[yellowdoghunter]

I am in the same boat as you, no children, however, I just cannot understand how someone drops off their helpless 5 month old to strangers.

All I know is that I would NEVER leave my dog with a stranger nor would I ever forget that my dog was in the car.

[maine-iac7]

I am in the same boat as you, no children, however, I just cannot understand how someone drops off their helpless 5 month old to strangers.

Thank your lucky stars you are not a parent in a society that now requires two incomes to keep heads above the water - and/or that you are not doing two full-time jobs at once (job outside the home and job of parent in the home) that can leave you stressed, frazzled, rushing and prone to make mistakes - even tragic ones.

The old Cheyenne prayer comes to mind; "Great Spirit, help me not to judge another until I have walked in their moccasins many moons."

[maine-iac7]

nor would I ever forget that my dog was in the car.

It must be comforting to know one is infallible

[Jaysin]

perhaps she had a deadbeat dad who can;t be located and she has no choice but to work and put food on the table for herself and possibly other children she might have.

Yes, it's a VERY stupid mistake, but unfortunately can happen.

I still have a scar on my forehead from when I was little and my mom strapped me in the carseat (think 1975) but the carseat wasn't seatbelted in. she drove around. carseat shifted. she opened the car door. klunk--I fell on the pavement. mom gets hysterical.

[soccermom]

"....nor would I ever forget that my dog was in the car." I'm betting your dog doesn't fall asleep in a rear-facing car seat, either.

[dimeadozen]

Yes, and your dog probably lets you get a full nights sleep, unlike 5 month old. It takes awhile to get use to having a dependent, it is easier to forget you left child in the car then you might think-especially if stress and exhaustion are players.
A very sad situation.

[Alouette]

I have 9 kids and I worked full-time while some of them were infants. I never left any of them to die in a hot car, or forgot to pick them up from the babysitter.

I get nauseous when I read stories like this. It's Bullscheiss that she "just forgot."