Question about leaving dog, or child in your hot (or not hot) car to go shopping etc., and the legal consequences?

Loose ones custody and or losing ones drivers licence. Maybe jail time or fine. Having to sit in a hot car to let the parent know what its like.

Pretty clearly charges of neglect and involuntary manslaughter.

Yes, about the losing custody of other children, right? But if it’s an only child and is dead, ... so maybe? jail time @RedDeerGuy1?
@janbb Yes of course.

Leaving a child in a hot car to die constitutes manslaughter.

Even if it was your own child and by complete accident, it is involuntary manslaugter. and is charged / punishable as such, Sometimes a sleep-deprived parent may truly forget due to a meeting or appointment and have deep remorse. It will deeply effect a family also. So many times, parents divorce over this. It is cruel to pour on more punishment and hardship such families are already faced with. Show some compassion for the loss of life and love.

Being responsible for, and ending the life of someone else’s child by accident is manslaughter for sure and should be punishable to the full extent of the law as involuntary manslaughter. Child care workers should take this responsibility extremely seriously. They will never face the full pain and remorse a parent will, and should take more punishment / less leniency than a parent.

Leaving a dog, cat,or other animal in a car is one of the underpunished crimes in most nations, for the death or suffering of a helpless, loving animal. Our pets rely on us and almost always love us. When a pet dies in a car it is not taken as seriously enough but the crime should be carried up to the equivalency of manslaughter, even though I know it can’t be counted as manslaughter. So should leaving an animal in a car be carried to the equivalency of leaving a child in a car, even if the animal or child does not die.

I am sorry to make my first answer on Fluther about punishment and go off so far on this. Normally I would rather help heal the brokenness that follows death or suffering that comes from severance from love (or a failure to recognize the need to care). But I love children and animals, and I am a real legal stickler for animal rights.

One more thing. As long as animals do not create a threat to others, there is no reason to not allow them in many places they are currently not allowed. Pet owners are responsible for the damage their animals do, but should be allowed where they do no harm.

And what would the difference in consequence be (where children are valued most) between forgetting child is in car for 15 minutes, let’s say)—> not dead child, and forgetting him/her all day,—> dead child ?

Thanks and welcome to Fluther @Magical_Sky_Faerie. I’m still reading your answer.

Laws can usually be bent and modified to be the equivalency of something more serious, Animals have the same rights as humans when it comes to suffering and death. Just because they aren’t human, and just because a pet cannot contribute to human society and ideas as much… doesn’t mean they should suffer with less consequences,

Leaving an animal in a car to suffer 15 minutes is cruel and should be punished for the same you would a human.

I would assume if a child dies the person can be charged with murder.

The difference is, when people leave their dog in the car, they do so knowingly. Children are often asleep, and it can be forgotten that they are there.

I’m not excusing anyone. I only bring it up as a possible influence.

It depends on the state.

@Patty_Melt I used to put one of my shoes in the back seat on the seat next to the car seat. I started the first time I heard of this happening.

^That’s a great idea.

That or purse, yes.
I think they should make safety seats with a pressure button to play soothing music to baby when they are strapped in. Hearing that would be a reminder.

I’m not a parent, but I think both are inexcusable. My hammer is in my floorboard at all times.

@KNOWITALL ???

@Patty_Melt I think we would get used to hearing it. At least I think I would.

@MrGrimm888 I didn’t think of it. A child came up with the idea and it was on the news after that first instance of this that I knew about. I was moritified and started doing it right away. I still don’t know how a parent would survive it happening. I worked with a woman when I was young who backed out of her garage and ran over and killed her three-year-old. It completely destroyed her. One of the saddest things I’ve ever known about personally.

@Molly To break windows, or kneecaps lol

@Magical_Sky_Faerie I don’t know if my question says that animals should be less valued much than children, but should animals more valued than children. If a person says they forgot the animal in car they would be torn apart, but it seems less so when it’s a child.