Baby Left With Note in Locked Car While Mother Shopped (PHOTO)
A New Zealand mother has come under investigation after leaving a newborn baby alone in a locked with a note while she went shopping at a supermarket.
"My mum's in doing the shopping, call her if I need anything," a note placed on top of a newborn baby that was locked in a car read. The note also gave the phone number to the baby's mother. A couple passing by noticed the baby and became concerned.
"My wife said, I'm not going in without someone being here with the baby," a man recalled during an interview with the New Zealand Herald. Other passers-by also acknowledged the child; one of them called the number on the note to get a hold of the mother. The story of the baby eventually went viral after radio DJ Polly Gillespie posted the a picture of the baby with the note on Facebook.
The photo was posted on Sunday and has received nearly 1,500 comments. Some came to the mothers defense.
"This is clearly early morning with dew on the car, there's almost no cars in the carpark, I reckon the woman just nipped in to grab milk, and made a spur of the moment decision not to wake her baby," Bree Fraser wrote. "I don't believe she deserves this treatment and debate...Neither does that little baby."
But others were less forgiving.
"Stupid women, there is no excuse that could save her," Naomi Cairo wrote. "Seriously feel sorry for that poor baby, I'm infuriated with anger."
Police are not investigating the case because no complaint has been filed as of yet, according to Senior sergeant Justin Rakena, who spoke with NZ Newswire.
It is illegal in New Zealand to leave a child under 14 years old alone for an unreasonable time or in unreasonable conditions and could result in a $2,000 fine.