Father on train realizes he left 1-year-old baby in car, calls 911

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Thursday, May 14, 2015
Father forgets toddler in car
A father called 911 after boarding a train because he left his 1-year-old baby in the car.

QUINCY, Mass. -- A Massachusetts man is hugging his baby girl a little tighter after a mistake in his morning routine caused her to be left alone in a car. Forgetting she was there, he left his car in the parking lot and boarded his morning train.

The father, who ABC News is not identifying, took the first train back and called 911 as soon as he realized what he'd done.

"I left my 1-year-old baby in my SUV by accident," he said slowly in the 911 call.

The 911 dispatcher needed him to repeat himself because his call was breaking up -- and because it was such an unusual call, ABC affiliate WCVB reports.

Click here to hear the full 911 call.

The man explained how it happened to WCVB. He said he dropped his older child off at school and then forgot to drop his younger child off at daycare.

"Like many parents, I have a very repetitive morning procedure that involves two day care dropoffs and a Red Line ride," he said. "The baby had fallen asleep in the child seat, and I went into autopilot. I had what I thought was a safeguard procedure against this in place that I neglected to use today. Obviously, we will be doing more to prevent this going forward."

The child was in the car alone for about 35 minutes. When responders got to the car, the baby was fine.

The father released a statement to WCVB to say that he is thankful nothing happened to his child.

"I'd like to thank the Quincy and transit police departments as well as the responding EMTs for taking good care of my little one while I rushed back," he said. "She is safe and happy today."