On a scorching July afternoon in 2016, what started as an ordinary day in Keene, New Hampshire, turned into a surreal incident that would make national news. Police Lieutenant Jason Short was rushing across a Walmart parking lot after receiving a panicked 911 call — witnesses claimed a baby was trapped inside a car under the sweltering sun.
The situation seemed critical. With temperatures soaring past 90 degrees, shoppers reported seeing tiny feet sticking out from beneath a blanket. To any trained first responder, that meant one thing: a child in immediate danger.
The Emergency Call
When Lt. Short arrived at the parking lot on July 23, 2016, he found a silver sedan parked in direct sunlight. The windows were rolled up, and the heat inside was visible in waves. Looking inside, he froze. In the back seat lay what appeared to be an infant, swaddled in a light blanket, motionless.
“I thought, This can’t wait,” Short later recalled. “If that baby was real, every second mattered.”
He grabbed his baton and smashed the window. The sound of breaking glass echoed across the lot as onlookers watched him lift the blanket and pull out what he assumed was a lifeless infant.
But then something stopped him cold.
The “baby” didn’t feel right — the skin was too firm, too smooth. The head was oddly cool. When Short tried to give CPR, nothing happened. Then he realized the truth: the baby wasn’t real. It was a doll.
The Realization
Short described the moment as confusing and heartbreaking. “My heart just sank,” he said. “For a second, I thought I was too late. Then I realized there was never a real baby.”
The doll was a “reborn doll” — hyper-realistic baby dolls designed to look, feel, and weigh like actual infants. The craftsmanship was so convincing that even an experienced officer like Short was fooled.
The call was canceled immediately. No child was in danger, but the bizarre scene left everyone shaken. What began as a potential tragedy had turned into one of the strangest rescues in recent police memory.
The Owner Steps Forward
Shortly after the incident, the car’s owner returned. Carolynne Seiffert, a local collector known for her lifelike dolls, explained she had left the doll, named Ainslie, strapped into the car seat while she went for a haircut nearby.
Seiffert said her dolls are part of a hobby — reborn dolls, each handcrafted and painted to resemble a real baby, sometimes selling for thousands of dollars. “I didn’t think anyone would mistake it for a real baby,” she admitted. “Looking back, I understand why it happened. It looks that real.”
Ainslie had cost $2,300 and was one of several she owned, some even weighing like actual infants and including features like magnetic pacifiers and hand-rooted hair.
No Regrets for the Officer
Despite the misunderstanding, Lt. Short stood by his actions. “Given the situation, I’d do the same thing again,” he said. “If there’s even a chance a baby’s in danger, you act. You don’t have time to question what your eyes are telling you.”
Keene Police fully supported him. “Our officers are trained to prioritize life,” the department said. “It’s better to break a window than lose a child.”
Short admitted the emotional impact lingered. “For those few seconds, I thought I was holding a dead baby,” he said. “You never forget that feeling.”
The Broader Lesson
The story quickly went viral, sparking laughter, sympathy, and reflection. Experts saw it as a reminder of a deadly reality — children dying in hot cars.
On average, 37 children die each year in the U.S. from being left in overheated vehicles. Inside a car, temperatures can rise 20 degrees in just ten minutes, even with cracked windows. By 2016, several such deaths had already occurred that summer.
“Lt. Short’s reaction was exactly right,” said Janette Fennell of the safety group Kids and Cars. “Even though it turned out to be a doll, that instinct to act immediately is what saves lives.”
A Strange New Reality
The incident also highlighted the niche world of reborn doll collectors. Originally artistic creations, these dolls now serve collectors, people coping with grief, or those dealing with infertility. Their realism is so striking they’ve been mistaken for real infants multiple times, sometimes prompting emergency responses.
Seiffert now adds stickers to her car windows: “Reborn Dolls On Board — Not Real Children.” “I never expected this to happen,” she said. “I appreciate the officer acted. I’d rather have a broken window than a tragedy.”
The Aftermath
Though no one was harmed, the day left a lasting impression. For Short, it was a mix of embarrassment, relief, and reflection. “People laugh when they hear it,” he said, “but in that moment, all you’re thinking about is saving a life.”
Police Chief Brian Costa praised Short’s composure, noting the public support. “You can replace a window. You can’t replace a child.”
The Human Side of a Strange Story
The incident underscores the importance of instinct. Psychologists note that hyper-realistic dolls trigger strong visual and emotional cues, making the brain perceive them as real infants. “When you see a baby in distress, your body reacts before your logic,” said Dr. Lisa Goodwin of Boston University. “It’s a survival response.”
The Story Lives On
Nearly a decade later, the story resurfaces online as both a humorous and cautionary tale. It reminds us that real tragedies still occur, and that compassion, even when misdirected, is never wasted.
Carolynne Seiffert continues her hobby but is more careful about where she leaves her dolls. “I understand how real they look,” she said. “But if someone is willing to break a window to save a ‘baby,’ that means there are still people who care.”
For Lt. Jason Short, one lesson remains clear: “If I had to choose between a broken window and a baby’s life, I’ll take the broken window every single time.”