Mum's doing the shopping

[Gob]

A photo of a baby inside a locked car outside a New Zealand supermarket has sparked outrage online.



The photo was taken outside Porirua Pak 'n Save on Saturday morning, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The photo shows a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket in a car seat, with a note on the blanket saying to call if there are any issues.

A mobile phone number is on the note.

A man who spoke to the Herald said he saw the baby and the note after he and his family parked next to it.

"It was written from the baby's perspective, and it said, 'My mum's in doing the shopping, call her if I need anything', and it had the cellphone number.

"We waited there for a little bit, wondering if the mum was just going to be two seconds and come back. And my wife said, 'I'm not going in without someone being here with the baby'," the man told the Herald.

The photo was posted on radio personality Polly Gillespie's Facebook page and triggered many heated responses.

Commenter Cat Marie Horne wrote: "I'm sorry this is completely irresponsible! You do not leave children under the age of 14 unsupervised at all.

"Why did she have time to write a note?? Secondly, you do not put a capsule seat in the front of a car, due to dashboard airbags. Also, if you are that tired you should not be driving."

There were more than 1100 comments on the post, with many outraged at the incident, but many felt sympathy for the mother involved.

Linda Gill wrote:"It was in Porirua, according to the original Facebook post... and it's not something I would have done but I choose not to come on here and condemn her.

"It's very easy to come on here and cast judgement on others, because I'm sure you've never, ever done anything wrong in your lives.

"The difference is someone took a photo this time. Aren't you all glad that someone isn't following you around with a camera. (Aimed at no one in particular, just food for thought)."

Porirua Pak 'n Save compliance manager Marty Fryer said he didn't know what had happened until somebody rang him about it yesterday.

"It's not really an issue we deal with normally, although we get all sorts of things going on out here.

"We have staff in the carpark so if they saw something like a baby in a car they would bring it to our attention," he said.

It is illegal for a parent or guardian to leave a child under the age of 14 alone for an unreasonable time or in unreasonable conditions. Doing so could result in a fine of up to $2000.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/my-mums-doi ... z2Occ9TAQ8

[Sean]

The crazy thing is that as nobody made a complaint to the police she'll get away with this...

[Crackpot]

See this is a case where you actually can strap a baby to your back.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I am guessing they used a cell phone to take the picture, why didn't they use the same cell phone to call mommy and/or the cops?

[Lord Jim]

It seems to me the person who thought to stop to take the picture, but then not call the police, is nearly as much a lame brain as the mother...

I might have thought for a moment about calling the mother, but it would probably have occurred to me that getting chewed out by me wouldn't change her behavior, and that she might well do it again...

Whereas a chewing out (and possible citation or charge) from a representative of the local constabulary might have a more salutary affect on her behavior...

After I called the cops, I would then of course have waited till they showed up, and if mommy re-appeared before they got there, I would have told her what I did and why, and if she decided take off before the police arrived, I would have given the police her license plate and phone number.

[Guinevere]

Want to bet "mum" is under the age of 20?

[oldr_n_wsr]

Want to bet "mum" is under the age of 20?

Would that be her IQ?

[Lord Jim]

I was thinking the exact same thing, Guin...

It really seems like some young person who had worked out that they were actually being "responsible" with the note thing, (and probably thought it was "cute" to write the note as though the kid had written it) who was either too naive or scatter brained to have thought it through carefully, and considered all of the potential tragic consequences....

Teenagers frequently don't think through the possible negative consequences to themselves of some of the reckless things they do, (they don't even see them as reckless) so it's logical to think this girl might apply the same "nothing bad's going to happen" sort of "reasoning" to her child....

At a minimum, some mandatory parenting classes would seem to be in order...

[Sean]

I am guessing they used a cell phone to take the picture, why didn't they use the same cell phone to call mommy and/or the cops?

They did call the mother, and then waited with the baby until mommy dearest emerged. I agree, theyu should have called the cops too.

[Joe Guy]

When the baby's mother came out of the store they should have cornered her and beat her to a pulp!

The bitch!

Actually I have trouble believing that the story is true.

No evidence. No name. Just a picture & story posted on the internet

[Sean]

It is true Joe. They were interviewing the supermarket manager and security bod on the news here last night.

[Lord Jim]

I'm confused about something; I saw this in another article about this:

Unfortunately, the mother of the baby has not yet been identified.

“We don’t know who the people are, we don’t know the phone number, we don’t know where to start,” a spokesperson for the police force said, according to the Daily Mail. “We would launch an investigation if we could but at this stage no one’s come forward.”

Hang about...

Shouldn't the phone number be in the cell phone of the guy who called the mother and took the picture?

This person isn't identified in the article, but they've been interviewed by at least one newspaper, and posted the picture to a DJ's Facebook page; they shouldn't be that tough to find....

[oldr_n_wsr]

Calling Inspector Holmes. Parking lot C cleanup.

[TPFKA@W]

My SIL called the cops just last Saturday. She parked next to a car that had 2 small children and an infant alone. Stupid, irresponsible people abound.