{"id":10695,"date":"2025-04-14T14:46:57","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T14:46:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695"},"modified":"2025-04-14T14:46:57","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T14:46:57","slug":"if-you-find-an-abandoned-stroller-on-the-side-of-the-road-heres-what-it-means","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695","title":{"rendered":"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in July 2023.<\/p>\n

A woman is warning people not to stop if they see a stroller, car seat, or anything that looks like an abandoned baby on the side of the road, saying it could be a dangerous trap. Her post, which includes a photo of an empty stroller parked near a road, has gone viral, with thousands of people sharing it and adding their own warnings.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

If you see a stroller, car seat, or any baby-related item alone in an isolated area, do not get out of your car. Stay safe,\u201d she wrote, advising others to think twice before stopping.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The post has struck a chord with many, who are echoing her warning. \u201cPeople are out there waiting to rob you, and worse things can happen too,\u201d wrote one commenter. \u201cFamilies are struggling, and some will use any tactic they can\u2014even using kids to lure people in.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to her and others who commented, it\u2019s an increasingly common tactic used by thieves to ambush good-hearted people. The \u201cabandoned baby\u201d scam is specifically designed to catch drivers off guard, tugging at their emotions to make them stop before the ambush.
\n\"\"
\nAbandoned stroller on the side of the road at night, Photo Credit: Nancy Walsh with The Husted Team\/Facebook<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time people have shared warnings about similar tactics, but this particular post has rapidly gained attention, with people around the world responding to the chilling message.<\/p>\n

Some shared their own reactions and stories. \u201cOh my gosh, I\u2019d be out of the car in seconds to check. Thank you for the heads up!\u201d one mom commented. Another added, \u201cIt\u2019s terrible because it targets those of us who want to help. But I\u2019d just call the police\u2014it\u2019s not worth the risk.\u201d
\n\"\"
\nAbandoned stroller on the side of the road at night, Photo Credit: Nancy Walsh with The Husted Team\/Facebook<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Not everyone took it seriously, however. One woman laughed it off, saying, \u201cThat stroller was probably dumped by my husband, who after two years still can\u2019t figure out how to fold it up.\u201d Another joked, \u201cIt\u2019s possible that a mom who left it because her toddler wanted to walk but refused to let her push the groceries in the empty stroller.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Other commenters highlighted similar tactics that scammers have used before, including \u201cdead man\u201d scams and cries for help from women. One woman from Australia recounted a close call: \u201cI stopped once to help a man passed out on the side of the road, and a police officer warned me that it\u2019s often a scam. He said as a single woman, I should stay cautious.\u201d Another chimed in, \u201cWomen have been known to do it too\u2014pretend to scream for help to draw you in. If you see something suspicious, it\u2019s best to call the cops and keep moving.\u201d
\n\"\"
\nAbandoned stroller on the side of the road at night, Photo Credit: Nancy Walsh with The Husted Team\/Facebook<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The viral warning has already been shared more than 23,000 times, as people rush to alert others about these unsettling tactics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in July 2023. A woman is warning people not to stop if they see a stroller, car seat, or anything that looks like an abandoned baby on the side of the road, saying it could be a dangerous trap. Her post, which includes a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nIf You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means - VM News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means - VM News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in July 2023. A woman is warning people not to stop if they see a stroller, car seat, or anything that looks like an abandoned baby on the side of the road, saying it could be a dangerous trap. Her post, which includes a...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"VM News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-14T14:46:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"504\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"vmfavorite\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"vmfavorite\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"vmfavorite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a2e30a4c480fba08110aa92dceebedad\"},\"headline\":\"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-14T14:46:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695\"},\"wordCount\":548,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695\",\"name\":\"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means - VM News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-14T14:46:57+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a2e30a4c480fba08110aa92dceebedad\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg\",\"width\":504,\"height\":640},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/\",\"name\":\"VM News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a2e30a4c480fba08110aa92dceebedad\",\"name\":\"vmfavorite\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25ae7ad0af0818c5b3c7c52f4610bfa26e9985055e4db731befcf55c2fdcfd9b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25ae7ad0af0818c5b3c7c52f4610bfa26e9985055e4db731befcf55c2fdcfd9b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"vmfavorite\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means - VM News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means - VM News","og_description":"Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in July 2023. A woman is warning people not to stop if they see a stroller, car seat, or anything that looks like an abandoned baby on the side of the road, saying it could be a dangerous trap. Her post, which includes a...","og_url":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695","og_site_name":"VM News","article_published_time":"2025-04-14T14:46:57+00:00","og_image":[{"width":504,"height":640,"url":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"vmfavorite","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"vmfavorite","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695"},"author":{"name":"vmfavorite","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a2e30a4c480fba08110aa92dceebedad"},"headline":"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means","datePublished":"2025-04-14T14:46:57+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695"},"wordCount":548,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695","url":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695","name":"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means - VM News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg","datePublished":"2025-04-14T14:46:57+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a2e30a4c480fba08110aa92dceebedad"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/487757038_973409061615799_5520601636831167438_n.jpg","width":504,"height":640},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=10695#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"If You Find An Abandoned Stroller On The Side Of The Road, Here\u2019s What It Means"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/","name":"VM News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a2e30a4c480fba08110aa92dceebedad","name":"vmfavorite","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25ae7ad0af0818c5b3c7c52f4610bfa26e9985055e4db731befcf55c2fdcfd9b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25ae7ad0af0818c5b3c7c52f4610bfa26e9985055e4db731befcf55c2fdcfd9b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"vmfavorite"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/news-vm.com"],"url":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10695"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10697,"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10695\/revisions\/10697"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}