muchcommonsense – i am glad you bring this up, but sadly, that was not an uncommon event. In areas like boro park and flatbush i routinely see baby carriages outside stores, with the baby’s strapped in, and the parent shopping inside. Sometimes its to place a large order, other times it is to “run in for one second”
Clearly, this is inexcusable. This is child abandonment and reckless. I would not hesitate to call the authorities if i see a baby abandoned outside a store. there is NO excuse, ever. The amount of damage that can be done to a child who is taken far exceeds any commandment to not report a Jew to authorities, or any “embarrassment” for the parent involved.
This is just one of many serious behaviors I have seen from jewish and non jewish alike. We can add this to the list of driving with children not strapped into car seats, driving with a baby on your lap, allowing children to hang onto shopping carts in store (40,000 children go to the ER every year from shopping cart injuries) – just to name a few. How can you claim to love your child, and yet not do everything in your power to protect him?
Children are innocent and not able to protect ourselves. If you wont leave your pile of cash outside the store while you shop, please don’t leave your baby outside either!!