The stupidity of some people is unbelievable.

[megocrazy]

So, I work in the town of Franklin MA. Franklin is an upper middle class town with good schools, a college, and a large industrial park. The people are hardly stupid. Or are they? I bring a package to the Post Office and as I'm getting out of the car I see this cute kid sitting in a car seat. She's smiling and I make a goofy face and she's laughing and we're having a ball and then I realize, there's no one else in the car. She's locked in the car with no adult any where in sight and all the windows are rolled up. Ya know that where's a policeman when you need one. Not applicable here. I walk to the end of the parking lot,about 100 feet and there's an officer sitting in his car. I wave him over and show him and his exact words are un******* believable. Funny that was what I said. So he goes into the bank on one side and I go into the Post Office. I call out the license number and a lady about 55. now get this part, with a small child about 3 or 4 standing beside her turns around and says that's my car. Now I'm caught in amazement, ya got two kids and you leave one in the car. I politely say, lady I hope they lock you up in a windowless jail cell in the dead of July. What kind of an idiot leaves a baby in a car unattended? The nice policeman outside would like to take you away. She freaks and runs out almost forgetting to take the child she has with her. She ends up being the grandmother and thought she was just going to be a minute. The people in line said she'd been in there for over 15 minutes. How stupid can you be? Do you not watch the evening news and see all the stories about the sick people in this world just waiting for an opportunity like this. The officer ends up letting her go but writing her up and reporting her to DSS for an investigation. I hope they lock her up myself.

[huedell]

There's no question the woman needs counseling if she's doing stuff like this.

However: "I hope they lock you up in a windowless jail cell in the dead of July. What kind
of an idiot leaves a baby in a car unattended? The nice policeman outside would like to
take you away." probably isn't the smartest thing to say to a woman who is already
(obviously from her actions which you observed firsthand) unstable.

[Hulk]

Good for you Chuck, you may have saved that child's life.

And good for you for saying what you did. Humiliating her in public is an excellent first step in keeping her from doing something so asinine again. Obviously the welfare of her grandchild wasn't enough.

[megocrazy]

Actually the officer said she was quite polite and almost thought of letting her go, but just felt it was too serious of an infraction to wave off. I personally feel equality for the mentally unstable is necessary. I try not to play favorites and treat the insane any differently than the non-insane.

[SUP-Ronin]

I saw a similar event the other day right next to me in traffic. This lady, probably grandma, pushes a stroller up to the crosswalk which has wheelchair ramps and stops. She did not apply the footstop, She lets go of the stroller and turns her back on it to go push the stupid button for the walk signal. The stroller rolls about 6" to a foot down the ramp towards traffic and stops, maybe it did have a break or something. She didn't even see it happen, and traffic was ripping by at 40mph. That kid would've been gonner. My friend and I were both watching in horror from inside my truck in the turn lane, and there was no time for us to have done anything about it. That would have been completely traumatizing. Not a good situation to test out the breaks. Common sense isn't common anymore.

[JPkempo]

I worked in Franklin for 21 years (JD Daddario Co) untill they go purchased by Ferguson and most of the old staff got screwed. I've seen plent of dumb people in that town. Luckly there is normaly a cop in that area.
That Post office is bad alot of the people are as dumb as that lady. If you can go to Bellingham, Wrentham or Norfolk.

At least every other year a Dean collage student gets hit by a car in that area, because they don't look both wayes befor they cross, and don't use the crosswalks that are every 20 yard in that area.

(There are 2 industrial parks one on each end of town I worked in Forge park)

[huedell]

"Humiliating someone in public" isn't the answer.

And "not playing favorites for the mentally insane" doesn't hold any water to "help"
if you're gonna screw up the person's behavior worse than it was before.

This is obviously a serious issue---and it should be handled with care.

Its so easy to say "yay she's a jerk...treat her like a jerk...two wrongs make a right---
yaddah---yaddah." but its just not true

Put her on heavy probation...jail her...but "taunting" her seems useless---- or worse.

[txteach]

I remember reading about a gambling addict that left her kid in a car in 100 degree heat ALL DAY so she could play video poker. Her kid died of exposure and the article had sympathy for the woman and her "disease". Freakin outrageous. They should shoot that woman for being a murderer. Having a beautiful little girl who I would die for without though has opened my eyes to parents who take their kids and treat them like crap. There should be a test before one is allowed to reproduce.

Huedell, I think you missed the boat on this one. Do you by chance have kids? What if the mother of those kids put the child in harms way. Do you coddle the offender who could possibly kill an innocent? BTW I'm not trying to attack you on this issue I just think as a parent my child's wellbeing is the most important thing in my life. Anyone who risks that should/will face the consequences.

[megocrazy]

I worked in Franklin for 21 years (JD Daddario Co) untill they go purchased by Ferguson and most of the old staff got screwed. I've seen plent of dumb people in that town. Luckly there is normaly a cop in that area.
That Post office is bad alot of the people are as dumb as that lady. If you can go to Bellingham, Wrentham or Norfolk.

At least every other year a Dean collage student gets hit by a car in that area, because they don't look both wayes befor they cross, and don't use the crosswalks that are every 20 yard in that area.

(There are 2 industrial parks one on each end of town I worked in Forge park)

I know JDD well. I worked for Decatur & Hopkins in Taunton for 14 years. We used to sell to JD Daddario. I still buy the industrial bulbs for my distribution center there. They were bought out after DH went under.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I agree with teach that the people who do this should not just be forgiven. About ten years ago my wife and I stopped at our local comics shop, she decided that she wanted stay in the car (she had the keys so we had air conditioning). As I got out I noticed that there was a baby, probably not more than 3 months old in the back seat. The windows were cracked the tiniest, but not much. This was before we had a cell phone with us, so I asked her what she thought we should do, she said go in and tell them at the shop. So I go in and start telling the owner what happened and he starts to get on the phone and this guy comes forward and says he is the dad and that I had no right doing what I was doing. I said "You left your baby in the hot sun in a car!" he replied "There's air the windows are down." at that point my wife came in as stated that she was really worried about that baby, which only go this guy angrier. The guy paid for his comics and stormed out. All this for comic books! I was ready to run out and get the license plate, but the owner talked me out of it, saying that so and so is a nice guy and he would never do anything bad, etc. How many times have we heard that last quote from someone in the 11 o'clock news? Between my wife and I we don't even pay cash anymore at the gas stations if the kids are with us in the car. You never know in that 1 minute you are gone who is going to do what. A bit paranoid, but oh well.

[megocrazy]

"Humiliating someone in public" isn't the answer.

And "not playing favorites for the mentally insane" doesn't hold any water to "help"
if you're gonna screw up the person's behavior worse than it was before.

This is obviously a serious issue---and it should be handled with care.

Its so easy to say "yay she's a jerk...treat her like a jerk...two wrongs make a right---
yaddah---yaddah." but its just not true

Put her on heavy probation...jail her...but "taunting" her seems useless---- or worse.

1. I hardly call it humiliating. It's not like I made her walk down the street naked or anything. I simply made it understood what she did was about as dumb as could be and I hoped she was punished for it. Actually I thought I showed tremendous control. If I had punched her would it be in your opinion that I should be given a light punishment as to not further damage my already fragile psyche?? I'm obviously insane and should be handled with care. I hope nobody yells at me. I would be humiliated.

2. Screwing up her behavior worse?? She left a 1 year old in a car to go in the post office and took another kid with her!! Ya know what'll screw you up? Coming out to your car to find your kid gone. Kinda screws up the kid too. Nothing I say is gonna screw this lady up more. Maybe I should have picked the lock taken the kid and hid around the corner. Then after she freaked I could have popped out and said "see what could happen" She could've said "Now I know" then Duke from GI Joe comes out and says "and knowing is half the battle" We all laugh and go home and eat Fruit Loops. But life's not a cartoon.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Me to mine and you to yours.

[megocrazy]

A bit paranoid, but oh well.

It's not paranoia it's common sense. You have it and that guy didn't. If he keeps leaving his kid in the hot car, the kid will be 36 before he can read those comics. The same brain damage that can happen to animals in a hot car can happen to humans too. I agree with John there should be a test before some people are allowed to care for a child.

[Goblin19]

You did the right thing. She needed to be called out on that.

[grayhank]

Deleted

[huedell]

I remember reading about a gambling addict that left her kid in a car in 100 degree heat ALL DAY so she could play video poker. Her kid died of exposure and the article had sympathy for the woman and her "disease". Freakin outrageous. They should shoot that woman for being a murderer. Having a beautiful little girl who I would die for without though has opened my eyes to parents who take their kids and treat them like crap. There should be a test before one is allowed to reproduce.

Huedell, I think you missed the boat on this one. Do you by chance have kids? What if the mother of those kids put the child in harms way. Do you coddle the offender who could possibly kill an innocent? BTW I'm not trying to attack you on this issue I just think as a parent my child's wellbeing is the most important thing in my life. Anyone who risks that should/will face the consequences.

I don't thnk you missed the boat...txteach...
I am "sure" that you did...that is, in regard to understanding my post (at the very least)

I'm not trying to "attack you on this issue" either...but when you
use the example:

I remember reading about a gambling addict that
left her kid in a car in 100 degree heat ALL DAY so she could play video
poker. Her kid died of exposure and the article had sympathy for the woman
and her "disease".

...as if to imply I have "sympathy" for this kind of behavior...

its a solid example of this mob mentality---this Internet mentality-
---this taunt and insult mentality that totally ignores the point I was making.

"Coddle the offender"?

Ha.

Quite the opposite.

I'd like to see these offenders detained---punished to the full extent---
what I DISagree with is trite: "Hey you're an idiot...I hope you die slow a death"
type reactions towards offenders of child abuse.

Those reactions do little good except to give the message---"hey this person
that's reprimanding me is being shallow and rude---so screw them...."
in the stead of some real humiliation....words of FACT regarding the severity
of their actions----and possible jail time----registering a case with child
services etc.

Its time that these cases that are brought up on here on this board
are looked at alittle deeper than the "What a jerk. Let's get 'em!!" mentality

Other than that---- this thread shoulda ended with the first post...as
all was said...correct?

I mean its obvious what this lady did was horrid----so let's examine
how it should be dealt with.

My idea is to be as PROductive as possible---and not DEstructive.