(The following story by Frank Abderholden appeared on the Suburban Chicago News website on June 25, 2009.)
CHICAGO — Lots of things get left on commuter trains: cell phones, laptops, sunglasses, lunch boxes.
Babies.
The young mother had a baby in a stroller and a 3-year-old on the Metra’s Union Pacific District North Line and was getting off with 15 other people Tuesday night at the North Chicago station.
But her 3-year-old bolted out the open doors. She went after him, then turned around to see the doors close and the train take off north towards Waukegan with her baby on board.
“She was really angry,” said Ernest Stanford, the train station attendant at North Chicago.
“I told her she needed to change her attitude,” he said. Once she was calmed down, another passenger offered to give her a ride to the Waukegan station, where police were waiting for the baby after the conductor noticed the child and called ahead.
“I was a rider and I wondered why the police were there. I saw a police officer and baby stroller,” said Meg Reile, a spokesperson for Metra who was getting off at Waukegan around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday evening.
The baby was handed over to the mother and she went home.
Stanford said he told her she shouldn’t be mad because it was her fault. “You have to keep your eyes on those young kids,” he said.