Howell, NJ – Good Samaritans Rescue Lakewood Baby Left In Parked Car While Orthodox Jewish Mom Shopped

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    Steve Eckel, a retired officer from the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office holding the baby he saved( (Courtesy of Steve Eckel))Howell, NJ – A Orthodox Jewish woman was arrested Tuesday after allegedly leaving her infant in the car for more than half an hour while she went shopping.

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    The Asbury Park Press reported that the four month old little girl had been in the car for approximately 20 minutes when a pair of passers-by noticed her screaming and crying in the back seat of a Nissan Sentra in the parking lot of the Howell Commons shopping center, just north of Lakewood.

    Steve Eckel, a retired officer from the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, and Sarah Mazzone were both walking in the parking lot on Route 9 when they noticed the infant.

    “It was a little baby wrapped up in a woolen blanket, crying, sweating, eyes rolling in back of her head,” said Eckel.

    The doors of the Sentra were locked and its windows were closed, with temperatures hovering in the upper 80s. Looking for something he could use to break the car’s windows in order to rescue the baby, Eckel realized that he had left a sledge hammer in his own car a few days ago.

    After smashing one of the Sentra’s windows, Eckel removed the girl from the car, undressed her and took her into an air conditioned Kohl’s department store where he patted her off with a dampened t-shirt in order to bring her body temperature down.

    Police were called to the scene and the baby was treated by Howell First Aid.

    When the child’s mother got back to her car at 1:20 PM with two other children, she began asking where her baby was.

    “She knew she left the baby in the car,” said Eckel. “I felt like crying.”

    Police arrested the 33 year old mother from Lakewood, NJ and charged her with endangering the welfare of a child. The baby was turned over to her father who declined further medical attention.

    “I know people are bashing her for her religion,” Eckel told the Howell Patch, “but this has nothing to do with religion. Idiots are in all walks of life.” He said.

    38 babies die every year after being left in cars, as previously reported on VIN News (http://goo.gl/ohdc46 .) Waze, the popular navigation app, rolled out a new feature several weeks ago allowing parents to set a reminder alerting them to the presence of a loved one in their backseat when they arrive at their destination.

    Eckel noted that the temperature inside a closed vehicle rises approximately 20 degrees every 10 minutes.

    “That baby would have been dead,” said Eckel. “If we didn’t do what we did, that mom would have driven home not knowing if the baby was sleeping or dead.”

    Chief Andrew Kudrick of the Howell Police Department praised Eckel and Mazzone for rescuing the baby.

    “They truly saved a life,” said Chief Kudrick.

    The lakewood Mom released pending a future court date.


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    73 Comments
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    Normal
    Normal
    7 years ago

    If you have a Chitas or Tehillim in the car Hashem will protect the baby. 🙂

    7 years ago

    In the non-Jewish News publications they don’t find it important to say Orthodox Jewish Mom. I just saw the article on ABC7 news, no word about Jewish mother. They maybe Do Understand that this is clearly a mistake and not a neglected or criminal mother.

    Btw for all readers outhere Waze has this feature that reminds drivers about the baby in the back, upon arrival!

    7 years ago

    This mother should be jailed. It’s one thing forgetting about your child, a completely different story when a parent deliberately leaves her baby in the car! I hope social services are also involved – this woman is dangerous. And Mr. Eckel is right – this has NOTHING to do with religion.

    7 years ago

    A Jewish baby could have easily died because of stupidity and don’t tell me every mother does this.

    MarkTwain2
    MarkTwain2
    7 years ago

    If it were a case where she forgot the baby and I found it, I would call chaverim and not involve authorities. However, in this case she knowingly left her baby there (who also could have cvs been kidnapped) and needed to learn a lesson she will hopefully never forget. Please comment: if you had found her baby in the car would you have chosen to arrange a rescue that wouldn’t have gotten her in trouble with the law OR would you have done the same as the Samaritan in the actual story with your intent leshamayim to prevent future tragedy to this mothers children? Pls comment.

    aribp
    aribp
    7 years ago

    This is really crazy brainless zero responsibility poor child ,children ,endangering her kids…won’t be lessons unless these parents don’t get real lesson……I’m sure Boine.oilom has a long list from very nice couples whod..chalish…do adopt and be best parents ever make the best of these precious little. Innocent נשמלה and giving them best chinuch,love, education responsibility. .enough said השם ירחם

    bennyt
    bennyt
    7 years ago

    To some women, a new pair of shoes trumps a baby!

    aribp
    aribp
    7 years ago

    Not saying they should lock u up חלילה but u should see youre..kid’s and spend all day before and after school supervised, go through the full therapy process as long u need it…..

    yid613
    yid613
    7 years ago

    There’s no way this was done on purpose. We both know that.

    Mike27428
    Mike27428
    7 years ago

    She probably intended to run in to the store and run out very quickly and figured the baby would be safe for a short period of time. After getting held up at the store she rushes back to her car and notices the baby’s gone and panics. That is more likely what happened.
    Nevertheless, it is wrong to leave any kid in a car without air conditioning for even a few minutes. We need to enforce this somehow.

    Taxbucky
    Taxbucky
    7 years ago

    The authorities should lock the mother in a hot car for a few hours. I’m sure that would be a lesson she will never forget

    7 years ago

    It doesn’t seem like she “forgot” the baby. She left a sleeping baby and expected the baby to stay asleep. She had her 2 other kids with her so it seems like the baby was a burden and she was sleeping after all. This woman isnt a criminal, just a moron who needs parenting classes and a lot of help. She is 1 lucky lady that there are Good Samaritans out there who saved her baby’s life.

    Lets_get_Real
    Lets_get_Real
    7 years ago

    She went shopping without her child. This lady deserves to be arrested and not have her baby back !

    7 years ago

    Some of the comments here are so typical of the heimishe mentality. Of course it was done on purpose — this shallow dumbbell of a woman was more interested in shopping than in the the welfare of her child. And I notice that no one has praised the non-Jewish passersby who saved the child’s life. If the passersby had been Jews, we’d be reading comments like “Mi K’amcha Yisroel” or “What an am kodesh!”
    The frum oilam suffers from a glut of self-regard and pride, which Mishle says comes right before a fall. No wonder we can’t open a paper or go online without reading of frum embezzlers and money launderers and tax cheats and abusers and enablers of abusers. And this is far from new — back in the late 1970s, when rabbis were being arrested left and right in the school lunch scandals, an askan told me confidentially that “if the authorities really cracked down, at least 80 percent of the rosh yeshivas in Brooklyn would be in jail.”
    But we keep patting ourselves on the back, assuring ourselves (and everybody else) how uniquely pure and holy and sincere we are. It would be laughable if it weren’t so pathetic.

    7 years ago

    This story leaves me shaking.
    This baby would have DIED! Look at that picture of that gorgeous child, and realize that if not for the efforts of these heavenly messengers, she would have died.
    Hashem yerachem.

    roizy123
    roizy123
    7 years ago

    “WITH A “WOOL” BLANKET WRAPPED AROUND” THATS IN SAIN!!

    yankie
    yankie
    7 years ago

    Maybe, while she was shopping, she remembered that she left the baby in the car and came back to get the baby. Did that thought even occur to any one on here bashing her?

    7 years ago

    #5 - your mentality is just as dangerous as this negligent mother’s. YES, the police should be involved. why the need to ‘cover up’ with chaverim or shomrim?? she didn’t leave her keys in the car or had a flat tire, which is what they are there for, for crying out loud! If she had two other kids with her, she knew about the baby, who was sitting next to either one or two of her siblings.

    This should be a lesson for every overwhelmed frum mother out there: that police will be called and will arrest you for leaving your child in your car, whether on purpose or not.

    bh this beautiful baby was saved.

    Stickpick
    Stickpick
    7 years ago

    This mom needs an evaluation! A true mother’s heart wouldn’t let her baby out of sight and alone for even one minute.

    hashomer
    hashomer
    7 years ago

    Well, that is one cute baby! Thank G-d that the passerby had the sense to do something instead of posting a photo on his cellphone! Great work!

    Heavens123
    Heavens123
    7 years ago

    If not for these two wonderful passersby, this child would be dead. Mi K’amcha Yisroel
    This mother intentionally left this baby in the car and stated so. To have left that beautiful child in the car alone is beyond negligent. She was rightfully arrested. To anyone suggesting it should have been dealt with any other way, should it happen again because it was not reported and the situation fully investigated, then part of that burden would be on you for not having reported it. The article says the father refused further medical care. There can be repercussions to serious overheating, especially for a baby, and he should have had her checked by medical personnel. Death via overheating is torturous. Imagine it happening to you and having no power to stop it.
    But even if it was the middle of winter and not hot, who would leave a baby in their car alone purposefully? Can you imagine the baby waking up, not knowing where mother is, crying and no one being there to comfort?
    If that woman had 10k in bills, do you suppose she would leave them sitting out in the open in the backseat of her car? How much more is this beautiful child worth?

    jakyw
    jakyw
    7 years ago

    Did anyone have sympathy for the woman who has no help at home, has to be the breadwinner, has to shop with 3 children while the man gets to sit in an air conditioned yeshiva, enjoying his coffee, leisurely learning Torah with his comrades. Who would you rather be? Under such pressure would you judge her?

    Pragmatist
    Pragmatist
    7 years ago

    If she accidentally left the child in the car then she is still negligent. If she knowingly did this then she is either extremely naive, lacks common sense (a real dummy), or has no regard for the safety of her children. Any way you look at it, it’s a serious issue. Ironically, you need a dog license to keep a dog, but you don’t need a license to keep a child.

    Texas_Joe
    Texas_Joe
    7 years ago

    Even if done by accident, there is a groisse taaneh on a person for getting to a point that other matters can distract them to a point that human life becomes a secondary value next to everyday activities such as shopping or even running to Kollel. In this situation, I would err on the side of caution for the children’s sake and involve the authorities. This mother may not have intended to leave the baby the car, but even so, she seems dangerous.

    Lovebp
    Lovebp
    7 years ago

    #5 . MARK TWAIN??? IN THIS CASE SHE LEFT IN CAR INTENTIONALLY? HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? This article was taken right off another site and wit has today’s media you know everything is distorted.

    Lovebp
    Lovebp
    7 years ago

    Who said she had other kids with her at the time. The story might not be accurate. Its nothing new where a story might have the facts wrong.Why don’t you all save your opinions when you get the facts and not just get it off this site that copy and pasted from another publisher. Also to the admin, what’s the point in showing pic of baby,other site blurred it out.

    a-yidele1
    a-yidele1
    7 years ago

    understand these parents are not stupid, neither are they negligent, these are amazing mothers who are doing their Best.
    Have pity on them.
    They are a product of a society who wants women take the role of the men and work hard to be the breadwinner for the family and at the same time raise their children efficiently. all in the name of their husband in koilel. these women are OVERWHELMED.
    If mothers were given the ability to be mothers and not have the yoke of bringing in parnoso, they would have menuchas hanefesh with a clear head with raising their children.
    Disclaimer
    I don’t mean to bash a community and definitely not to put down ppl that are moiser nefesh for their husbands learning.
    maybe it’s time to give the mothers in Lakewood a brake.

    Truth_Hunter
    Truth_Hunter
    7 years ago

    regardless of wether this specific mother was crimanlly negligent/mentally incapable There is a bigger picture that absoluty should be addressed:
    There is a disturbing culture of negligence that can be found in Lakewood that I can attest to first hand. Leaving a sleeping baby alone at home while the husband runs out to mincha is not considered irresponsible by many, and indeed I know of someone that would do this daily and even discussed it with his “oilam” whom many do the same. I lived on a col-di-sac there for a few years and the attitude was that children as young as 2 ( I am not making this up) can play in the street- unsupervised and it’s the drivers responsibility to avoid them! After countless near misses ( one child actually has a game where she tried to ride her bike in to cars) and yelling At some of the mothers ( whom as horrifying as this sounds were not even home) I asked a local Rav to interviene. He said that if gd forbid there is a tragedy then r’ matisyahu is going to blame it on the woman’s sheitels..

    7 years ago

    I am sure we are all quite certain that this mother is not very happy with herself today. Enough said!

    aribp
    aribp
    7 years ago

    #21 #31 most of.all comments here today very well said stop covering. …up… just do right thing …and maybe now few more guy’s rolling fingers in here nu. אפשר איזה דא…אנייע..therapy program. ….yeah I think so….maybe it’s a good idea for the כלה classes to roll in this smooz….point blank. ..if u leave ur kids on car u should consider going into jail……

    jakyw
    jakyw
    7 years ago

    Or at least a break

    bplady
    bplady
    7 years ago

    The woman needs serious education in child rearing and safety. She thought it would be safe to leave a baby in a busy parking lot, with many people passing by, in a closed hot car. This is beyond dumb. No matter how stressed out she may be, there is no excuse for this action. Being arrested, and having to go to court, is a good teaching point. In fact, all of us frum men and women, should realize that we are not immune. We all have to be careful with our actions.

    bplady
    bplady
    7 years ago

    Thank you to Mr. Steve Eckel and his friend, for being alert and saving the baby’s life. They knew what to do, and acted immediately, thus avoiding a catastrophe.

    Yonason_Herschlag
    Yonason_Herschlag
    7 years ago

    There’s an important Jewish principle that many posters here are violating:
    “Judge your neighbor to the side of merit.”
    These judgemental posters are certainly transgressors and negligent. There are so many scenarios in which there could be absolutely no negligence on the part of the mother.
    1. What we have read is merely hearsay and is usually distorted and missing essential facts.
    2. One possible scenario is that the mother is accustomed to shopping in this store with her older kids, and never takes her baby, who is usually in daycare or with a babysitter. Today was different and she put the baby in the back seat. Then the kids started arguing or getting into an involved discussion that distracted her. She also possibly (and likely) has many urgent responsibilities, that occupied her mind. In the time from when she placed her baby in the back, until she arrived at the store, a thousand different obligations and pressures occupied her mind. She was in a rush to buy medicine for her sick father-in-law. Her kids opened the car door and exited on their own. She was worried about her little kids running away in the parking lot when they are too small for drivers to see them. Only

    Yonason_Herschlag
    Yonason_Herschlag
    7 years ago

    Only as she was returning to the car did she remember that she left her child, because she was distracted.

    Another scenario is that she knew she was leaving the baby in the car, but planned to be back in just two minutes, but then she was forced into a delay beyond her control and she couldn’t get back to the car, nor inform anyone else.

    True the more likely scenario is that she was distracted and temporarily forgot her daughter. This is a human mistake.

    Compare this to driving a car. A person can be a responsible driver, following the law, and still make a mistake, and such mistakes happen every day and are often deadly. That is part of life. Living is dangerous. Raising a family of children is a big responsibility and there are many challenges and parents are human and make mistakes… not all of them are “negligence”.

    a-yidele1
    a-yidele1
    7 years ago

    #36
    thank you for your passionate post and sharing the burden with To many Lakewood Mothers.
    GD Bless You. And all Lakewood Mothers

    Cousin124
    Cousin124
    7 years ago

    This wonderful lady who has more than three children and didn’t have any of them except the baby with her came out of the store to get her baby because she called her husband to ask how the baby was doing and he told her the baby was with her. There was a miscommunication and she thought the baby was with her MIL who had the rest of the kids but someone else strapped her into her car seat and put her in the wrong car. Get the facts straight before posting info. Instead use this story as a warning to check your car before getting out of it. No need for names or blame games.