Police break into hot car to save... a doll

[MickeySP]

It would be helpful to have both sides of the story. An adult strapping a doll in a carseat might be a little creepy, whether it was to fool people, use the carpool lane, etc. A child strapping a doll in a car seat they are vacating is normal. My kids have strapped dolls and stuffed animals in when we'd leave the car, never thought twice about it.

Regardless of who strapped it in, it looked real to the officer & he/she acted accordingly. If it was a real child they wouldn't wait for both sides of the story.

Now the person whose window got busted might have a story. I am thinking a rather sad creepy one but a story none the less.

 

[fly girl]

Maybe not everyone behaves as if they're under constant surveillance. The owners of the car did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong. It was a kid's toy left in the car...the fact that it was more "realistic" looking than an American Girl or stuffed Elsa wouldn't have crossed my mind either.

I don't think someone being alarmed at seeing what looks to be an infant in a car seat is constant surveillance. After several tragedies of babies dying in hot cars, if I passed by this in a parking lot I'd call 9-1-1 too.

I never said they did anything wrong, but leaving a realistic looking baby in car seat in a locked car is a bonehead move. Those dolls are meant to look like real babies not toy dolls.

 

[cjbcam]

My girls strap all their dolls and stuffies into the extra seats in our SUV. I never knew grown adults even had these dolls so I would not even have thought about it. Looking at that picture that doll looks creepy. Why would adults do this? That, to me, is creepy.

 

[Jaime4004]

Regardless of who strapped it in, it looked real to the officer & he/she acted accordingly. If it was a real child they wouldn't wait for both sides of the story.

Now the person whose window got busted might have a story. I am thinking a rather sad creepy one but a story none the less.

I agree that they acted accordingly. Where did I question their motives? Still think it's always good to know both sides. Never said for emergency responders to figure it out beforehand.

 

[luvsJack]

Just looked at the link. OMGoodness! That is one creepy looking doll. There is no way I would have one of those things. I mean it looks real but knowing its a doll just has a huge creep factor for me.

 

[fly girl]

It would be helpful to have both sides of the story. An adult strapping a doll in a carseat might be a little creepy, whether it was to fool people, use the carpool lane, etc. A child strapping a doll in a car seat they are vacating is normal. My kids have strapped dolls and stuffed animals in when we'd leave the car, never thought twice about it.

And you wouldn't have to think twice about your kids toys left in the carseat -- they don't look real.

This wasn't a child's toy. IMO, it doesn't really matter why the car owner has the doll, that's not the point. Just that in the future, take it out of the carseat so this won't happen again. This had to be traumatic for those who really thought this was an infant.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I really wish that police weren't scrutinized for every mistake they make. Reporting on things like this are not helping matters as they stand right now. This does not need to be news. I'm sure the county or whatever will replace the window.

 

[MickeySP]

I agree that they acted accordingly. Where did I question their motives? Still think it's always good to know both sides. Never said for emergency responders to figure it out beforehand.

I am not disagreeing with you at all. I am sure there is a story behind this - a very creepy sad story.

 

[Jaime4004]

And you wouldn't have to think twice about your kids toys left in the carseat -- they don't look real.

This wasn't a child's toy. IMO, it doesn't really matter why the car owner has the doll, that's not the point. Just that in the future, take it out of the carseat so this won't happen again. This had to be traumatic for those who really thought this was an infant.

It seems that they are expensive and usually owned by adults. Doesn't mean no one has ever bought on for a child. People have bought their children weirder and more expensive things, i'm sure. No way to know unless more details come out. If my kid happened to have one, I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it in a car seat (because they've done it before) until something like that happened. Don't usually make the same mistake twice though.

 

[Jaime4004]

I am not disagreeing with you at all. I am sure there is a story behind this - a very creepy sad story.

Well now you're making me even more curious (nosey?) to know

 

[MickeySP]

YUUUPPPP!!! I am sure it is a doozy. I am just picturing:

 

[fly girl]

It seems that they are expensive and usually owned by adults. Doesn't mean no one has ever bought on for a child. People have bought their children weirder and more expensive things, i'm sure. No way to know unless more details come out. If my kid happened to have one, I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it in a car seat (because they've done it before) until something like that happened. Don't usually make the same mistake twice though.

Very true, parents can buy crazy things for their kids!!

But it was a rear facing infant carseat, so if it was for a child then s/he would have to be really little. Which makes this story more perplexing and weird.

 

[Jaime4004]

Very true, parents can buy crazy things for their kids!!

But it was a rear facing infant carseat, so if it was for a child then s/he would have to be really little. Which makes this story more perplexing and weird.

OOh, true, didn't think of that. I was just picturing my DD, who was just under 2, carrying her doll around everywhere when her brother was born. It was alway in a carseat, or baby bouncer, or she was trying to breastfeed it. And no, I wouldn't have bought her an expensive, realistic fake infant, but she does have a crazy grandma. But I doubt she would have gotten it in a rear-facing, 5 pt harness, though an older sibling could. Or a creepy adult.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/189997/police_break_into_a_hot?ct=piping_hot_1

I wonder if the police have to pay for this since nothing illegal was done...

Nope. It will be the jurisdiction in question that pays.

 

[MickeySP]

Nope. It will be the jurisdiction in question that pays.

Actually if they can show it was done in good faith & for a public good - the owner is on the hook.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Actually if they can show it was done in good faith & for a public good - the owner is on the hook.

Not the case here. Good faith exceptions from civil liability only apply to the police themselves, not the jurisdiction they are working for. However, the dollar amount in this case is so small, insurance will likely just take care of it.

 

[MickeySP]

Here it would be like a drug dealer trying to get paid because we kicked his door in to arrest him or if the FD had to break car windows to run a hose to save your house. You are on the hook, as long as it meets standards.

 

[FINFAN]

I have never seen a doll that lifelike before...wowzer!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I have never seen a doll that lifelike before...wowzer!

There's a whole weird and creepy world out there...
http://www.reborns.com/

 

[SkaGoat]

Here it would be like a drug dealer trying to get paid because we kicked his door in to arrest him or if the FD had to break car windows to run a hose to save your house. You are on the hook, as long as it meets standards.

except in those situations, you are either accused of a crime, and police have enough evidence to arrest you, or you are illegally parked.

If, for example, I was parked legally, not in front of a hydrant and came to find for some odd reason, the fire dept. ran their hose through my car, I'd have a case.

What if instead of a baby, an onlooker thought they saw a bomb in your back seat, so the cops bust your car open, and it turns out you were just returning a slow cooker, and some ball bearings at the same time because Bed Bath and Beyond is next to Home Depot.