It Happened To Me..My Baby Was Left In The Car…
I thought a lot about writing this and did not want to at all. But then I thought, maybe, just MAYBE my story will help someone. Maybe my story would help save a BABY.
Me and my hubby and three kids set off to the beach a couple of years ago. We were meeting my whole family (16 people) at the beach and we were going to have SO much fun!!
It was my littlest ones first time at the beach so we were looking so forward to him putting his tiny little feet in the sand! My baby was 8 months old and such a good baby!!
We met up with my family, got situated in the hotel rooms and then started to make plans with everyone for dinner. We all decided to go to the local pizza place.
We all got into our family vehicle and my family went into their vehicles and we all followed each other to the pizza parlor. When we got there, I got out of the car and opened the car door for my older kids to get out. We all walked over to my sister and her kids who were getting out of their car. My hubby got out of the van and joined us.
It Happened To Me..My Baby Was Left In The Car…
We all went into the pizza place and the kids started playing arcade games while my parents ordered the pizzas. Five minutes had passed (maybe less?) and I looked at my hubby and said “where is the baby?!?” and he said “I thought you had him?!?“.
I ran to my dad who was now sitting at the table and asked him if he had the baby. He said “no, did you leave him in the car?!?“. I immediately RAN to the van and inside was my tiny baby boy!!!! I grabbed the keys and unlocked that door and grabbed him out of his car seat!
By now I was sobbing and holding my tiny treasure! How on earth could I do that?! I am NOT that mom, THAT parent, am I??? I am an attentive mom, I am a mom who shelters her children and watches them closely. I always know where my babies are, but this time I did not. It happened to ME. It happened to US.
My hubby was in tears too. He could not believe he did not get the baby out of the car seat. I could not believe I did not get the baby out of the car seat. I thought my hubby was going to get him out since I got the older kids out and he thought because I was getting the older kids out, that I was going to also get the baby out.
It did not happen that way..
My baby was fine. He was just scared I think because we left him alone. Of course he would cry. But it made me really think. This can happen to ANYONE. I do not care how attentive you are, how much you pay attention, how good of a parent you are, it CAN happen to ANYONE. I never ever ever believed it would or could happen to us, but it DID.
We were lucky. Our baby was in the car for about 5 minutes or less, the weather was overcast and not hot. We were LUCKY. Are we horrible parents who deserve to be stoned to death or have our kids taken from us because of this horrible mistake? Hell no. We are good parents and something really bad happened to us.
I think about this every single day and just had to share my story. If this can make ONE parent think a bit more before getting out of their car on a hot day and looking back to get their little one, then I have done my job.
I figure I can at least spread awareness from this experience and make sure every parent/caregiver knows it CAN happen to YOU. I don’t care what you say or do, it does happen…
Over on Two Twenty One’s Facebook Fan Page, she shared a tip to ensure you do not ever leave your little one in the car. It is to leave one of your shoes in the back seat by your baby. She was bashed for doing such a thing and that enraged me! If that can help ONE parent or caregiver not leave their baby in the hot car than SO BE IT!!!
This is also a VERY sad story (God bless this woman and her husband): A Mom’s Tale of Perseverance After Vehicular Heatstroke
Must read, bring the tissues…
All I Ask Is That You Share This Post Because It CAN Happen To The Best Of Us, Thank You!
Andrew (@Mommys_Busy) says
Don’t think we ever left the baby in the car but there were plenty of times we took our eyes off them when they were little, to have them vanish. That intense panic is unreal. I can only imagine what you went through, Kim. Thank God your baby was fine and it was only 5 minutes. I bet after that incident you practically handcuffed him to your arm. 🙂
Terri TwoPinkPeas says
Oh me too Kim! You know how you can just tell right off the bat if you connect with someone you just met? That’s how I feel with you. It doesn’t happen as much as you think but I can tell with you that you’re sweet as pie. Thanks for the friend request. I already accepted it.
Terri TwoPinkPeas says
You’re so sweet Kim. I just followed you on twitter and Instagram. It’s been awhile since I have been on my Two Pink Peas facebook page and I know that I need to convert it over to a business page so im sure that’s why the link isn’t working. I will have to work on that this weekend. Thanks for letting me know. You are more then welcome to follow me on my personal facebook page. It’s http://www.facebook.com/TerriSniderMez If I missed any of your social media sites please let me know as I am more then happy to follow you on everything. Supporting other bloggers is so important to me especially when they are as sweet as you.
Kim Delatorre says
Thank you, I just friend requested you 🙂 Can’t wait to connect more!!
Terri TwoPinkPeas says
Awwww..Thank you Kim. Ever since I was little I have always had a very caring heart who loves to be there for others as well as I am a huge giver. I wouldn’t want to be any other way. The compassion, empathy & love for others runs so deep in me. It’s been really amazing reading all of these very brave mothers share their stories and it is all because of you. I don’t think you will ever know just how many lives you have touched & changed by sharing your story. What a precious precious gift you are giving. I’m so happy that I can share your story on my blog and I will definitely link it back to here. Thank you for following me back..I never follow others to gain new followers myself but I appreciate you following me back. I always love meeting new blogger friends and it has been a pleasure meeting and talking to you. I hope you have a fabulous weekend! Big hugs to you! Terri of Two Pink Peas http://www.twopinkpeas.com
http://www.pinterest.com/twopinkpeas http://www.twitter.com/mytwopinkpeas
http://www.facebook.com/twopinkpeas [email protected]
Kim Delatorre says
I just followed you on your social channels, but the facebook link is broken. Do you have another one you want to share? Thanks again for being so kind 🙂
Joy Allen says
Thank you for sharing. No one is a perfect parent. When we are willing to share it helps make others aware and hopefully avoids similar situations. You are a strong person to admit this happened, and acknowledge it can happen to anyone
Avry says
Thank you for sharing. I left my son at a gas station once. He was about 4 years old and while we were in the gas station I bought a bag of ice. When we came out I put him in the car along with my daughter. I started to drive off when I realized I forgot to grab my bag of ice (this is when ice was in freezers outside of the store) So I pulled up by the freezer (car right next to me), jumped out, went around the front of the car, grabbed the bag of ice and got back in and drove away. In the mean time of me jumping out of the car and going around the front my son jumped out of the car and went around the back of the car and back into the store. I drove 5-8 minutes down the road not realizing he wasn’t in the back seat. It was the most horrific feeling when I turned around and looked in the back and he wasn’t there. I flipped the car around and drove back as fast as I could. When I got back to the gas station the attendant came running out and told me he was around the back of the store and wouldn’t let anyone near him. I could hear him screaming “MOM” and sobbing hysterically. I had never felt so horrible in my entire life that I had actually left my son. The second he saw me he ran to me and I will never forget how I felt in that moment. We all make mistakes, we are mothers who have to remember not only things for ourselves but for our husbands, children etc. Our minds are so full that some days it is just too much to remember it all. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Hugs!
ARod says
great post hope it helps someone {hugs}
Terri TwoPinkPeas says
Awwww..you’re more then welcome Kim. Trust me as a mother I know how much we beat ourselves up and silently I might add, for so many things we may or may not be doing wrong or right. It’s a dialogue that we have to change within ourselves. Being a mother is by far the hardest yet most rewarding job on earth and sometimes we don’t always cut ourselves some slack. Accidents happen to all of us and no mother, no father or parent is immune to them. I know the things that run through our minds when it comes to parenting, and sadly a lot of that is not positive but it doesn’t matter who you are there is no such thing as being a perfect parent. We can try our best but we can’t ever be perfect. Mistakes & accidents happen, they are a part of life and the beautiful thing about making mistakes & having accidents is that you can learn from them. I’m positive that now you are super extra careful when it comes to having your babies in the car. This might sound corny but I don’t believe in coincidences and I truly believe that some things are meant to happen. Not all things but I do believe that some things are meant to happen. What if this terrifying experience of accidentally leaving your baby in the car was supposed to happen in that it could have happened at some point in the future with a completely different outcome? I’m sure there are some who will strongly disagree with me but we truly don’t know why things like this happen. Or what if this happened to you so that you could help save a baby or babies lives by sharing your story? Look at the comments that are already being left of other parents that went through the same thing. It takes an extremely brave person to share this with the world and I sincerely applaud those who are also sharing their scary experience. To actually admit that this happened is so incredibly brave. I am new to your blog but it was very apparent to me from the start at just how much you love your children and family. I, for one, really appreciate you sharing this, your courage and honesty is really refreshing & so beautiful. Bravo to you Kim…Bravo to you! You’re truly amazing and I mean that from the bottom of my whole heart. Hugs to you …Terri of Two Pink Peas http://www.twopinkpeas.com
P.s. I apologize for the book…I tend to babble. lol Oh and I followed you on your other social media sites. Actually, your story really touched me so much that I would love to share this on my blog in hopes of preventing this from happening to another baby/family. Would that be ok because I would never share this without your permission?
Kim Delatorre says
You are so sweet, thank you so much for all of your sweet words! They really do mean so much to me. I can tell you are also a very caring person, and you have a great heart! Yes, feel free to share my story on your blog. You can do a teaser post with a link back to my original post. Thank you again and I will be sure to follow you back on your social media pages <3
Eliza Ferree says
(((HUGS)))
sandy cain says
(((((((((((( HUGS))))))))))
Kat B. says
It very nearly happened to me at a party once. I had just had my youngest 6 weeks before and I was used to getting her and her brother out of the car at the same time since he was 2. He wasn’t with us for that party though. Just my daughter sleeping peacefully in the backseat. I had two bags, two cake boxes and my purse. I was balancing the boxes on the trunk when my friends husband pulled into the place and he started talking to me. I finished talking to him and started walking in. It was almost 100 out that day and I had my windows up. I just happened to look down and noticed I had my daughters baby sunglasses looped over one finger with my keys and I RAN back to the car. I only went 50 steps away but I felt like the worst person in the world.
Terri Two Pink Peas says
Bless your heart Kim! Like you I am an extremely over protective mama who loves her children more then life itself. Sadly, accidents like this can absolutely happen to anyone at any time and it only takes once for something to go horribly wrong. Thank God your precious little baby was OK and that you realized he wasn’t with you quickly. I can’t imagine the pure horror and fear you must have felt the moment you realized he wasn’t with you. It really takes a huge amount of courage to share your story with the world especially with how fast others are to point their finger and judge. I agree with you that if your story can help save one baby then you sharing this is more then worth it. I’m sure that going through that will always pop in your mind but I really hope that you know that you are an amazing mother and this one accident will never define you as a person or parent. I know this is probably easier said then done but you don’t deserve to beat yourself up every day and it is my hope that you can forgive yourself. Thank you again for having the courage to share this in hopes of saving other babies/children. I’m sure it will! Sending lots of hugs….Terri of Two Pink Peas http://www.TwoPinkPeas.com
Kim Delatorre says
You are so sweet and kind Terri, thank you so much for that!! I needed to hear this 🙂
Paula @ Frosted Fingers says
It happened to us on vacation as well. My husband was parking in one spot and then my father in law had us move our car closer. In between moving the car I had already gotten the older kids out and said “you have the baby right?” I went I to the restaurant with the kids and then my husband walks in after parking….empty handed. Luckily I noticed right away and sent him right back out. It was terrifying though!!
Kim Delatorre says
I know! That feeling you get when you realize what you have done is horrible 🙁 So glad yours turned out like mine!
Krissy says
People are so quick to judge – it only takes one time. . Busy like you with an exciting family outing, stressed and thinking about all the things you have to do.. thank you for sharing your story! I hope that it helps people realize were only human! And have a bit more empathy for those who have experienced a situation like this turned tragic. It always frustrates me when people scream for justice and punishment when those poor parents will be punishing themselves for the rest of their lives. Thanks for sharing!
Kim Delatorre says
Thank you Krissy. Yes, people are SO quick to judge. It is so sad!!! It can happen to anyone 🙁