Woman leaves baby alone in car

Woman spotted leaving baby in car alone. Photo / Leah Panapa, Twitter

A woman has been spotted leaving a baby alone in a car parked on a busy Auckland road while she went into a nearby sushi shop.

Radio host Leah Panapa says she saw the woman park on yellow lines in Birkenhead, get out of the car and run across the road.

She says the baby was in a car seat in the back of the car, parked on the corner of Hinemoa St and Enterprise St.

"She was only a couple of minutes, but on a busy corner-yellow lines."

It is against the law to leave children under 14 alone "without making reasonable provision for their care and supervision".

"Parents are required to assess all the circumstances and make sure that any child left alone is safe and in no danger," Child Youth and Family says.

"Babies and young children should never be left alone at home or in a car, or unsupervised in any situation. In addition to the obvious safety risks, they can easily get frightened or distressed and can become anxious and insecure at other times, worrying about being left alone again."