How do you forget your child?

I wonder that too. But I know that people are rushed and in routines that when they change for any reason things can happen. I can see it more when going say to work, but not going home. If I got home and had two kids in the house instead of three I would wonder where the third one was. But I can see how maybe a mom or dad takes one kid to school and one to a babysitter one could be forgotten. I had a friend who had several kids and everywhere they went she had to count heads to make sure all were there. But with all the work and stress and schedules it seems to be happening more and more. So sad.

You know what, I too have asked that same question. I means seriously as a parent we know that we put a carseat in the car in the morning so why is it they suddenly forget that they put the carseat there? I have never EVER forgot to take my children out of the car. EVER, and I don't understand how any parent can. I'm sorry but I have a hard time believing it was an accident. I think it's just a way for parents to kill their kids and then blame it on being forgetful. In my opinion I think these people need to be in jail. Not on tv or radio. They aren't people who need to be famous, they need to be locked up.

quite simply... they dont. its a lie. the same as a drunk will try to gain immunity for horrible behavior while drunken saying "i dont remember a thing". how can you hold to blame something the person cant even remember doing? no parent can possibly just forget their child is there. those kids were left there purposefully for whatever assanine reasoning.. and after the worse that could happen.. happened.. they claim amnesia to avoid taking responsibilities for their despicable irresponsible behavior that cost a childs life.

hi betsy... i actually saw this woman- she was on Oprah this past monday i think. i had taped it on my dvr because i was interested in the story and to hear what the mother had to say. when i did hear her tell the details of that day, i was so sad and felt horrible for that family. i would never wish that on anyone- to have to lose a child. i have 2 small boys, and let me just say, before i had kids, or even when my first was very little, i used to say things like, "how could that person do that" or "weren't they watching their kids?" i felt for this mother, because i truly believe that it was an accident, one that she unfortunately paid for with her child's life. she did change her morning routine- she had said that she never was the one to bring her daughters to their daycare- her husband was always the one that did that while she went to school. but on that morning, her husband had a dentist appointment so she brought the girls. after dropping her older daughter off, she went to take the younger to her daycare, but realized that it was too early and it was not open yet. so she went to run an errand in the meantime. after that, she ended up on the road that she drives to school every morning, and, as was her routine every day, just drove on to school. i guess it was the first day for the teachers, and she was busy with everything, and pulled into the parking lot and just started unloading things from her trunk. it wasn't until a fellow teacher and friend came into her office 8 hours later and told her that her daughter was in the car did she realize what she had done. now, i do not think that i could forget that my child was in the car, either, but i truly believe that some of us parents just get so busy with things that something like that could happen. probably not to most of us, but there is a prime example. yes it is sad and tragic, but an accident nonetheless. this is not a mom who purposely left her baby in the car while she went to get an hour-long manicure because she had no one to babysit, or do grocery shopping because she didn't feel like dragging a child in with her. these things have all happened, and they are the parents who deserve no sympathy in my opinion. but i do not think any of us has the right to say "how could she." how many times during the summer do we hear stories of children wandering off and drowning in their pools? i hear them way too often in the news and in the papers. it always makes me so sad and sick to hear. and you know, just a couple of years ago i used to say to my husband, "where were their parents that they did not realize their child was gone?" well, just a couple of summers ago my husband and i had a cookout at our house for our family. my parents were there, along with my brother and his wife and their 5 children, and my sister and her husband. i was pregnant at the time with my second and my first was about two. somehow my son and my two nieces, who were about 3 and 4 at the time i think, wandered into the backyard. my husband and i were busy cooking, and i think everyone else just thought that everyone else was paying attention to where the kids were. to make a long story short, i heard my son calling to me and realized that i didn't know where he was. so i called his name and looked around, panicking, and ran into the backyard calling his name, just in time to see him standing at the very edge of the above ground pool, leaning over and pointing at a ball that was floating in the pool. my two nieces were right behind him on the deck. i ran up and grabbed him- my initial reaction was yelling at him for being so close, but i was just so scared. i grabbed all three of them and was just crying. i was shaking realizing how close my son, and possibly even my nieces, had come to falling in and drowning. and you know, i consider myself a good mom- i am always watching my boys when we go somewhere, they are never allowed to just wander off, etc. but i realized that day that no matter how good of a parent you are and how watchful, something can happen and a kid can just slip by without anyone realizing. from then on, i never ask myself "how can they do that." i know firsthand. and that mother has enough guilt to live with now for the rest of her life. :(

I would never ever leave my baby in the car, how could I forget that my kid was in the car??????? didnt she put the child in the car?? how could a mother forget, doesnt she speak to the child when he/she is in the car... jeez.. I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND HOW A MOTHER CAR FORGET HER CHILD IS IN THE CAR!!!

You have given me the phobia of going into a car in a hot day! Jokes. I do not understand, why wouldn't the child react..i am not sure, but wouldn't you get out of the car? Wouldn't you feel dizzy and feel the need for some fresh air? But this is not the child's fault, it is the parents/carer to blame. When i was young, my parents would never let me stay in the car unless i was under adult supervision. THANK GOD!

OMG, this is so horrible and every time I hear of one of these tragedies I wonder again how in God's name could anyone forget their child! Those who have made this fatal mistake have been what you'd think of as "decent" people, not criminals or parents known as abusive or neglectful, they actually "simply" FORGOT their baby or toddler in a hot car! What could I possibly add to this other than to say I have no clue how anyone cold get so wrapped up in their trivial lives to forget their precious child for even one minute let alone hours. I also don't know what should be done to these parents, how should they punished or SHOULD they be? In most cases they didn't set out to harm their children and are in fact totally devastated about it AFTER THE FACT, which is the point - after it's too late. I know one thing, they shouldn't ever be allowed to be responsible for another child. Annie

I'm not sure. I accidentally locked my daughter in the car before and I was having a fit. I closed the door forgetting that I already locked it to get something out of the front seat. My SIL forgot her daughter in the car while shopping at walmart. Thankfully she realized this after a couple of minutes but she wonders why I dont' let her watch my daughter. lol No thanks she might leave her somewhere else.

I'm so used to always having my children with me, it's just second nature to get the kids out of the car when I do. On the rare occasion that I'm travelling alone, I still go to the backdoor as if I'm getting a child out of the car, before I remember they aren't with me. When they are with me I spend the entire drive looking back at them through the rear view mirror, to make sure they're ok, and to make sure the older ones are behaving. I think it would be impossible for me to forget they're there. Although recently I did find myself wondering if I had ALL my children. The older ones are now at the age where they're getting themselves in and out of the car, as well as helping get the toddler in and out. I'm not quite used to it yet. So recently we were leaving my sons soccer game, and I just had this feeling like I was forgetting something. I actually had to stop the car and count the kids to make sure I had them all. I did have them all... I am just so used to having to do it all myself that I felt misplaced by not having to.

That is just horrible!!! I don't know how you could forget about your CHILD!!! As bad as this sounds, I have to check sometimes to make sure I have both my babies in the car (if my hubby brings one out & I bring the other) or just sometimes I think "what if I forgot one of them" so I check, but I really couldn't imagine forgetting them in the car like that. You'd think you would realize that your kid is missing.

Firstly, I was deeply affected with your story. It really made me feel so sad, about the children, that's what I mean. I have three children. Whenever at home, most of my time is spent with them, feeding them, cleaning them and all those Mommy's work. And before I go to work in the mornings, I have this neverending reminders about the kids for my husband, since he is the one left with the kids. He'll just say, "I know, I know. Just go to work, and I'll handle everything. Don't worry, I can take care of the kids." I know he can, and gladly he really does. My point is, even if I am at work in the office, I still think of the children at home or at school. I even call home to check them. For me, that should be the parents' instinct. So you're question is really right! How can a parent could possibly forget his child inside the car? Honestly and sadly (for that matter), I can't answer your question.

i don't know how someone could forget either.. i always check to make sure my kids are out of the car before i get out..i never leave my kids in the car anymore even if i'm going to 711 or somewhere ust to pick up some gum.i use to just run in the store run out but theirs too many sick people out there who steal cars and kids and stuff...anyways oprah did a story about a woman leaving her kid in the car while she went to school she was an prinicipal. i coulden't live with myself if i did something like that i might as well die too note to everyone check and make sure your kids are out of the car before you get ou too!!

I saw her on Oprah yesterday-- unbelievable is all I can say-- I feel for her and her family-- All I can say thank goodness my son no longer sleeps in the car. He is also SOOOO chatty in the car, he would never let me forget now. I believe at times your life can run on auto pilot-- it just reminds us to wake up and pay attention every day.

i had grown and came to college and new friend on the way i forgotted my child hood. but its so good with funny

What a nie caring parent they are? I don't want to address them anymore as a parent , how will they forget their child that too only realize their child is not with them after 8 hours? so sad and bad of them , hey i don't get the point 2 year old and 17th months are still babies wont the mother search the child at least to feed them? in my place they feed the child then and there and certainly all grandmas and relatives will have the child with them and even poor people in our place who cannot afford a dress for their young children will take more care than these people! , even the women who goes to work in day will carry her child and work in farm or women who work for mansion will look after her child then and there , these people i don't have anything for them

I agree with you, but at the same time, I'm not in her shoes. It is very difficult to judge from the outside. Carelessness about one's child is one thing, but sometimes tensions or whatever could lead you to forget the most important thing. I've been very careful with my children (they are grown into young men now). But right now if you tell me something, and I walk away just a few steps, the topic will just vanish from my mind. So I'm not going to judge this mother in any way. God help her because I know she would be going through hell and I just would like to pray for her.

Well as someone who has become extremely forgetful in recent years I can understand forgetting things but even with my memory being so bad there are some things I do not forget. Also because I have a poor memory I am always checking things like making sure the stove has not been left on. I do not have children but I do have a dog and I never forget him. It does seem odd. For one thing when you get out of the car you see the baby seat. Now that is a visual prompt and should alert the mother to the child's presence so you could not leave the car and forget him/her. I cannot see how you could forget the child for 8 hours.

I dont want to judge but when she went inside of the house and heard the house quiet..didnt she think..."wheres my kid"? so I find it very suspicious

maybe because some of the mother dont like to have a baby.