Police Call: Child in Trunk

iKhalid · May 10, 2014

I was on my way with the family for a little trip and stopped at Tim Horton's for some coffee. I opened the trunk and gave my son some juice while sitting in the rear facing seats. On my way, I got a phone call from the Ottawa police asking for my location. Some one called the police reporting that I put my kid in the trunk! I asked the officer to google Tesla Model S with rear facing seats. The officer understood the situation and thanked me for the explanation.

I honestly got pissed! Seriously, every time I put my son there, there are people staring at me until they see the seats and laugh about it, but now, it's getting serious...

I'm putting the booster back tonight when I get back.

Anyone faced a similar experience?

jerry33 · May 10, 2014

There are way too many self-rightous people who are more concerned about what others are doing than what they are doing themselves.

NigelM · May 10, 2014

iKhalid said:
I honestly got pissed! Seriously, every time I put my son there, there are people staring at me until they see the seats and laugh about it, but now, it's getting serious...

Understand that it was maybe annoying but if your son was being abducted and someone called the police, you'd be so grateful. Two sides to every story.

andrewket · May 10, 2014

NigelM said:
Understand that it was maybe annoying but if your son was being abducted and someone called the police, you'd be so grateful. Two sides to every story.

This. I have the rear seats and have also received some very odd looks. Sometimes it's funny to watch people react when my son opens the hatch from the inside and climbs out.

As annoyed as I would be if someone called the police on me, I'd rather people report suspicious behavior when I child is involved vs turning a blind eye.

Don't stop using your 3rd row seats over this. That would be a bit silly.

reddy · May 10, 2014

Just curious on how the police had your cell phone number.

I assume the concerned citizen had your license plate number. Does Canada have cell phone numbers on file for each license plate ?

iKhalid · May 10, 2014

NigelM said:
Understand that it was maybe annoying but if your son was being abducted and someone called the police, you'd be so grateful. Two sides to every story.

The same applies to them, don't you think so? 1- there are rear facing seats 2- I throw my son in the trunk and I give him juice to enjoy it inside the trunk!

iKhalid · May 10, 2014

reddy said:
Just curious on how the police had your cell phone number.

I assume the concerned citizen had your license plate number. Does Canada have cell phone numbers on file for each license plate ?

Yes, my plates are easy "FUELLESS". And they could find my number on file.

David99 · May 10, 2014

I put the kids in the frunk LOL

Instagram

PatP · May 10, 2014

iKhalid said:
I was on my way with the family for a little trip and stopped at Tim Horton's for some coffee. I opened the trunk and gave my son some juice while sitting in the rear facing seats. On my way, I got a phone call from the Ottawa police asking for my location. Some one called the police reporting that I put my kid in the trunk! I asked the officer to google Tesla Model S with rear facing seats. The officer understood the situation and thanked me for the explanation.

I honestly got pissed! Seriously, every time I put my son there, there are people staring at me until they see the seats and laugh about it, but now, it's getting serious...

I'm putting the booster back tonight when I get back.

Anyone faced a similar experience?

Same thing happened. My car got circled by 3 police cars last summer. They thought I kidnapped some kids according to some eyewitness. Grrr..

ToddRLockwood · May 10, 2014

patp said:
Same thing happened. My car got circled by 3 police cars last summer. They thought I kidnapped some kids according to some eyewitness. Grrr..

Classic. Apparently, the eyewitness isn't old enough to remember rear-facing third row seats. But you can bet they're feeling proud of themselves!

Todd Burch · May 10, 2014

What boggles my mind is that these people don't attempt to investigate further before calling the police. If you're going to call the police, at least walk by the car and look at the situation...

Some people just lack common sense.

BlkCld · May 10, 2014

Todd Burch said:
What boggles my mind is that these people don't attempt to investigate further before calling the police. If you're going to call the police, at least walk by the car and look at the situation...

Some people just lack common sense.

I bet they would have if cellphones were not so easily accessible to make a police call.

Cosmacelf · May 10, 2014

It may not be problem in Canada but in the US police might approach such a situation with guns drawn. It is a serious allegation and shouldn't be made lightly.

dsm363 · May 10, 2014

Cosmacelf said:
It may not be problem in Canada but in the US police might approach such a situation with guns drawn. It is a serious allegation and shouldn't be made lightly.

That's a good point. Could turn dangerous very quickly.

TurboFroggy · May 10, 2014

Are we missing an entire generation of people who never saw those 60's-70's stationwagons with the rear facing seats in the back? Like these?

David99 · May 10, 2014

Really a difficult subject. Child abductions are unfortunately a real issue, I see many public announcements here in the LA area about them. At the same time you really don't want to deal with the L.A. police department when they think you have abducted a child and stop you.

iKhalid · May 10, 2014

David99 said:
Really a difficult subject. Child abductions are unfortunately a real issue, I see many public announcements here in the LA area about them. At the same time you really don't want to deal with the L.A. police department when they think you have abducted a child and stop you.

The police in Canada "in general" are friendly from my experience. I've lived in Alberta years ago and now in Ontario and I like them; my phone call with the officer went smoothly and I didn't have to explain myself other than saying a few words. The officer even apologized in case of any inconvenience.

EarlyAdopter · May 10, 2014

I must be missing something, but I don't see how putting a kid in a rear facing, 5 point harness kid seat could possibly equate to kidnapping in anyone's mind. Weird.

andrewket · May 10, 2014

EarlyAdopter said:
I must be missing something, but I don't see how putting a kid in a rear facing, 5 point harness kid seat could possibly equate to kidnapping in anyone's mind. Weird.

The reporter probably couldn't see the seats. Side-view.

Canuck · May 10, 2014

EarlyAdopter said:
I must be missing something, but I don't see how putting a kid in a rear facing, 5 point harness kid seat could possibly equate to kidnapping in anyone's mind. Weird.

Probably someone just caught a glimpse from a distance of child being lifted into the back and the trunk closing so it caught their attention. Then they watched the vehicle drive off and it caused more concern given the look of the vehicle and from a distance you couldn't see the kid buckled into a seat. I applaud the person who called the police. There's not much worse for a parent than an abducted child.

Police Call: Child in Trunk

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