Recently, I found myself in a bit of a predicament. I left my two little ones in the car while I dashed into a quaint bakery. My youngest was peacefully snoozing, and I thought it would be easier to leave him and my 5-year-old buckled up while I made a quick purchase—a transaction that would take no more than a minute. With the windows cracked open and the shade of a large tree keeping the car cool, I hurried across the street. My heart raced, but not out of fear of someone snatching them—after all, they were only about 20 feet away.
No, my anxiety stemmed solely from the possibility of being accused of child neglect. The mere thought was enough to ensure I wouldn’t try it again, even if it meant dragging a sleeping toddler from his seat for a brief errand.
However, a recent ruling from New Jersey’s Supreme Court has brought some relief. Columnist and advocate for free-range parenting, Sarah Morris, refers to this decision as “a beacon of hope.” The case revolved around a mother known as T.L.-P, who faced legal troubles after leaving her toddler in the car on a cool 55-degree day while she visited a Dollar Store. Security guards called the police, leading to a lengthy legal battle. Thankfully, the court’s unanimous decision allows her to present her case, which had previously been dismissed, and it means she won’t automatically be placed on the Child Abuse and Neglect Registry—something that could severely impact her future job prospects.
This outcome is encouraging. Many parents, including Lisa Harper, who faced charges for leaving her child in a cool car for just five minutes, have been caught up in a frenzy to punish perceived poor parenting choices, often when the actual risk to the child is minimal.
Let’s be clear: This discussion isn’t about parents who leave their kids locked in cars for hours or during extreme heat—those situations are indeed alarming and stem from either neglect or unfortunate oversights, like forgetting a child in the backseat due to changes in routine. As highlighted in a Salon article, the majority of the 30 to 40 children who tragically die in hot cars each year were left there for extended periods or climbed in without supervision. They were not simply waiting in the car while a parent ran a quick errand.
The New Jersey Supreme Court agreed with the mother’s legal team that parents cannot guarantee a risk-free childhood. Whether it’s swimming, driving, or flying, every activity involves some level of risk. The recent overreach by law enforcement and the legal system has created an atmosphere of fear for parents. As legal scholar Mark Reid pointed out to me, “There’s no universal authority on which risks are acceptable. We don’t prosecute parents for driving their kids around, despite the dangers.”
It’s disheartening that responsible parents who perceive the danger of leaving their child in a cool car for five minutes as nearly nonexistent find themselves embroiled in legal struggles. This atmosphere imposes an unwarranted fear that law enforcement will challenge our judgment regarding our children’s safety. Reid notes that while it’s easy to judge other parents, the involvement of authorities can be genuinely terrifying for those being criticized.
I’m relieved for T.L.-P and others like her who have fought these legal battles, including Lisa Harper, who managed to avoid jail time with community service and a parenting course. Nonetheless, they shouldn’t have had to endure these challenges in the first place. I fondly recall my own childhood in the 1970s, where waiting in the car for my mom was perfectly normal, and exploring my safe neighborhood was encouraged. Today, such freedoms seem increasingly restricted by our hyper-vigilant definitions of good parenting.
We should be able to pop into a store for a loaf of bread without the dread of someone dialing 911.
In the spirit of understanding parenting journeys, you might find useful insights in our blog post about home insemination here, or check out the authoritative information on home insemination kits from Make A Mom. For more resources on pregnancy and home insemination, visit Kindbody.
Summary
Recent legal developments suggest that leaving children in cars for brief errands, especially in mild weather, may not constitute child abuse or neglect. This ruling reflects a growing recognition that parents should not face undue legal consequences for making reasonable decisions concerning their children’s safety.