I live in Sherwood Park. I went to school with the mother in question. A close friend of mine was there when the whirlwind began. The worst two hours of any mothers life.
Now you see the media spin things out of control.
The facts:
She had the baby in a car seat, sleeping in the front seat, because the passenger air bags turn off on that seat.
She stepped out of her vehicle to receive her other child walking across the street after school.
Some punk casually hopped into the vehicle and drove away.
He called, from her cell phone, the grandfather to tell him where the truck was.
There are other facts, of personal nature, that may or may not affect your whole opinion on this case. But they are not for me to divulge I guess... I was in fact, not THERE, but my friend, who was, shared all the details with me.
The scariest 2 and a half hours of my life
No kidding.
Ok so knowing all the facts, and then some I have a few things I want to touch on.
The first thing is, this ended happily. The baby was found, unharmed, untouched. The vehicle was not wrapped around a pole and the child was reunited with his adoptive mother. (yup)
Everyone is now safe. But the torment and scrutiny is not going to end there. I have two kids... so I can play both sides.
1. Why was the child in the front seat? Even if the stupid airbags turn off, since the beginning of car seats, the safest place for the child is to be in the middle row in the middle seat... before there were airbags, that is where they tell you to put the child. It is just safer. Maybe not more convenient, but safer... Would it have made a difference with the young car thief? Maybe only for the worse, as there was no way to not notice the car seat after he started driving away. Baby Noah was sleeping, so he wasnt making noise. The thief may have not noticed the baby and could have been a lot more reckless with the vehicle which would have caused many many more tragic hours.... So maybe it was lucky then?
2. It is less than thirty seconds to remove the keys from the ignition. Lock the doors. I do it all the time. I hate leaving the doors unlocked... even in the quaint little big hamlet of sherwood park, crime happens, put a shiny new truck running with keys in the ignition doors unlocked and place one loser near it and it is inevitable the shiny new truck will be gone. Would you think someone would do that in front of several stores, and lots of parents pickingup their kids, in front of homes, a school and a busy intersection. Shaking my head... the thing is this.. we ALL know it can happen, at ANY time. ANYWHERE. So with the most precious things in your life why would you risk it? So when you are putting groceries in the car... do you start it throw the kids in and then load up the trunk... opportunity.. could happen then... (I dont but it could happen) how about when you drop something in the mail. Run in for milk? Run up to the door to get something from someones house... or to collect a child from school. It just seems so routine, that in those things it would not happen, the thing you do every day. I can honestly say, if I have ever left my kids in the car, for any reason at all, when it is -30 i might leave the car running... in which case, I leave one key in the ignition, and I lock the doors, and I take the other key with me. Its just not worth the risk, so I seldom do even that. convenience doesnt matter when it comes to the kids.
3. It is a portable child carrier, the weather was nice... just take him with you. He is worth so much more.
I know that she will NEVER ever do that again!! She is a responsible parent, regardless of what you think. This woman has the biggest heart of any person I know. Her whole life she has been compassionate, and friendly and caring and nurturing. Her family is so sickenly wonderful they almost look like a tv family. Cast to be the good church going neighbors everyone wishes they had. But like all of us, she is human and in a moment of weakness made one bad decision that she will be scrutinized for, for the rest of her life!!
But while you are judging her look in your own mirror. How many times have you stepped away from the vehicle, the house, the cart in the shopping center. How many times have you turned your back at the park. How many times have you lit a cigarette, or had a drink then got in the car.. yes even that one drink could have been a bad decision. We all make them. They are insignificant until something happens. In this case, she was a victim as much as she was the person who caused it. Had she not left her keys, he would have taken the next available vehicle.. and maybe there would be no baby in the car... maybe there would be? Who knows.
But judging her doesnt change the facts. She made a bad decision which turned into hours of hell.. days of hell if you look at the blogs and message boards and everything else?!
She is a caring compassionate woman. And had it been you who had made this same mistake she would be standing there beside you consoling you and helping you find your missing car and child. She would not be judging you. I know this, and everyone who knows Brooke, knows this.
Even though her and I were friends lifetimes ago, I know the core being that she is, has never ever changed. She is as wonderful now as she was then. I grieve for her, because I know how she will torment herself. I know she will be scrutinized and everyone will forget all the good she does.. for the moment. Because they are too busy pointing fingers and asking why didnt you do this and why didnt you do that.
She is not some crackhead who didnt care... she is a loving mother, who was also concerned for the safety of her other child crossing the street. It is such a catch 22.
My prayers and thoughts are with you Brooke, your family, the little boy, and everyone around you who has been affected by this tragic story that ended so happily.
I bet the kid who stole the car will never steal a car again..... he was not a kidnapper on purpose. Maybe God taught two lessons in one??
lets hope.
Blessings Brooke, from an old friend who is thinking about you in this tragic time.
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