On a sweltering day in Keene, New Hampshire, Officer Jason Short received a call about a baby left alone in a parked car at Walmart. Without hesitation, he rushed to the scene. Peering through the window, he saw a small figure wrapped in a blanket with tiny feet visible. Concerned for the child’s life, Jason smashed the window with his baton and gently pulled the limp, pale figure out. Fearing the worst, he held his breath—until he realized something shocking. The “baby” wasn’t real. It was an incredibly lifelike doll. Jason was stunned. What he thought was a rescue became disbelief.
A crowd gathered as Officer Jason Short performed CPR, fearing the worst. But something felt off — the baby wasn’t breathing or responding. Then he realized: it wasn’t a real baby, but a $2,000 lifelike doll named Ainsley, owned by Carolynne Seiffer. She returned to find a broken window and a stunned crowd. Carolynne, who owns 40 such dolls to cope with her son’s death, said, “I’ve been laughed at and embarrassed.” Though embarrassed, Jason had no regrets. “I’d do it again,” he said. The police covered the $300 window repair. Officials urge doll owners to avoid leaving them in cars.
