UPDATES: Charges Filed Against Bed, Bath & Beyond Manager Who Refused To Allow 911 Call
BB&B Responds To Customer Complaint Over 911 Debacle
Bed, Bath & Beyond refused to let some customers use the phone to call 911 after they saw a toddler locked in a hot car in the store’s parking lot. The witnesses told the local news that the employees told them, “…You cannot call no one, what goes on in the parking lot is not our concern.”
“I said, lady, there is a child out there in a hot car and it’s locked and it needs help. And I said, will you let us use your phone and call and she said no, we will not get involved.”
The Lexington police arrived, smashed the car window and gave the 3-year-old some water. The mother was arrested and charged with wanton endangerment. Meanwhile, Bed, Bath & Beyond has issued a statement about the incident.
“The customer did ask the store to contact the authorities, the store suggested that the customer, who had witnessed the situation, contact 911. We are pleased that the manner was addressed in a timely manner and will use this incident as a training opportunity.”
Police: Toddler In Hot Van For 45 Min. [LEX 18 News] (Thanks, Doug!)
(Photo: Morton Fox )
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Bed, Bath & Beyond Common Sense.
@joemono: I smell new tag!
Awesome statement from BB&B…training all around!
But they don’t take small children locked in hot cars very seriously?
People don’t have cell phones in Lexington?
@Wes_Sabi:
Obviously not. You wasted time writing that? Not everone has a cell phone on them every single moment of the day.
@jamesdenver: we can all understand individuals not having cell phones with them, but there was a whole bed bath and beyond store full of people and no one had a cell phone? (or perhaps they did, since the police were called eventually)
@Wes_Sabi: Well, they did have a cell phone, but who (in today’s economy) really wants to use up all their daytime minutes on trivialities like these?
@Wes_Sabi:
No doubt. If I didn’t have my own cell, I’d be hounding every single person walking by. Every customer inside the store. Everyone I laid my eyes on until I found someone who DID have a cell phone.
@bcsus83: …And this excuses the employee’s failure to act like a decent/sane/reasonable human being how?
I’m both astounded, and at the same time not surprised, that some commenters managed to make this sound like it was somehow, to some extent, the fault of the person trying to report an emergency. And yes, by taking the focus off the people who actually did wrong and putting it on the ways the people who tried to help could have done “better”, that’s exactly what you’re doing.
Sheesh.
They said you cannot call no one. That’s a double negative. So they could call. I love hitting employees with that kind of logic.
@Git Em SteveDave is starlost: Ebonics?
@Shark1998: they were in KY, it’s HILLbonics
As part of their new training program, employees are going to be locked in a hot parked car for 8 hours.
@Adisharr: Seriously made me LOL!
I understand BB&B’s point of view – if we call police and there is no problem with the kid we can get sued – or something like that.
Of course, if I even had that thought flash through my head I’d have said screw that and called 911 myself.
@HalOfBorg: I really think ignoring a potentially dangerous situation would be a better way to get sued than calling emergency personnel to look into it, and I can’t believe that BB&B training would state otherwise.
@HalOfBorg: “I understand BB&B’s point of view – if we call police and there is no problem with the kid we can get sued – or something like that.”
No, you should be covered under the Good Samaritan Law, but I can see the employee getting hit with a low degree child endangerment charge. She was told of the situation, and decided to restrict the person from using a phone to get emergency services. Rather or not she’d get convicted, I don’t know, but if I was the D.A., I sure as hell would, at least to send a message to the stores if nothing else. And yes, if it’s in your parking lot, you’re sure as hell liable. At least that’s how it was when I did mall security. If it’s in the parking lot in front of your store, it’s your problem, too.
@timmus: “Holy shit — did corporate actually write that? That’s absolutely reprehensible.”
Yeah, that blows my frackin’ mind too.
@WisconsinDadof2: “So if the car was on fire, would they get involved?”
No, they would suggest you go to Sears for a sale on grills.
I never pass an opportunity to burn Sears.
Damn, I’m on a roll today.
In Texas, citizens have a duty to report a felony or risk being charged with a Class A misdemeanor (PC § 38.171). Child endangerment happens to be a felony in Texas, too (PC § 22.041). Of course, YMMV in other states.
@Daemonstar: I don’t mind being beaten to the punch on this one. Thanks D! Of course, we in Texas could have just pulled our concealed weapon and used the butt to break the window. Thanks go the Good Samaritan laws, the damage would be forgiven and the idiot mother would still be rotting in jail (I wish that jail were a car in the prison lot with the windows rolled up!).
@Crymson_77: Why a car? Just put them in a glass room in the yard in direct sunlight with no ventilation. Why be so nice?
@ViperBorg: You know…you make a very, very good point there! Even better is putting them in the glass room in the center of times square. Again, no ventilation. Would certainly make a statement!
@Daemonstar: Isn’t that how Dwayne “Dog” Chapman got thrown in jail?
@Git Em SteveDave is starlost: No, he was bounty hunting in Mexico and the U.S. Marshall’s we’re ordered to get him. Just so we’re friendly with Mexico. Crap if you ask me.
@Crymson_77: Thank you, sir!
@ViperBorg: No, I meant the original time. Something about him knowing about a murder, and not saying anything, which is why he was convicted of murder. It’s the reason that he carries pepper spray. He can’t legally own a gun.
@Git Em SteveDave is starlost: Ah, yeah, that bit. Yeah, apparently he witnessed, or something, and I guess it was his friend, so he didn’t say anything, and ended up serving time. Yep, that’s why he keeps the pepper spray.
But hey, at least he turned his life around, man.
@Daemonstar: Interference With Emergency Phone Call is also a Class A misdemeanor (PC § 42.062). You can’t prevent or interfere with someone from calling emergency services. I knew that was somewhere; it just took me a bit to find it.
Again, this is in Texas, your YMMV in other states.
@HalOfBorg:
I highly doubt someone who uses language like “You cannot call no one” is thinking about the legal liability of allowing someone to use the phone.
@HalOfBorg: “I understand BB&B’s point of view – if we call police and there is no problem with the kid we can get sued – or something like that.”
But you can’t get sued if you DON’T let someone call 911 and someone DIES?
@HalOfBorg: The kid was locked in a hot car? I would say that’s something wrong with him.
One thing to ask though….isn’t 911 a free call from a payphone?
@Dyscord: “One thing to ask though….isn’t 911 a free call from a payphone?”
There are no more payphones since they don’t make money for the stores due to cell phones. I too remember there used to be banks of phones in front of stores, but no more.
The customer did ask the store to contact the authorities, the store suggested that the customer, who had witnessed the situation, contact 911.
Holy shit — did corporate actually write that? That’s absolutely reprehensible.
@timmus: Wow, you actually wrote “reprehensible”, I dont even know if you spelled it correctly, I’d never have the balls to even attempt hit online.
/cheers
“We are pleased that the manner was addressed in a timely manner…” – BY THE CUSTOMER! (if it were the customers who contacted the police, article didn’t say)
What a statement from the corporate office “We are pleased that the manner was addressed in a timely manner…” No thanks to the boneheaded and ill-advised actions of the employees in the store. So if the car was on fire, would they get involved? “Training opportunity”, indeed.
“The customer did ask the store to contact the authorities, the store suggested that the customer, who had witnessed the situation, contact 911.”
Wow, what a way to spin a potentially deadly situation…
Hmmm….toddler locked in a hot car….
Training opportunity!!!
This deserves some kind of George Orwell award.
Bed, Bath, and Beyond our front door is not our concern.
I understand BB&B’s point of view – if we call police and there is no problem with the kid we can get sued – or something like that.
When someone is declaring an emergency, that’s not for anyone at BBB to decide. In fact, BBB is at greater risk of a lawsuit by interfering in an emergency than just being an intermediary in a false alarm situation. This is a classic case of asshole store management and an awful corporate response trying to back him up 100%.
@timmus: Wouldn’t the good Samaritan law protect them in this case from being sued?
Heck, if the people in the store refused to call 911 then I would have simply gone over and pulled the nearest fire alarm. It would have cleared out the store, cost them money, and gotten the police & fire department there very quickly. Same end result but more costly to the store. I seriously doubt you’d get into trouble over a false alarm once everything is explained to the police.
@IphtashuFitz: You probably would with the fire department. You could also have injured someone, which would get you a charge of reckless endangerment. Heaven forbid the fire truck was then delayed to a real fire. Also you would have to deal with the alarm companies fees. Not a good idea. Your best bet would be to just break the window itself. I always keep a center punch in my car in case I get trapped in water. Let the mom press charges for breaking her window.
@Git Em SteveDave is starlost: Depending on the situation (if the child looked like he was in distress) the fire department likely would have been sent by 911 or requested by the police who showed up. They’d likely want to have paramedics check on the child. The only downside to pulling the alarm is that it would empty the store & require the fire department to check the store before people could go back in.
If the life of a toddler is potentially in danger and there’s no phone nearby to use then there’s no reason not to pull a nearby fire alarm. The whole purpose of fire alarms is to save lives, and you just might be doing that in this situation.
@IphtashuFitz: I believe pulling a fire alarm when there isn’t a fire is a felony. So.. you would’ve saved the kid and gotten yourself in deep shit.
@Oranges w/ Cheese: RE, “I believe pulling a fire alarm when there isn’t a fire is a felony…”,
Maybe it’s time for these ‘fire’ alarms to be renamed “Emergency Alarms” and become more useful?
@IphtashuFitz: The problem with pulling the fire alarm like that is that the fire department would have to check and clear the scene of the alarm before they could attend to a different issue.
That’s not to say that firemen don’t have brains and more than one guy (e.g. ‘Hey, you go check out the kid, I’ll clear the store’). But it is an important distinction to make that the first alarm must be cleared and would take priority.
If they told me it was my responsibility I probably would have just started throwing merchandise on the floor. I bet they would call the cops at that point.
The customer should have used his/her cell-phone. And failing that, BB&B shouldn’t have engaged in douchebaggery.
Someone at Corporate needs to explain to the store manager that, where customer relations are concerned, there is such a thing as bad press.
@OMG! Ponies!: It’s not bad PR, it is a child’s life! Have we forgotten how to act without being concerned about litigation?!
Oh yeh – like I said, I’d have just called 911 myself right off.
There are at least 3 issues here..
Bad parenting.
Poor employee training.
The disappearance of pay phones.
Sure, cell phones are great. But not everyone has them. And 911 operators can find your exact location faster if you’re calling from a landline, whether it be from a pay phone or BBB phone.
@LatherRinseRepeat: The disappearance of pay phones.
no kidding! & even if you can find one, your odds are 1:100 that it works. once i ditched my car in a snowstorm (in a “dead zone” – so much for cell phones), so i walked 4 miles to the nearest payphone (center of a middle-of-nowhere town). i get there & some jerk had torn the receiver off the unit.
had to trudge around until i could find a house w/ lights on. not fun.
In most (all?) states, it does NOT expose you to any liabilty to call 911 to report a (suspected) crime. Only if you use 911 for knowingly false or malicious use could you ever expose yourself to any liability.
Obviously the person who asked the store to call didn’t have a cell phone, or they would have used it.
If the citizen was unable to find an alternate phone and the child died, then BB&B COULD have been liabile, IMHO, for refusing to cooperate, when notified of a potential life-threatening situation.
To the employee who feels that things beyond their door is not their concern (if you are still employeed), a rapist / murderer / robber is in your parking lot about to enter your store. Would you like notification?
I now have a good reason to never step foot into a BB&B. If corporate wants to ‘back’ their employees for making the WRONG call, then I can’t see rewarding them with my money so they can make a profit.
@zentex: This and their useless 20% off everything (except for everything) coupons.
I dunno– what’s the law say on my smashing the window in myself and keeping the kid from being boiled alive?
I’ll be damned if I’m going to wait for BB&B to grow a pair over their phone policy, and/or wait for the police to arrive. In an intense heat, seconds matter.
I would hazard a guess that if the customer had said a man in the parking lot was strapping on body armor and loading an assault rifle, 911 would probably have gotten a call.
We had a similar situation involving a puppy in our Best Buy parking lot two months ago. It was at least 90 outside with our deep South summer and a very young puppy was locked in a car without any ventilation. A customer alerted us to it. We contacted animal control but nobody showed up. About an hour later, the DB customer comes in and asks to speak to a manager. I come see him and he’s livid that someone broke his window and took his dog. I still don’t know who rescued the puppy, but I told the guy I had zero sympathy for him, and that his dog could have died in that car. I can’t imagine knowing a situation exists where an innocent can be hurt and doing nothing. Those employees need to have their heads checked!
What the hell were they wasting time calling 911 for? Go smash the damn window, /then/ call 911 to get an ambulance there, just in case. Those five minutes count!
Those store personnel are pretty idiotic, much like the cafe staff who charged firefighters to buy bottled water the morning of 9/11. Sometimes people simply lose sight of the decent thing to do in the face of corporate stupidity.
But I think it is reasonable for only the person who saw the incident to make the call, not that that is what the morons were technically saying if they told the customer “to make the call.” 2ndhand reports of anything are not usually very useful, or at least not preferred to an actual witness.
On a side note, I’m curious to know, would it be within a private citizen’s reasonable good samaritan rights/liability to smash the window of a hot car with a child locked in it?
@kepler11: “On a side note, I’m curious to know, would it be within a private citizen’s reasonable good samaritan rights/liability to smash the window of a hot car with a child locked in it?”
Hell yes.
Could it be that the person who went in to BB&B and asked to use the land line because they were not too sure of the address of the building, and by using a land line the 911 operator would be able to pinpoint the location better than using a cell phone?
I actually just remembered a similar incident at Home Depot (warning – HD praise ahead).
I saw a child in a car seat, in a car with no adult around. I waited a few minutes, to see if the parent was about to return, perhaps loading purchases. When that didn’t happen, I went inside to store security. They paged the mother and store staff went outside and kept the vehicle under constant survelliance (it was warm, but not very hot out and the child did not appear to be in distress). When the woman did not respond to the page (they gave her 5 minutes or so) they contacted the police. The police and the mother arrived at the car at the same time.
Say what you will, but bravo to HD in this instance. (Evanston, Illinois).
@SkokieGuy: Funny, I worked in a Home Depot in Connecticut and saw an accident in the parking lot. There seemed to be no injuries, but the cars were pretty badly damaged. I asked my manager if I should call the police, and I was told no, what happens in the parking lot is outside of the store and not our problem. We don’t get involved.
I’m a little slow and had to have this lesson reinforced for me on a night in the middle of a tropical storm when a truck driver came in for a tarp and an extension ladder. His truck had been damaged and he had to cover it so his load wouldn’t get ruined. I helped him out with the ladder (which I was allowed to do) as an excuse to foot the ladder for him while he climbed up in the wind to deploy the tarp.
After I was written up it was explained to me that if he had been blown off the ladder while he worked alone, that was not Home Depot’s fault, but if it had happened while I was out there helping him they would be sued.
I tried to point out that if it had happened while he was alone no one would have known, but if it had happened while I was out there I could have called 911 for him. This, to management, was proof of just how stupid I really am. And maybe I am.
@nsv: Heh. I think your former managers must have had to submit to a lobotomy before getting their jobs. If the guy got blown off of a ladder because store employees refused to help him in a weather emergency, I’d have expected a lot of negative publicity. Not to mention it’s just a douchebag thing to do, instructing people not to help others because of the fear of getting sued.
@Speak: Yes, it’s a douchebag thing to do (not exactly how I would have put it, but your version is actually more polite,) but probably no one would have known that Home Depot refused to help him. If he had been blown off the ladder, either it would have killed him or he would have been left there without help for hours, with a good chance that would kill him. It’s hard for local media to interview a dead guy.
The funny thing is, I never knew if the safety-oriented things I did would get me an award or a disciplinary write-up. It was split about 50/50.
BB&B isn’t even trying with their issued statement. So, the customer asked the store to contact the authorities [911]. The store suggested that the customer contact 911. What??? They’re missing a transition there, i.e., whatever excuse they can dredge up for why the store couldn’t dial 911.
@SkokieGuy: That’s a remarkable story. I have a hard time imagining some low-paid store employee taking the initiative to patrol a parking lot. I hope HD recognized their employees’ actions.
Well, to debate the legality of that law slightly — I doubt it applies to the case of someone withholding use of their private telephone to call 911. It sounds like the law is designed to make it an offense to interfere with someone who is in the process of making an emergency call.
What people (especially in positions of management/authority, even minor) should understand, is that in an emergency, where time is of the essence, much can be forgiven/allowed, even by idiotic corporations, and you should do what is humanly decent and necessary to solve a developing situation. You will generally be praised than criticized for acting quickly.
Here’s an update. The URL says it all:
[bluegrassbeat.bloginky.com]
@Shadowman615: Haha .. Sounds like the store may be in hot water.
I love that they may have charges pressed against them for trying to avoid doing something that might get them in legal trouble.
Yet another example of our fine legal system. There is no right and there is no wrong. You can only fail. Do not pass go do not collect $200.
@Shadowman615: Hah!
“Be assured that, at Bed Bath & Beyond, we take matters such as these very seriously,” said Hank Reinhart, vice president of customer service.
I actually saw a situation like this happening at the local teacher supply store (yes, a teacher of our small children did this…) There was a car parked right out front when I entered with a three month old-ish baby in a car seat in the back. It was about 110 outside and as I walk in, I hear the security guard asking for the owner of the car. He found the woman who actually had the nerve to say “But I’m only in here for like 5 minutes!” as she’s standing in a 10-person line with a cart load of stuff that had to have taken way more than 5 minutes to gather. They ended up calling in the police and charging her right there.
Break the window, grab the kid and provide aid, it’s a no-brainer. I would have done it with a witness present however. There’s no defense for leaving a child in a vehicle unattended whatever the weather. I don’t imagine any cops would side with the person who had left the child.
From the follow-up article:
“It is against company policy to get involved with anything that happens in the company parking lot.”
Yeah, and if there were a bomb, earthquake or fire situation in in the parking lot??…I guess it would be just business as usual for the employees at BB& Beyond All Reason. They’d just keep on working, minding their own business…..
I think BBB was afraid they’d lose the business of thousands of child abusers across the nation. Rather then a boycott they though this kid could ride take a hit for good ol’ BBB. Or they were, in this case, afraid they’d lose this one sale of purple satin drapes.
The article mentions nothing about the won tons that were endangered. Did they end up burning in the hot car? Were they able to used in a soup or appetizer dish?
On a more serious note, this is a weird quote: “”Morally, I just can’t believe that you would not call. What if that was your child out there?”"
Obviously, that person wouldn’t care.
The part I really don’t understand is how does it become store policy not to get involved in responding to potential emergency situations? Are situations like this specifically covered during new employee training sessions? Unless an employee is directed otherwise, common sense would suggest the employee would provide a phone for the customer to call 911 — without having to call 911 themselves.
On a separate note, kudos to the customers who did get involved and decided not to ignore it. Just last week, a three year old died in Atlantic City for being left alone in a car for 3 hours.
To everyone suggesting that the customer call on his/her cell phone, 911 calls on cell phones usually go to state police (I know in California, they go to Highway Patrol) and is screened for emergency/non-emergency calls before they forward you to the appropriate 911 call center. Calling on a store phone/landline would bypass the screening process and go straight to the local 911 call center and would be MUCH faster and accurate, barring any negligent store employees.
Personally I would’ve just grabbed the phone and dialed. There are usually several phones throughout a store and 911 connects you right to the outside. Besides, what are they gonna do, grab the phone out of your hand?
On the flip side, I don’t necessary think it’s (always) a crime to leave your kids in the car for a few minutes while you run into a store to get something quick.
Here was my situation. Any comments would be appreciated. I have a three year old and a one year old. I drove to our local Wawa (like a 7-11) in order to run in to get cash, a coffee, and a few snacks. Left the kids in the car. However, here are the circumstances. I parked right in front of the store – the car is clearly visible from anywhere inside Wawa. It was about 75-80 degrees outside, but I left the car running and the air conditioning cranked. The kids were shaded by the roof of the car and the CAR WAS LOCKED.
Round trip, the process of getting in and out of the store took less than 5 minutes. Both kids were in the back of the car ASLEEP and it would have been a major headache to get the double stroller out of the car, wake the kids up, get the kids out of their carseats and buckled into the stroller for such a quick trip. I considered my actions to be appropriate based on my situation — but one of the other customers did not agree and gave me an earful.
@Scoobatz: Carnapping takes only a few seconds – so there you go!
@ARPRINCE: And my glock only takes less than a second to take your head off when fired from the doorway. Sure it would wake the kids, but you would have an awful hard time taking them if you are dead. Even without a gun, the person attempting to take my kids would find themselves short a few appendages during the attempt. And yes, I can move pretty damn fast.
@Crymson_77: Gotta love these “cowboys” that think they’re an action hero from some movie. First off, you can’t keep your eye on your car at ALL times. You’re distracted. Second, your aim is highly suspect and you’re firing on a vehicle that contains your two children…. This isn’t “Die Hard” and you ain’t John McClane..
BTW, from the link… “Lexington Police BUSTED the glass…” Who writes like that? I know they’re hillbillies down there (j/k my Mom’s from KY) but really….
As for BBB, shame on them, and I’d hope the store received a sizeable fine for such behavior.
@rellog: Firing at a person standing near a car with “my,your, or their” children in it causes one to be exceptionally accurate with their chosen weapon. Considering you will want to avoid ricochets, you are best aiming at and hitting a spot on the person you are shooting at that is likely to cause the bullet to:
1) stop in the meaty flesh or ricochet off a bone into other portions of their body, or
2) bounce off the dense bone structure of the persons brain, thereby scrambling said brain and killing the offender outright.
One need not be John McClane, one need only have a reason to have good aim.
@Crymson_77: I think you’re overestimating how accurate handguns and their users are.
A study once found that less than 1/8 of the shots taken by police officers in the field, in real combant situations, actually hit their target. And these are trained handgun users, with maintained equipment and hundreds of hours at the firing range.
And they still can’t hit for shit. Adrenaline or not, you’re far more likely to put a bullet in something you weren’t aiming at, than what you were aiming at.
@Crymson_77: I hope I never live near you, you are a terrifying person. You would rather carry a loaded Glock with you at all times and shoot at someone who is near your car, which you left running with unattended children in it, rather than wake up your children or delay that particular stop? That’s fucking crazy.
@KoW: Thank you. Someone had to play devil’s advocate…just decided to see how long it took someone to say exactly what you did. Personally? I do not own a gun, and likely never will. Don’t like ‘em, but would never take one out of someone’s hands if they wanted it (barring psychos and the like). I feel that there are very specific circumstances where leaving your child in a running car is acceptable. Losing sight of your car or being further away than it takes to pump gas are two instances in which I would not personally commit to as there are just too many crazies in the world. At the same time, for each of us it is a matter of choice and an acceptance of consequences of that choice we must reconcile.
@Scoobatz: The other customer was an asshole. It is far better to keep your eyes on your vehicle at all times, with it running, a/c blowing, than to wake up two children just so you can run into a store for 2 minutes. The ONLY time I would agree with the asshat that yelled at you is if your car was not fully visible at all times. I also have 2 children, one very little, and your actions were far less disturbing to the children (and consequently better for their health), than hauling them out just so you can buy a candy bar.
@Scoobatz: I’m pretty freaked out by kids that young left unattended in a car, period; add in a running engine and I’m thinking “Bad plan.” I totally sympathize with the PITA factor, but I think that’s just a joy of parenting one has to accept.
More on topic: our BBB is incredibly nice and helpful, and it’s consequently one of my favorite places to shop locally. I have a hard time imagining they’d have done anything like this.
@Scoobatz: That kinda happened to me. It was more or less the lady didn’t want to wake the kids and go through all that trouble. Basically I was on break outside in my uniform for the grocery store I work at. A lady with two kids asleep in the back pulls up and asks if I can get her something. I had nothing better to do so I got it for her. The point of the matter is that your situation was a little different, but you still thought it through.
@Scoobatz: It’s not worth the risk. Children been kidnapped this way. As a matter of fact, it recently happened at a nearby grocery store. The mother wasn’t even in the store. She was still in the parking lot, and made it back to the car, but the car jacker beat her and drove off with her baby in the car. I remember a heartbreaking case where a woman did just what you did. Kept her eye on the car at a convenience store with the motor running because she was just going to be in there for a minute. Ran back out as she watched someone steal her car. Grabbed her son, but wasn’t able to pull him fully out of the car in time, and he was dragged to his death, right before her eyes.
They can also crawl around in the car, kick the car into gear and crash. Not worth the risk. I know none of us are perfect as parents, and sometimes we do things that we look back on and realize they might not have been the best decision, so I don’t want to sound judgmental. It’s such a bad idea to leave children unattended like that, so I hope you rethink it before you decide to do it again. It’s tough with small kids, but sometimes we have to schedule our errands around them. I’ve been there.
@Scoobatz: The biggest thing I’d be worried about is that someone could smash your window and drive off with your kids, while you’re perusing the candy bars. Second to that, I’d worry about the three year old waking up and deciding to try to put the car in gear. I’d also be worried about the air conditioner sucking in exhaust and making the kids breathe it (not lethal, but not exactly desirable either).
I personally would not be in favor of leaving kids in a running care.
@NotATool: care should be… car
@Scoobatz: Wait… if the car was running with the A/C on, and the doors were locked, how did you get back in it?
Did you take the keys/fob apart, or do you usually carry two separate sets of keys?
@Pithlit kind of nails the bigger issue– to me it’s not about kidnapping, the risk of which is quite low– it’s about the kids getting out of their seats and popping a running car into gear, etc. Or the car motor/battery/AC failing, and then creating a hot situation inside a closed vehicle.
Just my opinion, but the safer route would be to turn the car off, parked in plain view, roll all the windows down, and take your keys with you. The bottom line for endangerment is, are the kids safe in that environment? IMO, in that situation, yes they are, if it’s only lasting a couple of minutes.
@savvy999: Wait… if the car was running with the A/C on, and the doors were locked, how did you get back in it?
Simple. I rolled down the window so I could reach in with my hand to lock the door from the outside. Actually, I used a valet key that I keep on my key chain.
To everyone else that provided candid feedback on my situation, thank you very much. I asked for it, and I can’t disagree, now looking back. I will add, however, that my situation was a one time event. And, I will admit that I remembered feeling a lot of anxiety even though the whole ordeal took only a couple of minutes and I figured the risk of anything harmful happening was fairly remote. Before your feedback, my wife made it clear a long time ago this wouldn’t happen again!
Getting back to the OP’s story, I find it interesting that outside of this side discussion, nobody else made any comments about the child’s safety — only his health. I can’t imagine leaving a young kid in a department store parking lot by himself, regardless of the temperature outside.
@Scoobatz: We have had several instances here in Mpls where parents have left their sleeping child(ren) in a running car and the car was stolen with the child(ren) in it. It is NEVER safe to leave your children alone in a car!!!! If it is not convenient to wake up the kids, skip the darn trip.
@Scoobatz: It’s also a crime to leave your car idling while you’re running into Wawa – at least in NJ. I’m fairly sure there’s a similar law in PA.
Had a police officer stopped in, he could have cited you both for child endangerment and for a motor vehicle/environmental issue.
@Scoobatz: I’ve no problem with what you did.
My wife went to a grocery store once. Our 3 year old son was sleeping; his 10 year old sister was with him. Wife didn’t want to wake the little guy so she left the truck running to keep the kids warm (it was winter time) and my daughter – who is legally old enough to babysit – locked the doors behind her.
My wife wasn’t in the store 5 minutes. She bought 2 or 3 little things. Some bitch called 911 and reported “two infants left alone in a car” … the officer arrived at the vehicle the same time my wife did and threatened to arrest her for child endangerment. So, it’s perfectly legal if we let the 10 year old babysit her little brother for hours on end at home, but it’s illegal if we leave them in a car together for 5 minutes. Apparently, yes, “Because she might try to drive the car.” Uh, no, she won’t. She’s a very well behaved kid and she knows right from wrong.
The officer decided not to arrest my wife, but did threaten her with such. She was told the reason she was not being arrested was because the officer was upset with the person who gave a false report of “two infants” when that was clearly not the case. Thankfully the officer used good judgment here but the fact that someone would call 911 and that there is actually a law that calls this child endangerment is bullshit.
I, however, would never – ever – leave a young child by himself, no matter the circumstances, not in a car nor a house nor anywhere else. That’s just my position, but I don’t think you (Scoobatz) were necessarily wrong to go into a gas station within sight of the running car with sleeping children. If the car is within view of your eyes at all times, I can’t see a problem there. Doesn’t seem any different to me from pumping gas, or getting out to get the mail, etc. No need to get children out for that!
Standing at the checkout line and announcing to all the shoppers, “A toddler is trapped in a vehicle and the store won’t let you call 911- can I borrow someone’s cell real quick?” would have been real good.
@gorckat: Agreed! I was wondering that myself? You mean no one had a cell phone?
I agree also that 911 should be available to anyone. And by BB&B acknowledging the parking lot is the company parking lot, they’re acknowledging that it’s their property, no? Wouldn’t they be liable for something happening on their property (I know, it’s all leased).
And what if it was someone’s grandmother having medical problems and they happen to be in the parking lot? If someone had come into BB&B asking for the phone, they would have said no? Shame.
It’s also ridiculous that BB&B to spin this in a way to suggest that the customer was at fault.
Parenting techniques aside, this is an emergency, therefore you expect a store to let you use a phone. It could be a puppy in a car, an injured person in the parking lot, etc. Even if this BBB is part of a large shopping center with other stores, who doesn’t have enough common sense to let someone use a phone for a person in distress? Sickening. Not like I shop at this store anyway (you can get the same stuff at Target for a lot less even without a daily 20% coupon), but I’ll make sure to stay away in the future.
Calls to 911 are free, and can even be made from wireless phones not yet activated on a wireless network. Try it, take an old phone and call customer service – or 611. If the phone was ever tied to the number you are currently using, make sure the current phone is powered off.
If the area was a dead coverage zone, I can see where the witness would not want to try using their phone to call out to 911. BB&B should be ashamed, from the bottom up, that employees which are wholly representative of the company refused to allow people to call 911 from their store.
BB&B should have simply stated it was an outrageous, but isolated incident and that they were looking into it. Issue an apology to the witness(es) that tried to do the right thing but were stone-walled by a bunch of retards. Then, fire those employees and replace them with more competent help.
Idiots working on the front line in low-paying jobs relying on “company policy” over common sense: This I am used to. But the BBB response is pathetic. They should have said something like “While we do have a policy of X,Y,Z, in this particular instance the store should have allowed the bystander to call 911. We regret that this incident occurred and will take immediate steps to ensure that we do better in the future.”
I would have asked for the phone.
If they said no, I would have walked over to a register that no one was at, and picked up the phone myself.
Even if I did get barred from every BB&B store, I wouldn’t have gone back after hearing that.
I’ve been to this BB&B many times, but I won’t be going again. I know for a fact there is no pay phone in this shopping center. I’m assuming they didn’t have a cell phone if they went inside to use the store phone. I’m also assuming that they succeeded in either contacting another passerby with a phone or going into another store in the strip mall. A third person, a Ms. Bowe, is mentioned – maybe she had a phone. Anyway, bollocks to BB&B. They have always had dumb policies, but this one takes the cake. I’m really embarrassed that someone in my town was this stupid.
@manic pixie flackette: Don’t be embarrassed, they are in every town in the US (and the rest of the world for that matter). Just be sad that Darwin isn’t as right as we would all like him to be…
That’s right, BBB. Make lemonade out of those almost-dead-baby lemons!
This is a toughie…
It’s obvious here that the person that the OP was dealing with is a horrible person. But the reason this is a toughie is that sometimes, things are not what they seem.
With our high levels of frivilous law suits, most people choose not to get involved because of the legal ramifications. For example, what if the toddler fell ill after he was rescued?
911 should always be available to anyone, regardless of situation. BB&B should have offered that. But somewhere, they have to protect themselves. I’ll be honest and say I don’t know where that point may be but it’s probably somewhere many of us would still complain.
@linus: That’s a cop-out. Frivilous lawsuits are buzz terms used by certain politicians to pass unfriendly to consumer legislation, or to justify poor corporate behavior.
Linus,
I definitely understand that businesses want to protect themselves. But in this particular case, they would have been protected under the Good Samaritan laws. And let’s really be human here, even if the parent was to sue BB&B, so be it, what judge or jury in their right mind would find them guilty of anything but trying to help. (but then again, this is the country where OJ is not guilty right?)
In any case DO THA WIGHT FING!!!!
@andy966: Part of the issue is the cost of defending the case. It really is a no-win situation for BB&B. Even the threat of a lawsuit makes most companies pull back.
this is now the #1 story on google news if you look up bed bath and beyond.
@Mr. Guy: Impressive.
@zentex: Hmm… I think I’ll take some time to draft up a letter and send it out.
Anyone feel like giving corporate a good talking-to?
650 Liberty Avenue
Union, New Jersey 07083
908-688-0888
@zentex: Let’s not organize anything like this in comments, please. If people want to contact the company of their own accord, that’s fine, but we don’t need to be organizing a campaign here in the comment thread. Thanks.
GOOD LORD!!! I don’t know who was dumber, the store clerks or the customer. You see a kid in a locked car with rolled-up windows in summer. You don’t know how long the kid has been in there.
Do you:
a) Discuss things rationally, come to a consensus, and take action?
b) Run into a store and (assuming they’ll let you) call the authorities and hope they get there within, oh fifteen or twenty minutes?
c) Find a brick?
Correct answer: You find the brick. Then you smash the window. If no brick is available you sacrifice the bones in your hand/elbow/whatever. Then you make sure the kid is OK. Everything else is action after the fact.
@bagumpity: You win the internet.
@bagumpity: Exactly, sir! Break the frackin window and get that kid in some A/C… or at least out of that damn car. And hydrate the kid, call 911, find mom, detain her, etc, etc, etc…
@bagumpity: Have you ever tried to break a car window? I don’t know the physical condition of the person from the story, but most people couldn’t break a window without some heavy object, and even then it may be a challenge.
@rellog:
Um…. have YOU ever tried to break a car window !? All side windows are tempered glass, they shatter into a billion peices at even a moderate impact. A 10 year old can shatter a side window with a kick.
The best is to use a spring loaded transfer punch… fun stuff.
I can’t imagine not allowing a customer to call 911 since the employee didn’t feel comfortable calling.
I’m starting to think that child belonged to one of the employees.