Who do I report this to?

Question

My friend has an 8 month old boy and they decided to put him FORWARD FACING. In my state law is 12 months AND over 30lbs before forward facing. So it’s not only illegal but totally unsafe. Do I call the cops hotline or who. I don’t want him to be injured or worse but she won’t listen to me after I showed her the law from the depart of health and human services site. Please help

Answer

Did you tell her or berate her and try shoving it in her face making her out to be a horrible mother?? The energy and anger I got from this makes me believe its the later of the two, in which case I can kinda understand not wanting to listen to you.  Is her car seat capable of being rear Facing? Is she going through financial trouble and can’t afford a rear facing seat? Have you tried talking to her spouse/significant other? Have you exhausted all options before potentially ruining her relationship with her child, by calling the cops/cps on her? Depending on the state they may not be so lenient, is it worth it to you and her child for her to be potentially put in jail(for endangering a child)  and her child into foster care? Are you willing to make that call vs doing everything you possibly can, even if that means purchasing a car seat and installing it for her?

Answer

I wouldn’t report her. Is it negligent, yes, but she may be uninformed and not understand the real risks or how common internal decapitation is from auto accidents with improperly restrained children. Send her a related article and explain that it is an example of why you’re concerned, and you don’t want to see something horrible happen to her child, or for her to live with the guilt if god forbid something happens. 
I would definitely not involve child protective services unless you believe there is real evidence of neglect or abuse. If she were stopped by a cop, she’d be ticketed, but not have her custody rights challenged. That’s a really serious process with huge implications.

Answer

Is there an inspection site near you for car seats? Like the local fire house or something? Maybe offer to bring her car there or go with her and they can properly install it & explain why its installed that way. Maybe hearing it from someone else would be better for her? Espeically since I'm sure that fire fighter or EMT or who ever has seen accidents in which a child would have been less injured had the car seat been properly installed.

Answer

Child services. She's endangering her child and clearly doesn't seem to care. Who knows what other unsafe things she's doing.

Answer

I would report it.  I worry about the baby.

Answer

If she has been told before then she might not listen to anyone at all. I’ve seen a video on the news once a few months ago about having a baby rear facing until they’re two and it completely makes sense. Maybe find a YouTube video on the harms and risks of the baby facing forward to young so she actually sees what risks she’s putting her baby in. If she continues to do her own thing then you might just have to back up and let her see. If the one person sees while driving around, it could very well be a cop and would hopefully pull her over.

Who do I report this to?

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