Child Sleeps Through Theft of His Father’s Car

A 6-year-old asleep in the back seat of his father's car didn't stir once when it was stolen from a New York convenience store.

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Daniel Grizelj / Getty

Experts warn over and over again not to leave your child in a car unattended, not even for a minute, because you never know what could happen.

Well, an Irondequoit, N.Y., man found out what can and does happen, and lucky for him, his 6-year-old slept through what could have gone really, really badly.

The man, who Rochester, N.Y. police have not identified, ran into a convenience store Saturday night and left his 1997 Ford Taurus running with his son sleeping in the back seat. That was just enough time for a thief, who sought an opportunity to jump into the car and make off with the vehicle — and the boy.

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Lt. Scott Peters said a county-wide search was made for the stolen vehicle and it was found abandoned a half-hour later several miles away, with little guy still asleep in the back. Police say he slept through the entire incident and his naptime was completely uninterrupted.

However, authorities are still searching for the car thief and the police investigation is continuing. The father has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Peters says the whole thing underscores why people should keep their children within sight at all times.

“We find this a very common occurrence at a lot of the corner stores. People just run inside and figure they are only going to be gone for a couple minutes,” Peters told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. “This (car theft) is the worst-case scenario that can happen. I don’t care if you have nothing in the car, or your children, lock the car up and bring your kids inside.”

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