A mother has issued a frightening warning after her nine-year-old son was inadvertently left alone inside a taxi, which sped off without the rest of the family on New Year's Eve.
Jenna, who shared her story on TikTok, explained how the family had booked the taxi just after midnight as they were leaving their friend’s house. While her husband was helping their son get inside the vehicle, Jenna and their daughter were still inside the house, saying goodbye.
According to Jenna, her husband opened the door for their son and helped him get inside. "That was the first mistake, never ever again will I ever," she recounted. She admitted she usually ensures she is inside the taxi with the children for these kinds of trips.
When Jenna’s husband closed the taxi door to walk around to the front passenger seat, he witnessed the driver suddenly speed away. "So he closed the taxi door, walked around the taxi... and he's looked at the driver to see whereabouts I am. And during this time he's literally just sped off like so fast," Jenna described.
Initially unaware of the situation, Jenna recalled thinking the taxi had left without them. "Then I thought, oh he's drove off with the bags," she said, moving to the bottom of the drive, where she saw her partner chasing after the moving vehicle.
Her son, who was sleepy and just waking up, managed to alert the driver of the situation by stating, "Excuse me, you've left my parents." Thankfully, the driver stopped, allowing the boy’s father to open the door and retrieve him safely.
Upon realizing what had happened, Jenna confronted the driver asking, "What the hell are you doing? You just drove off with a child in the car!" The driver offered little explanation for his rush to depart.
Jenna detailed the panic her daughter felt during the incident. "My little girl is seven and she was just screaming after this taxi, saying, 'Oscar my brother. He's being kidnapped. He's being kidnapped!'" she recalled, describing how distressing the experience was for them as parents.
Reflecting on the incident, Jenna emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of their children when using taxis, stating, "The main thing is everyone is safe. Hopefully this was a mistake, though hard to believe." She mentioned her intention to report the taxi incident to authorities, including the non-emergency police line and her local council's licensing department.
Responses from viewers on her TikTok video revealed widespread concern for the family’s safety. One user commented, "This is terrifying, I can't even begin to fathom how scared you must've been." Another shared their own apprehensions about utilizing taxi services, showcasing the common fears many parents have about child safety during transport.
Jenna reassured concerned respondents about her son's well-being, stating he was fine following the incident, adding, "Thanks so much, he is fine thankfully." The incident sparked conversations about the measures parents should take when hiring transport, particularly for young children.
This scary experience reminds parents to prioritize safety by ensuring they are present when their children enter vehicles. Jenna's account serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the need for awareness and precaution when using taxi services.