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Texas Infant Left In Car Dies Save Email Print
21 comments
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(October 11, 2008)—Foul play isn’t suspected in the death of a 7-month-old girl whose grandfather left her in the backseat of his car for more than five hours while he was at work at a Houston elementary school.

Houston police Sgt. Robert Odom said the case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury without charges.

Odom said the man was supposed to take the baby to a daycare center, but evidently forgot his granddaughter was in his vehicle.

Highs on Friday reached into the 80s in the Houston area.
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Posted by: Ann Location: Temple on Oct 14, 2008 at 01:25 PM
The idea of the bells and whistles to alert you that someone is in the backseat is fine but in the mean time people need to be more alert when it comes to children being left in a vehicle. I have two infant nieces and the way I have them positioned in the back seat I do not see how I could not see them when I get out. If I have one I position her seat in the middle of the back seat. Even looking in the rear veer mirror while driving I can see her car seat. If I have both I still have one in the middle and the other one to the right or left backseat. I am sorry for the grandfather and other family members who have been in this situation but I just can't for life of me see how you can forget a child in the car.
Posted by: Betty Location: Moody on Oct 14, 2008 at 11:45 AM
People in this world are going so fast and furious trying to make a "buck." Try to slow down and smell the roses. As for me, I could not ever "forget" I had a grandchild in the back seat of my vehicle!
Posted by: Just sayin is all Location: Ft Hood on Oct 14, 2008 at 07:30 AM
Yep, lets make the car manufacturers completely idiot proof our vehicles, let let the government idiot proof our lives. You cant fix STUPID!How about actually punishing these people?
Posted by: anonymous on Oct 13, 2008 at 07:06 PM
Sally ann, you have a good idea! If carmakers can make cars that have sensors in the rear to detect something behind the car, then why can't they invent a sensor that beeps or flashes if a child is left in the back seat?
Posted by: ginny Location: cove on Oct 13, 2008 at 06:15 PM
so mary you are just as guilty as the mother if anything happened because you didn't call the police. and i wouldn't be bragging about almost forgetting a child in a car not something to be proud of, i'd be ver ashamed if i were you.
Posted by: anonymous Location: Austin on Oct 13, 2008 at 05:51 PM
This has happened too many times and children are dying. It is State law to have insurance, wear a seat belt and drive the speed limit. Why can't they come up with some device that is mandatory in all cars and trucks to alert us of a passenger is still in the car. We even have beeps when the key is still in the car. This is more important than any of the above.
Posted by: mother of 3 Location: waco on Oct 13, 2008 at 04:50 PM
It amazes me how many perfect people there are in this world! All of the 'I have never....' 'I always....'. Come no people! NO ONE is perfect. I have 3 children and 2 grandchildren ~ I can CLEARLY see how this can happen. I'm not saying it's ok to INTENTIONALLY leave your child in the car ~ I'm saying ~ people do get preoccupied, people are stressed!!!!! NO PERFECT!
Posted by: Jo Location: Bremond on Oct 13, 2008 at 03:48 PM
There is a device that attaches to the car seat and another part to either you or a purse that beeps if you get more than 10-15 feet away from the vehicle. I also do not think I could do that but I will get one of these before I keep my grandchildren again.
Posted by: erin Location: waco on Oct 13, 2008 at 03:38 PM
I do agree that we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of things, but aren't we all adults here? I get so enraged when I hear about stories like this. These people that "forget" about the kiddos in the car, need to be held 100% accountable for their actions. Can you imagine how horrible of death this had to be for her. You hear people say that these things are "accidents", in my eyes this is torture. I pray that baby girl just went to sleep and didn't have to suffer the entire time she was "forgotten". As long as the judicial system lets these people get away with murder, this will not stop. Ok, I'm done for the day now, just had to vent once more.
Posted by: KITKAT Location: WACO,TX on Oct 13, 2008 at 02:47 PM
What are you doing ot thinking Mary, you should of stood by that car and watched over those children. Do you not have a cell phone to call the police. What if something would have happened to those kids,could you live with yourself, probably not since like you said you almost forgot about your own. now we see why we have CPS due to people like you.
Posted by: Patriot Location: Texas on Oct 13, 2008 at 02:39 PM
I've lost count on all the babies that have died due to being left in the car in the past few months. Jo in Killeen, well said!
Posted by: Mary Location: Cameron on Oct 13, 2008 at 01:40 PM
I almost did that once. I caught it just before I got to school, turned around and took her to the day care. When the child is so quiet and you are preoccupied with what you've got ahead of you that day, it's not that hard to loose track of where you are or what you are supposed to do especially if it's not part of your normal routine. Last week I went to the grocery store and pulled up beside a car with two toddles playing in it. I couldn't tell for sure because it was almost dark, but I think the was a younger child in the car seat. The motor was running. I should have yanked the keys and called the police, but I didn't. As I entered the store, a Mexican woman walked past me. I turned and watched her go to the vehicle. I should have turned followed her and read her the riot act, but I didn't. I told her friend who was working inside to tell her she was a complete idiot. It's harder now than it used to be to knock a car into gear, but kids can still do it.
Posted by: susiebw Location: kempner on Oct 13, 2008 at 12:32 PM
This is going to continue until the State starts prosecuting these "forgetful" people. I have not ever forgotten my grandson is in the car and I think at my busiest, most stressed, I never could. That's just a horrible way to get free of responsibilities, and go unpunished!
Posted by: Jo Location: Killeen on Oct 13, 2008 at 09:27 AM
People need to slow down and stop trying to do so many things at once. How is it that our minds are so cluttered that we are forgetting about children and leaving them in hot cars to die. This just breaks my heart! I for one, make it a habit to check my car before I get out, to be sure I'm not forgetting anything. I also glance into the backseats of parked cars as I pass them. Perhaps if people would start doing this and looking out for each other, we might be able to save some of these poor, innocent victims.
Posted by: erin Location: waco on Oct 13, 2008 at 08:59 AM
One question... how can someone "forget" a child in a car? I understand getting busy and overwhelmed (I'm a single mom). Well, really I don't understand. I am always on the run, but never have I "forgotten" my son in the car. Nor has my mother "forgotten" her grandson. The case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury without charges? And we wonder why this keeps repeating itself. Children are a gift from God, yet we let them get discarded like yesterday's trash.... Sad times
Posted by: sally ann Location: waco on Oct 13, 2008 at 08:14 AM
cant car makers make a bell/ voice go off in the car if a seat belt is buckled or cant take key out of cars before a message say look do u have a child in the car just like in some cars u can turn off front air bag with a key but something needs to be done please someone think of a way to remind all about the kids
Posted by: Joh Location: Waco on Oct 13, 2008 at 05:58 AM
This is truly another sad event that has taken the life of a little one, even though it was the grandfather who left the child in the car i still feel that something needs to be done to make people more accountable for their actions, this is just senseless, God bless everyone involved.
Posted by: will Location: waco on Oct 13, 2008 at 04:54 AM
What do you mean forgot his grandbaby was in his car? And what do mean no charges filed?
Posted by: Heart-Of-Texas Location: Waco on Oct 12, 2008 at 12:10 PM
I totally 'do not' understand this, but I guess I'm 'not' suppossed to??? God Have Mercy on our Souls!! Back-To-The-Future!!
Posted by: Sharon Location: Killeen on Oct 12, 2008 at 01:47 AM
This is the third child from the Houston area to be left in the car in the past few months. What is going on? are all the parents, and grandparents so absent-minded?
Posted by: CC Location: killeen on Oct 11, 2008 at 09:34 PM
For real? I hope he isn't a teacher what a shame, poor baby.
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