‘It’s not worth the risk:’ Law enforcement emphasizes dangers of ‘quickly’ leaving kids in car

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A parent’s worst nightmare: Leaving their kids in the car while they run a quick errand, then coming back to find them gone.

This nightmare, becoming a reality in Rochester twice this week. Saturday night, two children were successfully recovered last night after a reported abduction in Rochester which led police on a chase ending in Wayne County.

In the overnight hours on Saturday, Rochester Police say a vehicle was stolen on Dr. Samuel Mcree Way with the victim’s two-year-old child in the back seat. The car was quickly recovered, with the child still in the back seat, physically unharmed.

News 8 spoke with Trooper Lynnea Crane with New York State Police Sunday about this terrifying trend, she says it is something we see all too often.

“Most of the time the carjacker or the person stealing the vehicle isn’t even aware there’s a child in the backseat. They just get in and start driving,” Trooper Crane said.

Trooper Crane’s main message: Even if you think it won’t happen to you, it only takes a second, and never take the risk of leaving your child in the car.

“People are out doing things. They’re more likely, ‘Let’s just leave the kid’ when your kid is in your back seat, you’re going to run in real quick and grab something fast and think ‘Okay. It’s going to be okay,'” Trooper Crane said. “‘It’s not going to happen to me.’ A lot of people think ‘What are the chances this would happen to me?’ A lot of times it doesn’t, and then you have that one time where it does, and that can be very scary.”

Trooper Crane also recommends memorizing your plate number, and any distinguishing features on your vehicle to make it easier for police to identify, should this incident ever occur to you.

“Is two minutes really worth it to run into the store? I don’t think so,” Trooper Crane said.

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