Comments on: Bed, Bath & Beyond manager pleads not guilty

By: Joe LeDuc

Joe LeDuc — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:27:22 +0000

The couple, who had a cell phone in their car, parked next to the car with the child. They did not want to get involved, so they wasted time going into the store to try and have the store take care of it instead. The manager, who had witnessed none of what the couple was telling her, correctly refused to become involved. The couple, who were the only witnesses to the child being in the car, finally went back to their car and used their own phone to call the police. Why didn’t the couple just call the police to begin with instead of wasting time going into the store?

The officer who took the call is biased because he is related to a little boy who died while left in a hot car. The officer needs to realize the only person responsible for that little boy being in a hot car is the person who put him there. The manager has done nothing wrong and it is a travesty that she is being charged.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:23:55 +0000

Total BS. Bed Bath & Beyond like many other retailers who share parking lots do have in place policies regarding activities in their parking lots. This is due to liability matters. Care custody and control. Who is liable for what? That is why this manager stated the company policy. Do I agree, NO. If this had been a family member or the child of this employee things would be different. She would have broken store policy to insure the saftey of a loved one. This other child should have been afforded the same treatment.

A note to those parents who are stupid enough to leave their children in vehicles unattended. BEWARE! Others will notice this and chances are you will be caught. If you love your child at all never let this happen.

Regarding the statement from BED BATH & BEYOND. Dont let these people fool you. This is policy and is preached to employees constantly in order to avoid admitting or participating in an act of liability. The store should be fined as well. If you do buisness in Kentucky, you follow our laws, bottom line.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:47:57 +0000

Give the woman a break… I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an unwritten policy to stay out of affairs in the parking lot. It makes sense. The couple should have just gotten their cell phone and called. And I definitely would NOT have agreed to a PA announcement in the store… perhaps I would have agreed to phoning the police, but I don’t know what happened in the store. So, I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. Last, I would not have shown up at the arraignment either if I didn’t have to… would you want video of you on TV/internet? I’m sure some TV stations showed up…

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:28:08 +0000

It was reported that the couple who found the child did indeed have a cell phone in their car. It sounds to me that they went into Bed Bath and Beyond to confront the parent. If they had this attitude when they went in, it is possible that it freaked everyone out including the manager. Perhaps she was seriously concerned about a fight/confrontation in the store and trying to figure out how to deal with the situation in the parking lot and protect her employees at the same time. It is easy to say, “I woulda done this” or “I woulda done that” but in general, people are afraid and spineless and talk a lot of BS.

By: kyblueeyes

kyblueeyes — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:13:38 +0000

Did you ever think that maybe the couple had to park far away in the parking lot and it was closer to go inside the store and try to find help? Not everyone has a cell phone attached to them every minute of the day. I do not know about you, but I do not think I am strong enough to break through a car window with my bare hand, as I am sure many people are not. I agree that the mother who left the child in the car in the first place is at fault, but anyone who thinks the store manager is not somewhat responsible is blind. That was not even a store policy. I am sure if somehow your child was in this situation that you would be upset and place some blame on the store manager as well.

By: cindy

cindy — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:47:01 +0000

It’s amazing to me how people want to vilify the manager for “not doing anything” when in my opinion, the couple wasted PRECIOUS time going into the store to try and have the parent paged. Then, they continued to stay in the store and argue with the manager to use the phone - meanwhile the child REMAINED in the hot car. Why didn’t they just call the police to begin with? The crime here is the fact that that mother left her child in the car so she could go shopping.

By: kyblueeyes

kyblueeyes — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:21:48 +0000

I can’t believe she didn’t even have the guts to show up in court, much less plead NOT guilty. How spineless. I hope she gets the maximum sentence.