids into the day care and informing the parent that the daycare is there) then that is a million times better.

Seriously, avoid sic'ing the CPS on anyone unless the circumstances are so extreme there is absolutely no other option.

MzManiak

I would have called the police. This probably wasn't an isolated incident and, in my opinion, having CPS involved would have been the real wake-up call. Good on you for stepping up!

affacat

I would have called the police............there is NO excuse or justification for leaving those kids in the car and the parent richly deserved a trip through the justice system........more than likely the kids would have been placed with a relative, but even if they entered the foster care emergency placement system, is there ANY question in your mind that they would not have been better off? Death by heat exhaustion/dehydration ain't pretty.

" but even if they entered the foster care emergency placement system, is there ANY question in your mind that they would not have been better off? "

YES. This was a single incident w/o real context. Yes, it was a serious incident, but there are plenty of other solutions that don't involve getting kids thrown into the foster care system. Informing the parent of the free daycare (and the implied shaming) will hopefully be a wake up call for them. Ripping their kids away from them and putting them into the system over one incident where we have little context is simply over the top. I am not defending the parent's actions, simply warning against taking children away from their parents over a single incident.

i have known good parents that got CPS unfairly called on them, and it's... an absolute nightmare. 1000x worse than you can imagine. it is NOT a 'wake up call', it's a nightmare scenario that can ruin lives, where you're guilty by default and at risk of losing your kids in a heartbeat. yes, some kids do need to go to foster homes. but again, it should be the absolute last option.

Gabrielm80

Not only could they die from the heat, they could get abducted or get out of the car and get hurt etc... Good job not letting it go. I'm feeling alittle sad about the soup bandit though.

About the soup bandir m. Well target the company I worked for didn't press charges. They did ban her from the store but the store manager bought her a bag of grocery. Target has a really huge camera system. I didn't have a choice. I just had to follow protocol. The security was aware before I approached her. Bottom line is you can't cherry pick who you catch for shop lifting and who you ignore I could of lost my job if I did that, but that also doesn't protect you from feeling guilty from time to time when you feel bad for them.

RoseTears143

That makes me mad too. I see stories like this on the news here in VA. It's not even summer yet and I've already heard of 3 stories of kids being left in cars and dying already. I don't have kids, but when I see kids or dogs left in cars with the window barely cracked and it's hot out.. I get ticked off really quick too. WTG for saying something and not turning a blind eye like a lot of people would do so they "don't get involved". Those little ones could have ended up in the hospital with life-long brain damage or even dead.

terlyn20

You chose a good option to the problem. But, i would have not had any qualms about calling the police. This is child endangerment; its illegal and the guilty party should be arrested, charged and stand before a judge. CFS should be involved, this person needs to know people are watching them and that they have to be accountable to a higher authority since they did not exerecise good judgement and provide rudimentary care for their kids. I'm disqusted!

Gabrielm80

while i agree with getting them into the daycare, i do NOT agree with some posters suggesting getting the cops involved.

Inviting Child Protective Services into any parents life can be life ruining. It is a drastic, terrible measure that has torn many good families apart. If the problem can be rectified in any other way (such as just getting those kids into the day care and informing the parent that the daycare is there) then that is a million times better.

Seriously, avoid sic'ing the CPS on anyone unless the circumstances are so extreme there is absolutely no other option.

It's so hard to say. Kids die every summer from leaving them in the car. I am sure the parents love them very much. I have no idea what was wrong that day. Hopefully the due to the disabled vet plate I saw on the car it could mean since military the person hasn't lived in San Antonio long and is originally from a state far north where heat isn't as much as a danger. That said why there still is an abduction risk. And so I hope the parent listened to the gym personal when they talked to her

1ConcreteGirl

while i agree with getting them into the daycare, i do NOT agree with some posters suggesting getting the cops involved.

Inviting Child Protective Services into any parents life can be life ruining. It is a drastic, terrible measure that has torn many good families apart. If the problem can be rectified in any other way (such as just getting those kids into the day care and informing the parent that the daycare is there) then that is a million times better.

Seriously, avoid sic'ing the CPS on anyone unless the circumstances are so extreme there is absolutely no other option.

Seriously? that crazy Octomom gets CPS called on her wreck of a home regularly and they can't even take her kids away.

Mainebikerchick

This is EXACTLY why you should have to pass a test to be a parent. FAIL and you get sterilized. Future issues now averted.

JonathanBB

I have gotten people in trouble before over moral issues and have always felt guilty afterwords. Like catching an old lady stealing soup when I worked as a food stocker. I really hate to be the reason someone's life gets flipped upside down even when it was their fault but I lack a shred of guilt over this. I think even if I did call the police I wouldn't of thought twice afterwords. I know I was right, one of the few certainties in my life.

I would never tell on an old lady stealing canned soup, people go through terrible difficulties. Maybe if she was stealing whisky I'd let her know I had seen it and asked her directly to put it back. Now in this particular case, I think you did the only thing these was to do. Calling the police would probably mean the kids could be taken into custody which, lets be reasonable, would be psychologically worse for the kids than being left in a car with the windows down. I think you did the right thing.

Respectfully disagree. Dead is worse. Agree with others that if parent left kids in the car when they were at the gym they have done it and will do it elsewhere. OP: Please keep an eye out for that car in the gym lot in the future and give yourself a major pat on the back for getting involved when 20 minutes worth of people went in and out of that gym and did nothing. :drinker:

pgp90xer

Good for you, good call! I hate that too even way pets are involved. Nothing is better when you hear of a Police Officer smashing in a car window to rescue a child or pet. If I was them I would break every window!

Joreanasaurous

You did the right thing, I can't imagine how I would have handled it. I blow a top when I see dogs locked in the car in summer heat.... But two young kids? Really? I can't even imagine.

taunto

You did the right thing and handled the situation well. The dilemma with calling the cops or turning in the parents to authority is that if the kids get taken away from the parents (which, they have taken kids away for very little things) then the kids might endup with cruel foster care parents. Chances are they can get better parents but its a toss up.

I hope the parents of these kids learned their lesson.

BeachIron

Some people just shouldn't have kids . . .

Still sounds like you did the right thing.

^ This.

IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym

omg! I don't want to be in the car and I'm an adult! I would NEVER leave my kids in the car for any amount of time, especially here in Texas. Thank goodness you were there and did the right thing!!

lambchristie

I have gotten people in trouble before over moral issues and have always felt guilty afterwords. Like catching an old lady stealing soup when I worked as a food stocker. I really hate to be the reason someone's life gets flipped upside down even when it was their fault but I lack a shred of guilt over this. I think even if I did call the police I wouldn't of thought twice afterwords. I know I was right, one of the few certainties in my life.

Flipped upside down? You would (did) save these children's lives; and their parents needed their life flipped upside down. This time you spoke up and went about your own business and the children were brought inside. What about NEXT time the parents of these 2 decides to leave their kids in the car and no one stops to help? Yes, these parents needed to be flipped upside down.

TAMayorga

I had a similar situation happen last summer but it was with an animal....a dog to be exact. I was walking back from lunch and noticed that a co-worker was pouring water through a cracked window of a car. A pit bull was lapping up the water up by the window. The animal was locked in, windows open about 2 inches on both sides, and it was in the middle of July. In Houston. The temperature index can easily reach 107 or more (high temp and high humidity).

I live 3 hours south of Houston (and San Antonio for that matter) and to emphasize this ^^^ as well as the OP; that's 107 OUTSIDE! Way hotter inside the car and those temps skyrocket in just a few minutes.

Legs_McGee

I've called 911 and reported people for leaving their dogs in the car in the heat; you certainly made the right call in making sure those children weren't left to bake.

JenAndSome

I would have called the police............there is NO excuse or justification for leaving those kids in the car and the parent richly deserved a trip through the justice system........more than likely the kids would have been placed with a relative, but even if they entered the foster care emergency placement system, is there ANY question in your mind that they would not have been better off? Death by heat exhaustion/dehydration ain't pretty.

" but even if they entered the foster care emergency placement system, is there ANY question in your mind that they would not have been better off? "

YES. This was a single incident w/o real context. Yes, it was a serious incident, but there are plenty of other solutions that don't involve getting kids thrown into the foster care system. Informing the parent of the free daycare (and the implied shaming) will hopefully be a wake up call for them. Ripping their kids away from them and putting them into the system over one incident where we have little context is simply over the top. I am not defending the parent's actions, simply warning against taking children away from their parents over a single incident.

i have known good parents that got CPS unfairly called on them, and it's... an absolute nightmare. 1000x worse than you can imagine. it is NOT a 'wake up call', it's a nightmare scenario that can ruin lives, where you're guilty by default and at risk of losing your kids in a heartbeat. yes, some kids do need to go to foster homes. but again, it should be the absolute last option.

I have had CPS called on me and it wasn't a nightmare at all. It was a little embarrassing to have CPS out at my house, sure. But once they investigated and realized that they didn't have any reason to be there, my kids are well cared for, there is no abuse, etc etc they said thank you for your time and left. If you are a good parent you don't really have to worry about these things. The parent who left their children in the car while they worked out was not acting as a good parent. Even if there weren't free child care at the gym they should have found somewhere safe for their kids to go or skipped working out that day. They showed poor judgement and selfishness and they endangered their children.