Woman Cited for Leaving Child inside a Locked Car
November 20, 2009
Benicia, California - Police on Thursday charged a mother with misdemeanor child neglect after leaving her 3-year-old son inside a locked car while she was shopping.
At around 3:45 pm on Monday, police has received a call about a child left unattended inside a car parked in the Southampton shopping center, according to police record.
When police arrived at the scene, they saw a child sleeping at the back seat of the car. Fifteen minutes later, the mother has arrived carrying groceries.
Meanwhile, police said the boy was left inside the car for about 25 minutes.
Under California law, it is illegal to leave a child aged 6 years and younger unattended inside a vehicle which poses significant health risk to children such as heat stroke or hypothermia.