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

[Bonaparte]

Thanks for the info on hairdressers. I bow to your superior expertise. Even though she arrived (according to her) at 4:20 pm on a Friday, I can see how a beauty parlor might be quite crowded at that time. Apparently, this one stayed open till after 7 pm. Maybe a new sign should be hung in that parking lot --

1-Hour Baby Disposal

Dry Heat Dehydration While-You-Wait

No Attendant
Just Pull Into Service Bay, Close Windows, Lock Doors

Get A Fresh Start Today!

[southern rock]

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

With a 3 hour hair-do, thats pretty much a no brainer.

[poweqi]

It must have been one of those "Ribbon Doo's." They take hours. I caught a woman leaving 3 small boys in a truck outside of my work. It was over 100 degrees.(Texas) and they were beating the sh!t out of each other while she flirted with the Marine Recruits. I went into the Marines and ask her if those were her children and she said yes and I said "Well, if ya don't get out here and take care of them I'm going the call CPS! After she left I ask the Marines who she was and they told me the boys weren't ever hers---SHE WAS BABY-SITTING!! I nearly gagged!

[poweqi]

I met a girl named Telephonica one time and that was enough!

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

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

How exactly do you know it wasn't murder? You assume it wasn't intentional? Maybe not, but forgeting that she apparently didn't think of her two children for the three hours she was in the salon...the fact that the woman said she was raped and abducted first says quite abit about her character. She looks guilty of murder to me.

[Paleo Conservative]

No, she doesn't qualify for a Darwin award - she didn't manage to kill herself before baking her children alive.

Darwin awards are given to individuals who manage to remove themselves from the gene pool. This can occur in three ways. First one could be killed. Second, one could be castrated. Third, one's offspring could be killed as happened in this case.

[Admin Moderator]

Contrary to popular belief, we do not see 99.9% of the posts. The only way we know of an abuse situation is if you let us know or we happen to see one while freeping.

Thanks, Admin Moderator

[TwoSue]

Same thing happened to me, except outside our small Post Office. With my son never out of sight, I ran inside to call my husband. Everyone was trying to help me, my son smiling broadly (and sweating) to everyone from inside the car. They tried to use a hanger to pry the lock, I said to break the window just when my husband came to the rescue! The whole incident lasted no more than 10 minutes.

[muggs]

This happened to someone at church many years ago. They accidently locked their sleeping son in the car and it didn't take over 2 minutes for the dad to bust the window out.

[trussell]

I lived in Kerrville Texas one year when a flood came through. We were evacuated, as were several homes that sat close to the river.

One couple had a newborn baby. They forgot the baby in the home and the river moved in.

It took several rescuers loaded down with sand bags to wade through the water to the house to get the baby out of the crib and to safety. I was in shock about that, as I am in shock about this.

[DB]

How do you know she didn't purposely do this?

She drove around for an hour before doing anything at all about the situation. At a minimum wouldn't you rush your children to the nearest hospital to try to revive them hoping there was a chance? This alone is very much a like a hit and run. At no point during this whole episode did she show any concern for the children. Everything was about her alone.

At best it was accidental manslaughter.

At worst it could very well be murder.

[mrb1960]

WHY DON'T SOMEONE PUT HER IN THE CAR FOR THREE HOURS IN BLINDING HEAT AND SEE HOW SHE LIKES IT!!

FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, SHE OUGHT TO HAVE THE SAME THING DONE TO HER!

[trussell]

AMEN

[willyone]

The kids were more trouble than the welfare payments made up for. These people have to start getting some serious jail time or this will continue to grow. Great way to kill your kids with little risk.

[willyone]

I grew up in the fifties. I really in all honesty hate the country the US now is. I see very little worth defending.

[Anamensis]

Do you abortion rights types begin to see where the demeaning of infanticide has lead ?

Infanticide has been rampant in every society for as long as we have written records. There's even a book on it. It's called INFANTICIDE, so if you want to look it up, go ahead. I can't remember the author but how many books by that title can there be? Oh, and before you ask, yes, other primates commit infanticide too, all quite independently of Roe v Wade.

[Brytani]

I agree 100%. A while back, I read a report that showed in all states for the crime of infanticide men were consistently given harsher punishment then women. In many cases, when the crimes were generally equal, women were given probation while men were sentenced to prison time.

[baseballfanjm]

I agree. Three hours? A baby and a four year-old? And another three hours driving. Either she is completely incapable of any sort of responsibility or she did it on purpose.