here’s an interesting case ……if you were the cop that spotted this 2 year old, what would you have done?

That is a bit extreme. Its not like she left her alone for an hour. When I was a kid we were left in the car for ages on our own!

That sounds about right.

A Jobsworth nothing more…..back to police school for him i would say……

Unreasonable

9 metres is actually far away enough for the child to be abducted, she could have taken her with her, asleep or not !

I would have used my common sense, had a quiet word and sent her on her way,whilst I went out looking for proper criminals

the cop was completely right to do this – after all, there are no other crimes being commited in the country, are there? this woman was obviously a severe threat to the safety of our country……..

I think each case requires the use of common sense.

At 9 metres away from the car , surely the mother could see the child?
Therefore what is the problem?

When your kids play in the park they go more than 9 metres away from you.

As a mother myself i think it is a load of bollocks!

don’t leave your baby unattended EVER, will you people ever learn.

whats the point. no harm came to the child

Over reaction…………..not like she was in the pub – but its an easy pull for PC Plod and properly not so much paperwork as a mugging or a car theft ? Wonder what the CPS will make of it ?

I have mixed feelings about this one, Dave.
If we agree that it is negligent and dangerous to leave our kids alone, unsupervised, then it is negligent and dangerous whether it is for 10 minutes only or for 2 weeks every night ( like in the McCann case).
I would never leave my children alone in the car alone even for 10 seconds.

Gross over-reaction.

I’ve done it myself to run to the cash machine or pay for petrol.

Hang me.

I used to leave my children everywhere…the problem was they were never where I left them… (sigh)
Parenting is tough!!

I don’t agree with leaving young children locked in a car but considering how close the mother was and the time of year a quiet word in the Mothers ear would have been sufficient.
To arrest and handcuff her in front of her children was unthoughtful and in my opinion unprofessional. Considering the inappropriate behaviour by police if I was Mrs Coyne I would consider suing the local force for the trauma inflicted on the children.

Yes it does seem a bit over the top I’m sure she’s not a doctor and lets face it she was doing good not stuffing her face and drinking wine.

the report says the child was sleeping so why did the mother not leave the eldest of her children in the car with the sleeping child, I’m not saying that even that is right but i think it would have been a better choice than to leave a two year old alone ,, Ive said it before now its not what you know any more but who you know, the mother made a bad choice but as you’ve already stated others have got away with far more

That’s not right!! Go after the people who physically abuse kids and mistreat them. This guy has nothing better to do!

I don’t like the idea of leaving kids alone in a car, but considering she was only 9 metres away I think this was a major over-reaction.

There is a case in south africa where the police have charged an aunt for leaving a child in the car.

well they are not going to arrest someone who will hurt them will they, then they have to go back and do all the paper work…its much easier than arresting someone with a gun or knife…easy day for him

Evening Dave

I think that was a completely over the top response. The child was in no danger and was not neglected. You might as well arrest every parent who puts their children to bed then sits downstairs in another room.

That is sick!

The cop should be sent for a frontal lobotomy! What an idiot!

I hope the mother isn’t punished and manages to recover from her ordeal.

i agree with bunches but i couldnt be bothered to answer you. thanks bunches.

Most law enforcement types are not very bright. It is OK under the right circumstances to leave children alone for some time. The parents are usually told off if this “time” is perceived to be to long.

don’t forget that it is the perception of the length of time that differs from person to person so no one can claim – for instance that 6 mins is the “ideal” maximum time or not.

If I was a judge not only will I chuck the case out but recommend the cop for further training.

Personally, I don’t believe her story for one minute.
Every day (up until last year) when my son was in Primary school many mothers would leave sleeping children (often only months old) in the front or back seat of the car parked in the car park which is quite a bit away from the school and walk their children into the school, chatting to other mothers both on the way into the school and also on the way back to the car (often took at the min 10 mins) I confronted one mother once (never again!) and she told me that her child was hers and not mine ?!! and to mind my own business – I did report this to the Gardai, but it turns out that she was a Gardai (police) wife !.
I thought…f.uck em.

This was a major over reaction on the part of the police officer. To the mothers that say they have never done this: if they have more than one child they lie. I physically CANNOT get both children out of the car and into the house at the same time (you try carrying a 38 pound child and a carrier!) She LOCKED the car while she was only a few feet away. She is a great mother. Comparing this case to the McCanns is ridiculous. Those people left their children alone in a hotel room for an hour at a time between checkups.

that’s taking it too far, if she had left the keys in the ignition i could understand it but the car was locked and it was in sight, i hardly think that warrants a charge of neglect. xx

The only question here is, how many children need to die while we hash out how far “far” is and what the definition of “is” is.

The answer is, “NONE”.

Stay with your child, period.

Period.

She admitted that she left the child to do something else.

Guilty.