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When a stupid mistake ends up deadly

Posted Sep 13, 2010 by Beth Gaddis

Updated Sep 13, 2010 at 03:24 PM

I just read the Tampa Police press release, and in my mind I can imagine how it happened.

A 25-year-old cousin thought she was doing the right thing by taking three kids to church. The 12-year-old carried the 1-year-old baby inside.  But they forgot the 3-year-old, a little girl who was probably strapped in a car seat. They found her 90 minutes later, unconscious.  The girl was rushed to the hospital, but she passed away.

I don’t have the details.  I don’t know if there’s more to the story.  But I do know that I have friends who but for the grace of God could have ended up with the same horrible ending.

One handed her keys to her 1-year-old to keep him entertained while she gathered her purse and other items from the front seat.  She got out of the car, shut her door, and then heard the click as her toddler pushed the lock button on the key fob.  Her heart jumped in her throat as she tried frantically to open the door.  Fortunately, he pushed the button again and she was able to get him. 

I put that story on Facebook months ago and discovered many people have similar stories.  One mom once drove all the way to work and didn’t realize she had forgotten to drop her sleeping child off at day care until she saw him in his car seat.  Another had a similar experience, and now keeps her purse on the floor of the backseat so she is forced to look back there before getting out of her car.

Nothing good can come of a little girl dying, but I hope with all my heart that the story of 3-year-old Rozin Ruebensa will make everyone just a little more careful.