Tonight:
5°c
AA patrol refused to rescue child stuck in car
Jenny Engstrom, Evening Standard2 Apr 2008
A two-year-old child was left trapped inside a car for almost an hour after an AA patrol refused to free him.
Rebecca Singha, 42, accidentally locked her son Tobias in her Mini convertible as she left a health club in a hurry, shutting her keys inside.
She thought help was at hand when she spotted an AA patrol in the David Lloyd centre's car park on 28 March.
But the officer refused to break into the car to free Tobias, despite her having been an AA member since she was 17 years old, and having spent more than £1,000 in membership fees over the years.
Ms Singha, of Ealing, today told how the patrol man refused to act until his head office sent through orders on his handheld computer.
"The AA was already there helping somebody else, I told the patrol man what had happened but he just refused to help me. He said he couldn't do anything until the job came up on his computer," she said.
"He kept asking for my membership number, which I couldn't give him as it was locked in my car along with everything else. My baby was crying and then it started pouring down with rain, but he still refused to help. I was panicking."
Ms Singha alerted staff at the leisure centre, in Finchley, who phoned the police.
She said: "Unfortunately there was nothing they could do. They couldn't smash the window as my baby was in there. Instead, they tried to persuade the AA patrol man to help me, but he still refused."
It was not until the police phoned the AA's head office that the patrol man agreed to help - 50minutes after she first asked him.
"It took him three minutes to open the car. After all that, it was so easy.
"It was an awful experience. Tobias has been left traumatised by it all, he is refusingto get in the car now," she said. "The AA claims they are all about helping lone women in need, but they didn't help me."
The AA, which has an entire section of its website devoted to child safety in cars, has launched an internal investigation into the incident.
An AA spokesman said: "We would like to apologise unreservedly to Ms Singha and her family for the distress caused.
"As a company that prides itself on delivering great service, the actions of the patrol were clearly unacceptable and not what we expect of them - we have clear procedures in place for providing assistance first in such instances.
"This was an error of judgment by the patrol, who is now subject to an internal review, and we have liaised closely with Mrs Singha since the incident, resolving the matter to her satisfaction."
Reader views (9)
would you expect a lock smith to open your front door without confirmation of who you are and without signing a disclaimer for any damage caused seems some people are to kwick to blame others for there stupidity
- Craig Frost, birmingham, 27/07/2009 21:53
Report abuse
I think you are all far too critical of both mother and the AA. I also managed to accidentally lock my baby in the car this week - I put my keys on the floor of the boot whilst loading the pram into it and then shut the boot. I realised what I had done straight away but it was too late. My phone and wallet (including AA card) were locked in the car along with baby (in her car seat - not in the boot!). I called the AA from a shop opposite where I had parked. They sent a patrol man within 15 minutes after verifying my name and address over the phone. He opened the door within minutes as with the story above. I have nothing but praise for the AA.
- Jo, London, 04/04/2008 05:18
Report abuse
What loving Mother leaves her child in the car alone? Yes the AA man should have done what he could as a "human" helping another in need but the "Mother" should wake up and remember you left your kid in the car as well as your keys! Dumb!
- Mark A. Lack, Canada, 03/04/2008 05:06
Report abuse
Umm - a child locked in a Mini Convertible - excuse me! Being in England, I take it the top was up. Has this ever deterred a thief. Soft tops are soft targets.
And as for the mother - in such a hurry to go into the leisure centre that she forgets to take the keys out and worst of all - her baby! Come on! Obviously the tot was in no great danger --- I think the mother was out of control with guilt for her "me-me-me" haste. Live with it. A soft word with the patrol man would have got far better results.
In Oz, where temps in cars can get up to 70C+ - if a child is locked in a car --- anyone can smash a window to rescue and the parent will be prosecuted.
- Ian Heritage, Melbourne, Australia, 03/04/2008 00:01
Report abuse
Gordon Calver,
What a small minded man you must be to support a jobsworth AA patrol man against a Mother & a toddler. You cannot have a partner or children; god help them though if you do. Are you traffic warden by any chance because your comments suggest that 'computer says no' attitude where people do not use their common sense,and aid a fellow human being and a two year old in the pouring rain.
- Paul, London, 02/04/2008 19:02
Report abuse
Totally agree with the above comment. Also what if he had just got on with this lad'ys request and caused some damage to her vehicle, she would have been straight on the line with a claim. You need written permission to gain access to a vehicle and membership needs to be checked along with relevent ID to confirm that this is not a possible theft in progress. Also a damage disclaimer needs signing.
As for poor Tobias being traumatised,this is really the AA's fault for the patrol doing what was right..yeah, nowt to do with the mother locking the kid in the car while she jollys it in the club...Jesus, some people are despicable. Take it on the chin darling and stop blaming the AA for your balls up.
- Steve, Surrey, 02/04/2008 18:27
Report abuse
To Gordon Calver:
I disagree with your comment. Accidents happen and asking the AA man for some help was not unreasonable. He could easily have called head office with her name and numberplate to get authorization. The fact that he even refused to spend 3 minutes helping out when the police asked him to says a lot. I would speculate that he spent more than 3 minutes arguing with the mother about it.
- Ben, London, 02/04/2008 16:33
Report abuse
There was a 2 year old child locked in a car and if that was me I would be in a huge panic. I'm sure the staff in the health club confirmed that this was her child and she was not attempting to kidnap a child!
The keys were locked in by accident and it's a very easy mistake to make.
- Elizabeth, London, UK, 02/04/2008 16:33
Report abuse
There's nothing wrong with what he did, she could have been a thief who spotted a child in a car and the opportunity to trick an AA guy into opening the car for her. It would have taken her 5 mins to call the AA logged a call and then he would have had the job, why are people so critical of the service industry when they don't get their own way, grow up and don't be so stupid as to lock your keys in your car with your child inside. Good job the police didn't turn up and do her for child abuse.
- Gordon Calver, London, 02/04/2008 13:51
Report abuse
