- My mum is shopping. Call her if I need anything.
This is the message that a mother from New Zealand left behind with her infant in a car in a parking lot at a supermarket.
The somewhat strange scenario obviously raised the attention of the passersby, Daily Mail writes.
- We waited by the car for a while, to see if the mother was just gone for two seconds. My wife said she would not go into the supermarket unless someone stayed with the baby, said the man who discovered the infant and the message from the mother.
The little child had a hat on and was wrapped in a blanket. On the top of the blanket was the message, which also contained the mother's phone number.
Picture of the abandoned baby shared on Facebook
Mixed reactions from Facebook users
The picture of the sleeping child has been shared on Facebook, and of course it has resulted in a lot of comments. Some are outraged by the actions of the mother.
- Sorry, this is completely irresponsible! You are not leaving children under the age of 14 without supervision, said Cat Marie Horne.
Others recognize that it obviously isn't wise to leave a small child alone in a car in a parking lot. But they point out that no one is flawless.
- It's not something I would have done myself, but I choose not to judge her. The difference is that in this case someone took a picture. Are you not happy that no-one follows you with a camera? Asks Linda Gill.
Even though the whole situation undoubtedly has attracted attention, the police have not chosen to go into the case, as nobody have reported it. The police have therefore no knowledge of which persons have been present, just as they do not know the mother's phone number, so they have no idea where to start an investigation, explains a spokeswoman.
Persons who leave children under the age of 14 for an indefinite period or under unreasonable circumstances could be fined for almost £ 1,200.
It is not harmless to leave a child in a car because there is a risk that the child dehydrates and moreover, a child is not able to defend himself or ask for help.
It's not just kids you have to be careful leaving in the car on a hot summer day. Overheated cars can actually kill our best four-legged friends.
