If you needed another reason why you should never leave your preschooler in the car alone, here it is:
Police in the United Kingdom are calling 5-year-old David Law a hero. What’s more, officers say the fact that the young boy is alive today is “nothing short of a miracle.”
Last week, the preschooler jumped out of his mother’s moving car in order to escape a deranged lunatic, who stole it while David was still strapped in the backseat. According to reports, the boy’s mom parked her car outside of her son’s school to check on term dates for David. She admits that she left the keys in the ignition and the engine running because she was only going to be gone for “a matter of seconds.”
Unfortunately, it took less than that for a hoodie-wearing thief to jump behind the wheel and speed off in the car with David in the backseat.
After several terrifying minutes of being driven around by the carjacker, David waited until the vehicle slowed down and jumped out. Police say the boy ran away as fast as his small legs would take him and managed to find a Good Samaritan who called authorities.
Speaking out about his brave move, David told news reporters: “It was just a big bully who took Mummy’s car. It was just a bad man.”
As for David’s mother, Inga, she’s not taking the incident as lightly. Likely because she was the one who witnessed the entire episode and feels guilty about leaving the car running with David inside.
The 33-year-old mother did try to stop the carjacker by running after the vehicle and tugging at the door handles in an effort to get the driver to slow down. Unfortunately, her attempts prompted the thief to speed off leaving her in the dust.
“It was such a dreadful sight seeing the car disappear with David still in his car seat and I hope I never have to go through anything like it again,” Inga told reporters.
Still, the story does have a happy ending thanks to David’s quick thinking. Police say the boy showed remarkable courage by jumping out of the car and running in the pouring rain to a woman who called for help.
Unfortunately, police have yet to nab the carjacker, who has become the subject of David’s reoccurring nightmares.
Sadder still is the fact that police say David’s case is not an isolated event. Officers say carjackers often troll locations like gas stations and schools where parents believe it’s safe to leave children in vehicles unattended.
Police say it is never a good idea to leave kids alone in vehicles. Ever. Though, they are realistic and know some parents will not heed their advice, which is why they offer these safety tips:
*Teach your children to be aware of his surroundings. Children should be shown safe public locations where they can go to get help.
*Give your kids a tour of your vehicle and show them all of its features. Some cars have an inside, glow-in-the-dark trunk release, which can open a trunk even when a car is moving. If your family car does not have an inside trunk release, have one installed.
*Keep tools in your car. Hammers, screwdrivers and other tools can be used to open windows or doors or as weapons, should your child become a victim of a carjacker.
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