Poll-ish Humor, Sept. 2: WOMEN | QuestionPro Survey

Door 2: WOMEN ONLY

A man leaves his house for work in the morning. It's the middle of summer. He is supposed to drop his infant at daycare, but this is not his ordinary routine and over the course of the drive he forgets the child is with him. The child is asleep and makes no sound. The man goes straight to work and leaves the car in the parking lot. The child slowly broils to death in the backseat, undiscovered until the end of the day.

The child had been loved. There was no history of abuse. There is no evidence this was the result of anything other than absentmindedness. The father is so devastated that he must be hospitalized.

Should this man be legally prosecuted? Choose the best answer.

Yes, he should be prosecuted for murder.

Yes, he should be prosecuted for manslaughter.

Yes, he should be prosecuted for child neglect.

No, he should not be prosecuted.

What, if any, jail time should this man serve? Choose the best answer.

At least 10 years in prison.

At least five years in prison.

At least a year in prison.

He should not serve any jail time.

Which is the single most important factor in your thinking?

The horrific way the child died.

The degree of negligence involved in forgetting your child.

The need to establish consequences for such a thing, as a wake-up / deterrent for other parents.

The fact that this clearly was unintentional.

The fact that this father has already been severely punished with a lifetime of guilt.

Which is the second most important factor?

The horrific way the child died.

The degree of negligence involved in forgetting your child.

The need to establish consequences for such a thing, as a wake-up / deterrent for other parents.

The fact that this clearly was unintentional.

The fact that this father has already been severely punished with a lifetime of guilt.

Had this been the child's mother and not the father, would your assessment be any different?

I might judge the mother a little more harshly.

I might judge the mother a little less harshly.

I would judge the mother no differently.

Do you think this could ever happen to you?

Absolutely never.

Very unlikely.

Yes, it might.