A Toronto mother says Uber failed to assist in locating her missing 5-year-old daughter after a driver unknowingly drove off with the sleeping child in the back seat, sparking a frantic hour-and-a-half police search.
The incident occurred following a family outing to a Toronto Raptors game when Julia, her boyfriend, and their four children used Uber to return home due to a flat tire, CBC reported. As they began unloading the car, Julia's daughter, who had fallen asleep in the third row, was accidentally left behind.
Before Julia could retrieve her, the Uber drove off—unaware the child was still inside. Police say Uber refused to provide direct contact details, instead directing officers to submit a formal emergency disclosure request.
In the meantime, police independently tracked down the driver, who reportedly had no idea the child was still in the vehicle. The girl was found unharmed but hysterical roughly 20 kilometers away.
Though Uber later issued a statement emphasizing that safety is its top priority and began an internal review, the company defended its response protocol, saying it had acted in accordance with standard privacy and safety policies.
Julia received only a $10 credit, which she condemned as insulting, and has since demanded both compensation and meaningful policy reform.
Originally published on Latin Times
