Photo: TikTok
There is no adult in sight as he pans the camera around the parking lot.
By Taylor Haynes — Written on Oct 24, 2022
A TikTok showing a toddler alone in a car sparked outrage among viewers who call on parents to be more cautious when it comes to looking out for their little ones.
The video, which has been viewed over 4 million times, was shared by a stranger who happened upon the scene and decided to record.
The video shows a young child alone in a car while his mom shops.
“Do y’all see what’s in the car?” the man who recorded the video asks before zooming in on a young child napping in the backseat.
There is no adult in sight as he pans the camera around the parking lot.
The man couldn't believe what he was seeing.
In the video, he directs several questions to the camera asking, “Where is the parent?
"I'm about to sit here and just wait, and see how long it take for this M-F- to come outside."
“What are y’all possibly getting to leave a child like this?”
That first video ends with the child still alone in the car.
Many viewers took to the comments to argue, some even urging for the police to be called.
“Call the cops, those ppl need a talking to”. Another user wants to know, “How are people defending this?? Are you kidding me?? Wow."
Many were fired up in the comments, but some folks took it as an opportunity to reminisce about their childhood, or make jokes.
“They prob just ran in real quick. It’s 711” commented another.
Another woman reminded viewers on the struggles of being a parent by commenting “It takes a village. You’re babysitting… thanks!”
Many users also expressed concern over the possibility of the child being kidnapped, "It’s cases like this where the parents go “I was only in the store for 2 minutes!” Well that’s all it takes sometimes. Smfh."
The TikToker continued the story in a second video.
In part two of the video, the guardian or mother of the child finally comes out to the car, and the man recording couldn't help but to express his disdain towards the woman.
The woman in question just gets into her car as normal, she doesn't appear to notice him recording.
Hot car deaths and other incidents involving kids left in cars alone are not uncommon but they are preventable so viewers were understandably appalled.
However, others have pointed out that, though times have changed, this really wasn't all that uncommon back in the day.
One viewer uses the comment section to prompt a question: "Wait does anyone remember being left in their parents’ cars while they went to an appointment? Like in the 80s/90s?"
Clearly, not everyone agrees on how to raise children and the comments on this video show that there is no universal way to guide children in the world.
Taylor Haynes is a writer based in Chicago. You can find her on Instagram here.