You be the judge....

Today on my drive to work I heard on the radio about an adult who left a toddler in the car while she went into the store.  It was 27 degrees celsius outside the window was left open a crack.  A passerby saw the child and called 911, they advised this good Samaritan  to basically break into the car and get the child out and then call the police all of which this person did.  The police arrived and so did EMS to make sure the child was ok...all the while they are waiting for the adult to come out from the store.  Finally, the "aunty" comes out and is severely chastised by the police but no charges were laid.

I get to work and one of my first patients in the morning is a 3 year old girl who had fractured her femur as a result of falling off of an ATV that she was passenger on with a teenager.  The child was not wearing a helmet.  Apparently there was some question about whether the ATV drove over the child as well.

The surgeon came out and was upset about this, as this was not the first large bone that this 3 year old had experienced.  He questioned us whether he should call child services.  Discussion ensued and he spoke with the pediatrician to make her aware of his observation and questioned if this should be reported and or investigated.  I don't know what the outcome of that discussion was.

I know we all have the right to do risky things.  But when it comes to a child, where do you draw the line?
I know of children learning and participating in risky sports at an early age.  But this was not the case.  So I ask you is this just sheer stupidity on the parents part? Is it abuse? Is it neglect?  Did the parents really think it was ok for their child to go on an ATV at 3 years of age? In our province helmets are mandatory so they broke the law for allowing her to be a passenger without a helmet.   Should they charged with neglect?  Or should they just be given a warning like the aunt was who left the child in the car?

I just find it so hard to believe that people are that stupid to leave a child in the car unattended never mind what the temperature was or to let a 3 year old ride without a helmet on an ATV?  Or be a passenger at all!

At the minimum I think they should be made to attend  a child care course  that focuses on child safety, with emphasis on the does and dont's   It sounds pretty basic,simplistic and elementary to me...I just have to shake my head.

What do you think?