The streets of New York are busy and crazy, as you would expect in any metropolis. The last thing you would expect to encounter on these roads is a tiny baby struggling to crawl. But, a shocking video has emerged that shows an unattended 9 month old baby crawling on a busy road in New York.
Ledrika Ford, the baby’s mom, was charged with endangering the welfare of her child on 9th March 2018.
9-month-old-baby crawling on a busy road: Where was the mom?
The Utica Police Department started the investigation soon after the shocking discovery of the helpless little baby.
They finally tracked down the mom of the 9 month old baby crawling on the road after searching for hours. She shared with the police that she was with a relative in the vehicle. But she didn’t know how the baby ended up on the street.
According to her, the baby was secured in the rear seat of her vehicle. But when she turned back only a while later, the baby was not there. After searching a while, she reportedly says she found the baby.
Lt. Bryan Coromato from the Utica Police Department shared they had informed the city’s Child Protective Services. And on 10th March 2018, four kids—the 9-month-old baby, a 1-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old — were taken away from Ledrika Ford’s custody.
Ford is not in police custody. But her charges can lead to an imprisonment of one year if she is convicted.
When your 9 month old baby crawling begins: Safety tips
While we don’t yet know exactly how Ford’s baby ‘escaped’ from the car and found her way to a dangerous road, we know this: you can’t afford to take your eyes off your baby once they become mobile.
Mom, the moment your baby starts crawling, their safety becomes a huge priority for you. They are going to crawl everywhere, making it difficult for you to keep track of them.
So here are a few important tips to childproof your house when your little one starts moving about.
- Make sure electric cords or wires are all out of your baby’s reach. Even better, secure them to the floor or walls. If your little one is able to grab a cord, they can pull down heavy objects like lamps and irons. And that’s definitely a risk to their life.
- Use safety caps to prevent your baby from putting fingers or tiny parts of toys in electric outlets.
- Ensure that you keep the floor clean. Choking hazards, toxins or other things such as sharp objects are also dangerous to your curious baby. So avoid leaving such objects on the floor.
- Do not forget to install safety gates to prevent your baby from crawling (and tumbling) down the stairs.
The safety of your little ones when outdoors is also your responsibility.
Useful safety tips when you are out and about with your baby
- When travelling in a vehicle, ensure that you are using the correct car seat for your baby’s age and weight. Ensure that you instal the seat properly, as per instructions.
- Never place your little one on your lap when driving or riding in a car.
- Ensure that you check the back seat before getting off the car. You can leave your purse or some other belongings to avoid forgetting to check the back seat and accidentally forgetting your baby.
- Keep your car locked even if it is parked in your own car park.
- Make sure that the keys are kept away from your little one.
Source: Fox News, Web MD, Facebook, Family Education
Image Source: Screengrab from Facebook (public post)
Also Read: Car safety rules that you should not ignore
Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore