That is why they are criminals they are DUMB

Carjacking is the easy way, stealing a locked, unattended car without keys is very difficult...especially in newer model cars...I doubt very seriously much crime would happen if the criminal expected to get caught...I'm just happy that the story ended the way it did...

I hope they find the jerk that did this, leaving a kid out to fend for himself was a risky gamble that could have changed from a simple carjacking to murder. I'm so glad the boy was found safe and sound, all too often that is just not the case anymore.

I'm just surprised to find an article that allows comments!

Why would they even think about charging the dad. Don't you think he went through enough with the possibility that he might never see his son again. It isn't like he was drinking in a bar or something. Should have never crossed the cops mind.

You took the words right out of my mouth, SIESTASIS. That is EXACTLY why they are criminals, because they're STOO-PUD!! Too stupid to stay in school, too stupid to hold or get an honest job and they're way too stupid to realize they are committing crimes against society and that rules against bad behavior are created in order to form an orderly society otherwise, anarchy would ensue which, I'm sure, most of them would prefer. What idiots.

As for the father, take the d--m key out of the ignition even if you're just standing outside fool.

Because of this article, I'm never going to take kids in my car, ever! Unless I have a police escort.

If the criminal was that stupid, the car would be found already. However, leaving your keys and your child in the car is a little...ummm.....well.....???

Worn Out,

Why would they even think about charging the dad

In most states, what the father did is called child endangerment. Leaving a child in a car with the engine running even for a short time is dangerous.

Bobby w, I listened to the story on the news last night, I live in Colorado and according to the news he left the car running with the kid inside to go into the store, he was in the store when the car was stolen.

I also marked your post as inflammatory because you broke the CoH.

@ugotsomesplainintodo He didn't take the key out because it was cold outside and his son was still in the car. He most likely left it running so his son could have heat. Think before you start calling people a fool next time.

All children should always be dressed prepared to face the elements. What happens if he would have broke down? And why is a three year old still in diapers? My son has Down syndrome and he wasn't wearing diapers at three. Pullups at night yes

The driver wasn't in the car, how was the vehicle hijacked? it was basically gift wrapped...

worn out-4024611

Why would they even think about charging the dad. Don't you think he went through enough with the possibility that he might never see his son again. It isn't like he was drinking in a bar or something. Should have never crossed the cops mind.

Because leaving your toddler unattended in a car is a crime! One of the REASONS it is a crime is because stuff like this happens. The FACT that he left the keys in the car and the car running means he is partly at FAULT for the loss of his vehicle. Sure he was only going inside for a moment... then he met friends and was delayed. If he was "standing next to the car" just how did someone get by him, put the car in gear and get away?

would you feel the same way about the dad if he left a loaded gun and the child shot himself? ahhhh dad must feel bad already so we shouldn't charge him. BS.

Wow. Glad the kid is alright!

Any kid that smart should not be in diapers.

Some kids have bladder control problems, and may still need diapers until older, or have a physical problem and need surgery. Give the family a break.

Sorry I disagree that Dad should have been charged. He made a mistake that he will likely never make again, and people do that. I am just glad the jerk that stole the car dropped the child off without hurting him.

I call BS. 1. He stopped of "gum". 2. He was standing next to the car "talking to some friends". He probably stopped for some smokes, beer or dope. Secondly if it wasn' t dope he was in the store and left the kid alone in a running car.

This father's story just doesn't smell right. I think there's more to the story than he's letting-on.

Meant "for" gum

Gmross your an idiot, it is only child endangerment IF he LEFT the child alone, he was beside the car. also for you and ugotsomesplainingtodo IT is cold outside HE probably had the car running to keep the child warm with the heater on, IT would have been more child endangerment if he refused to provide heat and had the child freezing instead. Why dont people like you quit blaming victims when they were not doing anything wrong and trying to protect a worthless POS who commit the crimes.

trust_verify please go buy a new dodge ram, stand by it with the engine running and it unlocked and see if i cant take it from you. Simple to climb in and drive off especially if you are looking the other way while talking.

bluthunder

trust_verify please go buy a new dodge ram, stand by it with the engine running and it unlocked and see if i cant take it from you. Simple to climb in and drive off especially if you are looking the other way while talking.

Except this was NOT a ram van but a New Yorker according to the story. Even IF it had been the ram van the father is partly at fault for the loss of vehicle by leaving the keys in and running.

I know it wasn't a ram but I could use a ram :) and No if he had not left it running to provide warmth for the child THEN it would be child endangerment. Partly at fault, NO the thief is fully at fault, is the girl dressed as a slut partly at fault when she is raped? Is the person hit by a drunk driver partly at fault for being on the roadways after 2am? Is the person who is robbed at the atm partly at fault for needing some of their hard earned money to buy something? quit trying to shift the blame to the victims and learn the criminal is the only one at fault and should face true hard time for endangering the child. NO TV room, no weights, no library, 2 meals a day and actual hard labor doing manual work under gaurd for a change. only time he should be out of cell should be for meals and to work.

I guess this kids parents forgot to relentlessly drill him about Stranger Danger.

Give me a break... "Charge the father?", do you have any idea how many millions of Americans should be charged with child endangerment then?? Including myself? How many times have you (again, including myself) ran into the store after fueling up to grab a drink for yourself and the kids? Fortunately I have a car that can be locked while running and still possess the key. Of course you are judgemental of the area that you are in, for example north Vegas, i'd never do that, but in the small town that i live in, its perfectly safe. Judge all you want, the father did nothing wrong in my mind. Everyone should be thankful the carjacker had enough common sense and heart to leave the child alone, and let him take his bag of groceries.. This story could have had a much more tragic ending if it was someone else with more evil intentions.

yes the dad was next to the car, but how was he supposed to get , or how did he get his gum? I'm thinking he had to leave the side of the car in order for that to occur. So, if he happened to be making the purchase at the TIME of the carjacking, would he then be guilty of endangerment? So he's only Not guilty of endangerment due to the timing of the carjacking? Did he get back out of the car after the purchase? Another half-story. Moral of the story....carjacking is a crime of opportunity. Don't leave your car running, unlocked, unattended, ESPECIALLY with your kid inside

This is msnbc you expected a full story here.

This is for Trust-Verify: You are an incredibly stupid individual. The reason it is called carjacking is because of how it is done. Usually, one is in the car and some times at a stop light, someone comes up points a weapon or what looks like one at you, open your door and says move over or usually get out. You relinquish the car because it isn't worth dying for...This man was standing outside his car...for your information stupid, it is not illegal to do that. the car was running because it was cold and his child was still inside staying warm..since when is it a crime to stand outside ones car with it running and speak to someone? You really are stupid.

I have an idea to combat carjackers. An ejection seat with a remote control. When the puke gets 100 yards away or so, hit a button on the remote which ejects the carjacking thug approximately 50 yards into the air and then a spike is shot into the thugs ass, or an explosive charge goes off blowing the thug into many tiny pieces.

Why is it no matter what the circumstances, there are always a few who have got to blame the victim(s)? There are also those who pick the entire article apart to find any wrong doing on the part of the child or the parent.

"He had the intent of getting gum, so the potential for leaving the boy alone in the car was there....." "Why is a three year old still in diapers?" "Why wasn't he dressed for the weather?"

He was standing right there, he may have been going to get the kid out, when he ran into an acquaintance, it being chilly out, he left the child in the warm car while he talked. Who knows?

There are an awful lot of people who think of every possibility, cover every base, prepared at all times for each and every calamity that exists, or doesn't yet exist.

It must be great to be you, always available to point a finger. Tell every victim of every crime, accident, tragedy or near tragedy, exactly what they did wrong, and tell them why it never would have happened to you.

wondering why, gmross, trust verify ckon, you are quite a bunch.

I love this story - the places such stories take posters minds is priceless. How far can they go to make some strange point?

I always carry a spare key in my wallet, if I were dumb enough to leave my child in a running car, it would be locked at all times (when I wasn't in the car).

Gee Devil's son - you must be right - everybody who buys drugs in front of a convenience store sticks around to BS... lol. I'm surprised you couldn't work in Aliens and Bigfoot too.

if only the toddler had a concealed carry he could have shot the criminal. if only everybody had a gun drawn all day every day the world would be a much safer place. im caressing mine now.

@ugotsomesplaningtodo . . . . . blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah........

@ugotsomesplaningtodo . . . . . blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah........

Did you people not read before you comment? The dad was right next to the car!

Yes, let's blame the family instead of the criminal car jacker!

cassandra's point is never leave a child in a car alone!! PERIOD!

#1 The story, if you read it, states the dad went INTO the store to buy gum. So, he did leave the child in the car alone!

#2 His story is he was next to the car when a man jumped in....not buying it. He's clearly minimizing his poor judgement.

#3 Sure, the criminal is to blame, but what if his child died? I'm sure Dad would never think to him self..."you know, if I just taken the keys with me.........." or "If I just took my son with me into the store........" or " I really didn't need gum........."

rockin: because he couldn't have gone into the store with the toddler and bought the gum. Then come out of the store, put the child in the car and started it so the toddler would stay warm while talking outside of the car?

Maybe he had just strapped the child into the car and was outside talking to his friends!?! How the hell do you know what happened? Get ALL THE FACTS before you make a stupid comment next time!!!

Rockinwithdokken, stop being ignorant.

"Never leave the child alone in the car for even a moment". So what do you expect the father to do after he puts the kid in the carseat? He can't close the door and walk around to the driver's side because that would leave the child alone in the car for a moment. I guess you expect the father to crawl over top of his child and close the door behind him and then crawl up to the front without ever leaving the car.

I understand the father was next to the car, but why did he leave the keys in the ignition?

Maybe because it was cold out and had the heater on so the child would be warm?

um genius, @valhallaarwen, it was cold, he was standing by the car letting it run to keep his kid warm. done it a million times myself. you just don't think some d.a. would have enough balls to steal your car while your standing by it talking to friends.

Hey Rockin and Cassandra, I always let my car warm up a bit When it is cold before putting my kids in the seat. why don't you guys stop judging others when you know so little about the facts, I sure am glad you are not my next door neighbors.

The article never said the car was running or the keys were in it! Assume a bunch huh? The car jacker could have ripped the keys out of his hand or at gun point.

Hey Rockin, you might need a reading comprehension class too, the story states that he stopped to buy some gum, didn't say a thing about going in even though we can assume he did.

Rockin, please throw your keyboard out the nearest window. The discussion is about the frelling carjacker, NOT THE PARENT. This is a horror scenario that DOES pop up from time to time, and we don't need your Bubble Boy Paranoiafest when people never PLAN for these things to happen. The sheer fact you're trying to derail the thread and make it about how terrible the father is speaks MASSIVELY of your character as a person.

Besides, aren't mothers usually guilty of leaving tots in cars by themselves too? Or should we pull out the records of Baked Babes that died cause mommy couldn't stop shoe shopping?

HELLO! It says the man was chatting with friends next to his car when the guy jumped in and took off. It doesn't say he didn't take the kid into the store with him. Can someone please find this out before you call the father a horrible human being for leaving the kid in the car? Can't we just worry the guy that stole the car?

This happened where I live. The father pulled up and saw some friends and stopped and talked to them outside the car. Yes he left the car running. All of the witness say he was right next to the car. A gun was never used. I guy just went behind the guy and got into the vehicle. I also believe that I heard that the driver side door was open. I don't blame the father but one of the biggest problems we have in this city is people taking cars that are left with the car running. Rune number one here is turn off the vehicle and take the keys with you.

I've said it before and I'll say it again a thousand times. The problem is not that a child is in a car alone at the gas station. The problem is that the keys are in the ignition. If you leave a baby/toddler in a car strapped in a car seat in temperate weather with doors locked, windows rolled up, and go walk into a gas station with your car plainly visible through the glass doors as you go pay for gas......your child is actually safer than if you had brought them in. Yes that's right I said it. Bringing them in with you is not only more trouble, it's actually more dangerous. Depending on their age you risk them breaking away from you and running through the parking lot. And you know perfectly well what could happen inside the gas station. Gas stations probably have more armed robberies than any other business. God forbid you should be in the store with your kid(s) when some crazy drug addict comes in and tries to rob the place and something goes wrong so he shoots half the customers in the store, and then makes a getaway in your car which you left unlocked with the keys in the ignition!

David Matthew

Did you people not read before you comment? The dad was right next to the car!

Yes we read that part right after he went INSIDE the store to buy gum. He left the child alone in the running car for at least a minute with the car RUNNING.

Johnny, I don't care if you've done it a million times, you do not leave a child in a car with the keys running. I don't care how close the father was, why did the carjacker get the car if the father was so close. Why wasn't the child dressed appropriately? Those are the questions you should be asking as to why he left the car running.

God.. Who HASN'T done this before, please.. Lets be realistic here. Of course your judgemental about WHERE you do it, downtown Compton, probably not.. Hobbnobbville, probably safe. Anyone who says they've never done it before is full of sht. I have a car that can be locked, while running, with me still possessing the key.. IF it were to be driven off by another person it shuts down at about 100'. So don't judge, because you dmn well know you've done it yourself.

tcola187 I have not gone to 7-11 because my son was in the car and I did not want to mess with getting him out then back in the car seat. No I have never done this nor would I ever. If I leave my wife in the car I make her lock the doors. Oh if you are calling my town Hobbnobbville then you are just a snob. We may not be a huge city but just remember we are the home of the Air Force Academy and the US Olympic Committee. So no we are not a huge city but we are also not a town full of hillbillies.

Chad- Hobnob means an upper class area. If the outside world is so scary that you have to have your wife lock the car door when she's alone then why is it better to bring your child out of the safety of a locked car into a place frequented by armed robbers?

tcola, I've never done it. I would never leave a child in a car regardless of the neighborhood or time of day or weather. Sorry.

@ugotsomesplaningtodo . . . . . blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah........

1SG,

Nice to see a little common sense here on these threads! Nice post!

Dropping a half naked child off alone in snowy weather may very well have killed him. Don't thank the carjacker too much for the fact that he didn't kill the child. For all the carjacker knew, he may have.

Crime always runs up when the economy is down. Money, money, money. The criminal just didn't have a buyer for a 3 year old...

"Proofreading? What's that?" (?????)

"Editing? Isn't the Editor supposed to do that?"

These are the thoughts I imagine in the minds of the new breed of journalist.

I'm glad the boy is home safe. The safer option next time would be to properly dress the child and, if you need to be outside the car without 100% of your attention on the child in the car, (say, when you're pumping gas,) lock it--even if you are right next to it. Cars come with more than one set of keys. I carry two for two reasons:

1. If I lock myself out and the kids in, I can still get in.

2. I can safely pump gas with my back to the car for a few seconds without having to worry about this very thing.

To all those of you who are locked down in their absolute perfectionist world, some day, some where, you're going to make a tincy wincy little itty bitty mistake and some one will step up to you and. . . . . . .

ya me 2. Your just gonna drive around looking for a house while a 3 year old navigates?? Odd.

My thoughts exactly. That's the one part I found especially odd.

The adult that the boy went to may have figured the child had just wandered away from his parents and that they were somewhere in the area looking for him. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to assume that the person was going to drive around a few blocks to see if they could spot a worried mom or dad before they got the police involved.

I grew up in Chicago and one of the things the Chicago Police Department emphasized was, if you encountered a lost child on the street or who was at your door you should call the police first and stay by the phone. It was better to go into a store or restaurant and use a pay phone or have a clerk or manager call the police. This was in the days before cell phones, but the idea was that if they were already looking for the child they knew exactly where to find them and after the responding officers confirmed the child's identity, the police could call off the search. Walking or driving around with a lost child just creates more confusion. The worst I ever read was that man in NY City who drove around with the school kid who was walking home for the first time and got lost. The guy ended up killing the child out of some weird panic after having to deal with a kid who could not communicate where he lived.. All he had to do was go into one of the many offices or stores in the immediate area and they would have called the NYPD and watched the kid until the police patrol got there. He could have gone on his way.

I agree with some of the folks about how leaving a car running or with keys in the ignition and a child in it, is taking a great risk....most car hijackings occur when the person is near or in the car, right??? That is why it is called hijacking! Anyway, alot of people get their pants in a wod because others don't see it there way. The bottom line Be smart, Be alert, Be safe or BE SORRY!

@crying shame . . . . . my sentiments exactly. I think the news media has got us all so wound-up into a frenzy that we're all looking over our shoulders wondering if we're doing something wrong. "Oh my" that man was looking at that little boy, he MUST be a pedophile. Or how about "that guy looks like he's up to NO GOOD" let's get him. Or, "he left his keys in the car" charge him with child endangerment. The news media has the power to save this country and the power to destroy this country.

LOL? I'm glad you made it home o.k.

Just north of Colorado Springs where I work got over a foot of snow that night. It is almost gone now but yes it still snows in April here in Colorado...

Dang!!! .... I was waiting with bated breath to hear your judgement. Meh, so what if the boy is safe ... without your judgement there's no point to the story. :(

You also need to dress for the weather (like if you get stranded).

Ya i agree. When I get gas the key comes with me, even though i'm just stepping 2 feet away from the door and never leaving the car.

Thank you Mr. Safety Pants!!! Thank God we have YOU to tell us all how to go about our business! Get over yourself Mr. Perfect!!!

AlexG, all good points, not sure if this is what you meant but locking the doors from the outside only works if you you have a car alarm or keyless entry that locks all the doors from a remote (or a late model vehicle that only has manual locks), otherwise, if the car is like mine, if you unlock the door from driver's side or front passenger's side, it unlocks all the doors at the same time, therefore if want to be sure all the doors are locked when you leave, you have to press the lock button before you close the door.

On a related note, I used to own a car that you could not lock the doors and close them, as the lock would automatically unlock when the door was shut, so you had to use the key from outside to lock them. I think this was a measure to prevent locking your keys in the car, which worked, because I never did lock my keys in the car, but I wound up accidentally leaving it unlocked several times because the lock was a little twitchy, and it got stolen as a result...

Glad the 3 year old's okay, poor little guy.

When can I pick my nose Alex?

Yeah, not following any of these "rules". And won't. How about some safety tips for exiting my bathroom? Nevermind, please don't...

LOL @ skunky

@skunky:

Not when you're running down the stairs. Or dining/dancing with your date.

@2_sides:

All power lock system I used could be locked by the key in any hole - left, right, rear hatch, that's when you don't have a remote fob.

The point is: when you read about somebody locked out, or ran over by own car (or having a baby ran over), that would not have happened if these simple rules were followed.

Alex, nothing else the rude people sure came & showed themsleves. Logic & common sense are rare things these days.

@gone4now:

You asked, I got it. If you have hardwood floors, don't exit your bathroom barefoot. That's my safety advice for you.

Lol, well you have some good sense of humor Alex.

You shouldn't leave your car running in this town if your kid is in the car or not. All winter we have been hearing about cars taken that were left running. We had at lest 4 or 5 a week all winter long.

I enjoyed the safety tip exchange. Thanks! :)

Yes, there probably would have been if the child had been dressed properly, which from the description in the article, he was not - no pants on and a thin jacket for 3 yr. old in snowy weather. That's what made me wonder if charges would be filed against the father.

That would have disabled the DVD player and caused the kid to miss his 60th replay of 101 Dalmatians.

skunky

I can't help but feel lost with your comment there......

How about the anti-cop dolt route? Does that fit you better??

eyesopenn, mind closed.

Yeah, and maybe the kid and John Denver stole the car, drove up to Golden, hijacked two kegs of Coors, then went straight up to Blackhawk for slots and a cheap buffet.

Without more details I could pull any stupid notion out and draw the wrong conclusion, can't I? Maybe I should stick to the story as reported.

It doesn't say they were right next to the driver's door. They might have been on the other side of the car (the side the carseat was on, perhaps?). If that was the case, the carjacker would only have to get close enough to dash into the front seat and drive off.

Have you ever seen that surveilance video of the carjacking where the parents were standing next to the car and the guy just came up really fast from behind and got in and drove off. The parents chased down the car and the dad kicked the window open. It's on You Tube. Yes this can happen very quickly.

Death penalty for stealing a car? Pretty freakin' harsh! Tell you what... you want to mete out death for auto theft, YOU kill him! Then you can go kill all the other people in jail for auto theft. Go on... we're waiting...

Um less than 150 years ago you could be hung for stealing Horses or Cattle so Robert might just be on to something...................

Um less than 150 years ago you could be hung for stealing Horses or Cattle so Robert might just be on to something..

Yeah, it's called "lynching". We outlawed it because it's uncivilized, cruel, and as often as not ends up with the wrong person killed. You want the death penalty for theft, go to Iran, or some other backwards country. We outgrew that crap a long time ago!

Actually howieCA it was quite legal.. Horse thieves were hung after a fair trial... Generally no appeal either as they were building the gallows or throwing the rope over a stout branch while they were trying you in court.

Thank you TRUSTY, It's nice to have some backup to help teach the uninformed. This Nation had a way lower crime rate back then when you actually got punished for crimes............

Uninformed? In what way? Lynching is a FELONY in all states now. I never said it was illegal 150 years ago, I said we outlawed it, and we have. Like I said, if you want to live in a country that still allows extrajudicial punishment, and has the death penalty for relatively minor offenses, then you're welcome to move to Iran or one of those other backwards countries. The US is a civilized country, and we will not go backwards in time just because some of us are incapable of understanding how to move forward.

Well, you're the one who did. Stop waiting extreme leftie.

Actually, I'm an independent. I guess to a far right-wingest such as yourself, that would make me a leftie in your mind and unpatriotic.

oh stfu. are you retarded?