A few years back a woman did that (somewhere around here) and a guy jumped in the car and took off in it. Luckily he stopped a few miles down the road and ran the rest of the way. I wouldn't take the chance, why let your precious kids out of your sight? It only takes a minute.

In my opinion it is never alright to leave a toddler alone in a car for any reason. many children get abducted everyday and it always happens and people say i didn't think it would happen to me but the sad truth is it happens and the one taking them do not care whos child they take. I am sorry if I sound a bit emotional about this but I think we all should be when it comes to our children.

There is no way I would ever leave my child unattended in a car, for any reason, or for any length of time. Anything could happen. Anything. The child could choke, or lock themselves in the car, or accidentally operate the car. Then there are the other people to worry about - those who see a small child alone and seize the opportunity to do something unimaginable. If I go somewhere, the child comes with me. Even if I'm only going to be two seconds. Even if I know she's likely to grab at things, or want things, or be a pain about getting back IN the car. All of those things are completely worth knowing that she is with me and not out of my sight. It's just not worth risking, and I think any parent that does risk it is sooner or later going to regret it - even if the worst that ever happens is that the toddler breaks something. I could never live with myself knowing that I left my child and something worse happened. So I just don't take any chances.

If you ask me, it is neglect. My sister in law did this with one of my children once and even though it was in a town of less than 300 people, and for about 90 seconds, I was stunned that she would ever do something like that and because of it, she is no longer allowed to take the kids out. So many things could go wrong and where I live, it is against the law to do so, and there is plenty of good resons it is criminal.

I wouldn't even leave my MONEY in the car alone that long.

There was a mother here who left her children in the car while she ran over to feed the horses. The three year old got out of his car seat. He went to the window to call for his mother then accidentally rolled the power windows up while his head was still in it. He ended up hanging himself. It was a tragic accident that could have been avoided. His mother was a good mother but she thought they were safe while in the car seats. How sad of a situation. So please, please always supervise your children. Leaving them in a car alone is not very responsible.

Payton88, I feel the same as you. I'm not psycho about everything like some parents nowadays. I wonder how many parents on here would certainly allow their kid to ride a bike without a helmet even though it might not be the 'law'. Childhood obesity, smoking around kids, letting their kid sleep in their own bedroom for goodness sake (kids have been abducted from their bedrooms at night), all 'can' be considered child endangerment. It isn't against the law in Ohio, but Payton88, please be aware that many people in Ohio are psycho about this situation and if they call the police, you will probably be sited. I also live in Ohio and I ran into a store with my 4 and 6.5 year old in the car (I carried the one year old in with me. Anyone out there with one kid has no idea how difficult it is to have 3 kids within 5 years and I am done having kids now thank you very much). Anyhow, now my college education was for nothing, my professional license is going to be taken away because of this stupid charge. I suppose they would rather people end up on welfare. So even though it isn't against the law in this awful state, please know it's not worth risking everything you have ever worked for. My husband and I are so irate over this, we are moving back to California next year where they have precise laws. Take care!

Thanks, Tomorrow I go back to court. I am still in a state of shock! I have never done anything illegal in my life! And I wind up facing 6 months in jail and at the very least probation? It's been unreal. This stress has been much more 'endangering' to my kids, parenting with no sleep, panic attacks, difficulty eating. Yeah, I also obtained a copy of the police report, the officer stated, "the children did not appear to be in distress, in fact they were smiling and looked happy." The cop didn't even get there until I was pulling out of my parking spot! The prosectutor told me that if there was a case to be dropped it would be this one, then snarled, "but I DON'T drop cases." He yelled at me to tell him I was wrong and that until I said it, he wouldn't believe that I wouldn't do it again. I simply replied, "I didn't endanger my kids and I'm not going to leave my kids in the car until they're 18, since there is no law, anyone with a kid under 18 can be charged." He said not to be ridiculous. Uh, OK, take your own advice then! I posted this on the mothering.com forum and women on there said that these people are looking to call the police for anything. Then stated that these same 'helpful' people are nowhere to be found when their kid pukes in the grocery store, or they need to change a flat tire. Yup! Anyhow, I'll let you know how tomorrow goes. My entire family and church ahas been praying that this is resolved in my favor. This prosecutor is a real jerk though. take care! PS good idea about the helmet for showering, I think we should try to pass a law about that too!

Yeah, I have contemplated contacting our local newspaper. However, I am afraid that there are more psycho's than not around here. We just moved here last year from California, so am afraid that it could backfire (people actually siding with the prosecutor or something). I wrote a letter to both the prosecutor and the police dept, although haven't heard a thing. I asked the police chief in my letter for permission to post fliers about leaving your kids in a car. I told him that I couldn't bear for another person to lose everything they have ever worked for for a few minutes time. The prosecutor stated that "You can't just leave a 4 and 6 year old in a car, you just can't. You need to be punished somehow." OK, so taking away my job is a great way to do so I suppose (I'm an RN)! Although right now my hubby makes pretty good money (software engineer), he has type 1 diabetes, and has had it for 17 years. His health is not always going to be great. I've always known that I will be the primary breadwinner someday and now.... I still have student loans for goodness sake! Since the court date is tomorrow, contacting anyone probably won't help now. But I still might after the fact. If he's going to be a jerk and not do his job correctly, he should probably lose his job (although he's a part time prosecutor). That is part of the prosecutor's job description, to decide which cases are silly or don't have enough evidence and throw them out.