Date of incident: Jan 29 2010
Location: Wilmette, Illinois (Chicago suburb)
Nanny: Young, caucasian, straight blonde hair, silver nose stud, driving a small-ish sedan (Mazda?) tan or grey
Children: 2 Caucasian girls, older one had a pink fleece North Face hat and the younger one had a green (?) North Face parka
What happened: This occurred in the parking lot of my children's school. I was getting my kids out of the car while nanny was getting older girl out of her car. Then she walked away into the school with the older girl, leaving the younger girl alone in the car with the car running. By the time my kids & I were entering the school she was on her way out again, but she was probably gone for at least 5 minutes with this little girl unattended in a running car at the farthest end of the parking lot away from the school (and closest to a major road). I know it's freezing out today and it's a pain to get 2 kids in and out of the car, but still...if this was my child I'd want to know.
I agree. This is idiotic and unacceptable behavior. That is just asking for someone to kidnap a child.
ReplyDeleteOP here - yes, that is exactly why I didn't provide a more specific location (like the name or address of the school)...
ReplyDeleteGreat sighting!! It's never safe to leave a child in a car! I'm a nanny and when I drop the oldest off at preschool I always have to factor in additional time just to get the younger one in and out of the car at home and at school and to bring her in. (Soon I'll be adding a newborn to that routine!) Never acceptable to leave a child in a car!
ReplyDeleteOP - Are you sure it was a nanny and not a young parent??
OP again - yes, I'm 99% sure it was a nanny (I would elaborate on the reasons why I concluded this, but I'm hesitant because I don't want to divulge too much info that would reveal exactly where this happened, knowing that this little girl may be left unattended and vulnerable again) I really wish I'd gotten more specific info that might have enabled me to identify the children/parents and contact them directly through the school. I will be keeping an eye out now for sure...
ReplyDeleteugh this is terrible! I was a nanny in Wilmette for 6 years and for the last 2 of those years I was juggling four young children! Dropping off and picking up at school was always an event with all the stuff and babies and toddlers I had to keep track of but never in my right mind would I have thought to leave a child in the car alone, especially with the car running!
ReplyDeleteGreat sighting I hope that the parents see this--I hope that you see them again (but not in such a situation) and that you are able to let the school know so that they can contact the parents.
I know that I ALWAYS had parents look at me like I was either nuts or saint (I was never really sure!) when I would be lugging in a toddler and an infant with the two school aged kids plus their stuff. I know it's a lot of work but that's clearly something that comes along with the job.
In 5 minutes, anything could've happened to that child, which most likely would've been kidnapping. Said child gets kidnapped, nanny's car is stolen and what is she supposed to say to the parents? "I parked at the farthest end of the lot, took ______ into school and when I came out, ______ and my car were gone". Leaving a car running on daycare property is illegal in WI.
ReplyDelete(OP) I did divulge more specific information on a local parenting network site where I also posted this sighting - that site requires an ID & password to login, whereas this one does not and I have no idea who else may be lurking around this site with less-than-honorable intentions. Folks actually living in the Chicago area who think this could be the nanny/children of their own or someone they know can visit the NPN discussion boards and see my post there from yesterday, "Another Concerning Nanny Sighting"
ReplyDeleteAnonymous NYER, why would I be posting this anonymously myself if I was trying to gain attention??? My kids didn't know the kids involved; that is the first thing I checked; if they did I would have been on the phone with their parents instead of wasting my valuable time on various discussion boards trying to find them...
Hello I am An an australian nanny living and working as a nanny in Melbourne Australia. It is illegal down here to leave a child or children un attended in a car. There have been cases where the police have been called and the parents charged. and also a couple of children have died, as it was too hot for them in the car. even if it is cold outside the child should be taken with the parents or the nanny. i suggest next time you see this call the police. our latest incident was a child left in a car at a shopping centre while the mother did her xmas shopping. and yes she has been charged, a passer by had to break the car window to rescue the distraught child. who was serverly dehrdrated.
ReplyDeleteJan 31, 2010 12:23:00 AM