As a crowd gathered, Short began administering CPR. Paramedics were called—but just moments later, something felt off. That’s when he realized the shocking truth: the baby was not real. It was a highly realistic doll.
The doll’s owner, Carolynne Seiffer, returned to find her car window shattered and a crowd surrounding her $2,000 lifelike doll, which she named Ainsley. According to the Washington Post, Carolynne owns about 40 of these hyper-realistic dolls, which she says help her cope with the loss of her son. While the scene may have caused confusion, the dolls serve as therapeutic tools for individuals dealing with profound grief.
“You can’t know how people choose to deal with their losses in life,” Carolynne said.
While Officer Short admitted he felt a bit embarrassed at first, he emphasized that he would never take the risk of assuming it was anything but a real child.
“I would never assume that it’s a doll,” he said. “I would always assume that it’s a child. I would never do anything different.”
The Keene Police Department later covered the $300 cost to replace Carolynne’s broken window.
Though this incident ended without harm, it serves as a reminder for doll owners to avoid misunderstandings by keeping such items out of plain view when left unattended in vehicles. Authorities recommend storing them in the trunk or taking them inside to prevent unnecessary panic and emergency responses.
What would you have done in Officer Short’s shoes? Was it an overreaction—or the right call? Share your thoughts below. Your voice adds to the conversation.