A Swedish woman is being investigated for possible child maltreatment after leaving her 1-year-old son outside a restaurant in Amherst.
Police were called to the scene after the child was left in his stroller outside for about 10 minutes. The unidentified woman said, “She found nothing wrong with the situation” and that it was common in Sweden to leave children alone outside.
Parents in Scandinavian countries often leave their children in strollers outside shops and restaurants, or even outside housing buildings while they carry groceries or packages up multiple flights of stairs.
The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families are investigating the incident.
In 1997, a Danish mother was arrested after leaving her daughter in a stroller in New York City to have a drink in a restaurant. The woman claimed police had falsely arrested her, but her claims were rejected. She was awarded more than $60,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. The incident created international debate.
Should people from other countries be held to different standards because of culture? Is it important for people from other cultures to remember things may not be as safe as in their home country?
