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Letter to the editor

Baking kids in a Honda I had just moved my car from the Marketplace parking lot on Monday, June 4 when I noticed a White four-door Honda Accord with blankets covering the back window.

Baking kids in a Honda

I had just moved my car from the Marketplace parking lot on Monday, June 4 when I noticed a White four-door Honda Accord with blankets covering the back window.

All the windows were up except for a small crack — one inch approximately — on the drivers side window. I decided to peek in the back expecting to find a dog. No, instead there were two small children in car seats — not that finding a dog would be any better!

Thoughts began to rush my head: How long had they been there? Where was the mother or father? Did they know how hot it is? Should I call the police or maybe I should break the window?

As I got into my vehicle, beginning to write a note for the negligent parent, the mother approached. Obviously she had been longer than 20 minutes as she had three bags of groceries and a coffee from Starbucks. We all know about line-ups in town.

I wonder if people think before they act? This lady must have — she took the time to roll up the windows, lock the doors, and put blankets on the back seat windows to stop the sun from hitting the children, who looked to be about two and three years of age. In this process, she also set up a great Easy Bake Oven for her kids. A gruesome thought I know, but it's the truth. I had been parked there for an hour with the windows half down and it was very stuffy in my vehicle.

I just want people to be aware of the seriousness of this act. For starters, it's illegal: whether it's your child or your pet, and the penalties vary. There are also concerns like: What if the children are playing and one chokes? What happens then? Who is going to rescue them? What if someone were to notice them and decide to take them?

These are things that I am sure you don't want to come back to after a pleasant hour of grocery shopping.

Please be aware that this is a serious matter. "I'm only going to be gone a few minutes," and, "It won't take long I can see them from here," may seem harmless at the time, but I have a safer idea, leave them at home, with a sitter, neighbour, or husband.

This isn't just a warning about the summer time either, it's an anytime message.

Ondrea Zugloff

Whistler, BC