Police Say Two Children Died When Mother Left Them in Hot Car for Three Hours

The Associated Press ^ | Published: Jun 29, 2002

[TheOtherOne]

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP) - Two young children died while they were left alone in a hot car for more than three hours by their mother, who was having her hair done, police said Saturday.

The mother was being held on an open charge of murder pending a review by prosecutors, the Southfield Police Department said. Police did not release the 25-year-old Detroit resident's name.

"This is a hideous crime. ... There is no excuse to lose young innocent lives like this," said Police Chief Joseph E. Thomas.

The weather was sunny at the time the children were left Friday, with highs in the 80s. "It can get well over 100 degrees" inside a car, National Weather Service meteorologist Dennis Dixon said.

Police said they were called to Providence Hospital in the Detroit suburb late Friday after the woman brought in the 10-month-old girl and 3-year-old boy.

She initially told investigators she had been abducted and raped, and then returned to her car and found her children sleeping, police said.

She later changed her story, telling police that she stopped to have her hair done about 4:20 p.m., and that the children were dead when she returned more than three hours later, police said.

She said she drove for about three hours before going to the hospital, officers said.

Autopsies were scheduled to determine the official cause of death, but Detective John Harris said heat was the likely cause.

AP-ES-06-29-02 1653EDT

[dennisw]

This is becoming a way to kill your children with minimum or zero prison time.

[Commander8]

This tragedy is becoming more and more commonplace. I'll bet the mother's excuse will be "Let's see you take two sqwawling brats into the beauty shop."

[Dog Gone]

She must have gotten a pretty fancy doo if it took three hours.

Some people are simply too stupid to be trusted to raise children.

[Timesink]

Police did not release the 25-year-old Detroit resident's name.

And you get one guess why.

[Timesink]

Whatever jail time she ends up getting, I sure hope the judge orders her to get a hysterectomy too, unless she won't be getting out until well after menopause.

[First_Salute]

"Murder" - ?

At worst, accidental manslaughter; but the prosecutor must be running for higher office, and using the stretch of prosecutorial discretion to see how far they can get.

[auggy]

BITCH!

[Conservative til I die]

Because her name was Shaniqua or Sha-neh-neh maybe?

[Timesink]

Because her name was Shaniqua or Sha-neh-neh maybe?

Give that man a cigar!

[Dog Gone]

According to the story, the DA's office hasn't even seen it yet. This sounds like an overzealous cop.

But you're right. It wasn't murder. It was whatever the Michigan equivalent to reckless homicide is.

[LWalk18]

There was nothing "accidental" about leaving children in a car knowing that you are getting your hair done- murder certainly fits here.

[LWalk18]

And the race of the mother is relavant in what way?

[Catspaw]

And I was worried about leaving my dog in the car--parked in the shade with all the windows down about four inches-- for 10 minutes.

[mombonn]

How a mother, and I use the phrase reservedly, could leave a 10-month old alone in a car for 3 hours is completely beyond me. I live in MI - the past couple of weeks have been beastly hot.

May that woman never give birth again.

[VOA]

Because her name was Shaniqua or Sha-neh-neh maybe?

Give that man a cigar!

Even if true, this is a race-blind problem.

Here in Southern California we've had two beauts over the past year (and others).
One was a lady who left her child (or was it two kids?) in the car after driving home,
went inside, passed out and awoke to realize she'd fried the kid(s). Stupidity and about
two bottles of wine were to blame. Her melanin-challenged status had nothing to do with it.
Court let her off with probation.

We also got to witness a modestly prosperous lady (from India? adjoining countries?)
get caught on camera when a policeman was busting open her van (with wilted kids inside). She got charged as well (don't know the outcome).

It's not color; it's stupidity and often substance abuse.

[gilor]

This pig deserves no less than a nice bullet to the back of her head!

[Timesink]

Even if true, this is a race-blind problem.

Yes, I know. My problem with this is not that she's (probably) black, it's that the Detroit Police Department is withholding the name because they don't want anyone who happens to be black to look bad. That's reverse racism, it's preferential treatment for one race over all others, and it's wrong.

[Dianna]

There was nothing "accidental" about leaving children in a car knowing that you are getting your hair done- murder certainly fits here.

Bingo! It sounds like she didn't even try to pretend that she'd forgotten them.

[Rebelbase]

There is a lady in my area called Aqua Netta.