Normally on Sunday, Shasha would come to my house around noon and her father would pick her up after the Isyakh prayer. Shasha is a cute two and the half year old girl and the darling of the family. After lunch on Sunday, we normally take her to the Mall and let her loose at the children play area. This Sunday, we are without Shasha and we really miss her play acting.
Yesterday I got a call from Alor Star and Shasha insisted on talking to me. She was with her parents in Alor Star attending a family wedding. According to the father she was having a slight fever. I was shocked when the father told me she was trapped in the car with her little brother for two hours. While refueling on the way to Alor Star, Shasha’s mother went to get some drinks at the Mart and the father was with Shahsha at the back adjusting her comfortably. In the meantime, Darwis the little boy mischievously activated the door auto lock without the father realizing. When the father closed the door, the two children were trapped and all windows were intact. Shasha was asleep and the one half year old Darwis could not understand sign language to deactivate the auto lock. The engine was on and to make things worse, Darwis switched on the heater. When Shasha felt the heat, she was awakened and all hell broke loose. Both of them were wailing in the car.
After two hours, the spare key arrived from home and the fiasco ended. Darwis did not make the journey to Alor Star and he was taken back to Port Klang. The poor kid was in a shock state.
The family is my neighbor and I have reminded Shasha father too often that he got to be extra careful when the children are inside the car. I have told him whenever he wants to open the gate, make sure the car engine is off and the key taken out. I have taken Shasha for a ride several times and I noticed she is a bit hyper active and very playful. I had the experience of bringing up my two small kids before and I am please to pass on tips to others about child upbringing related to moving vehicles.
To those who have young children: Never leave them alone in the car especially with the engine on. To play safe when the car is stationed make sure one of the window is unwind. The best precaution, switch off the engine and take off the key. One important advice, always switch off the car engine when refueling especially when you have passengers in the car. Always play safe rather than regret later.
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