This Judge Is Getting Heated — And For Good Reason

I am in court waiting for a trial for my son’s attacker. A couple is being tried for leaving their baby in a car while they shopped. The couple is using a translator.

Judge: “Why did you leave the baby in the car?”

The translator has a short conversation with the couple. He has to directly translate what he’s told.

Translator: “It was a hot day, and we didn’t want to take the baby out in the heat.”

Judge: “I can see that it was hot. It says here that it was 42 degrees (Celsius), but a car gets much hotter than that. It’s not safe for anyone, let alone a baby, to be left in a car in that heat.”

Translator: “We had the air conditioner turned on.”

Judge: “What? The air conditioner was turned on? So that means the car was running? Where were the keys?”

Translator: *Looking shocked* “In the ignition.”

Judge: *Raising her voice with anger* “You left a two-month-old baby in an unlocked, running car while you went shopping?”

Translator: “We were only going to be ten minutes.”

Judge: “I don’t care if you were only going to be gone for ten minutes. You’re very lucky that the person who found your child was not a car thief or worse. Your car and baby could have been gone by the time you got to the shop door.”

She calms herself down before reading the sentence. Luckily for them, it’s a fine and a good behaviour bond.

Judge: “Before I conclude this case, I want to make it very clear to you that you will never, ever leave any children in a car again. Do you swear to this court that you will never do it again?”

The couple agree. As the judge ends the trial, she adds:

Judge: “If you do, I will personally throw away the key to your cell.”