Have seen this news story?
"Treffly Coyne was out of her car for just minutes and no more than 10 yards away.
But that was long and far enough to land her in court after a police officer spotted her sleeping 2-year-old daughter alone in the vehicle; Coyne had taken her two older daughters to pour $8.29 in coins into a Salvation Army kettle.
Minutes later, she was under arrest — the focus of both a police investigation and a probe by the state’s child welfare agency."
This is ridiculous if you ask me. This mother is at risk of spending up to a year in jail? An outrage! Why is walking 10 yards away from a child considered endangerment? Am I missing something?
Tell me what you think.
**Updated: See what others think here.
**Updated again: Charges were dropped.
11 comments:
My husband and I were discussing this yesterday. We were both appalled. We live in a society were the justice system lacks simple common sense. Where the criminal has more rights than the victim (i.e. the death penalty being cruel and unusual punishment).
If you really want to raise the hairs on your neck, go watch this one:
http://www.dangerousopinions.com/2008/02/my-daughter-libby_28.html
This is just down right frightening and seemingly illegal.
Sorry, the first link was cut off. Maybe this one will work now.
http://www.dangerousopinions.com/2008
/02/my-daughter-libby_28.html
I heard this on the news last night and Could. Not. Believe it!
Michelle, The first link worked for me. That story is absolutely heartbreaking and enfuriating!!
It frustrates me for them to be cracking down on the "honest" folks - when there is so much REAL abuse and neglect that gets "winked" at by the system.
I do sometimes leave my almost 6 yr old and 8.5 yr old in the car - parked right in front of the post office or gas station while I run in. The doors are locked. The keys are not in the ignition. It took me a long time to get to the point of leaving them in there alone. I trust them in there - just not anyone else that might happen by. To think I'd spend a yr in jail for that - when you KNOW there is so much worse stuff going on in families - is frustrating and makes me angry.
It's like when you don't have God and the Bible as your basis for what you do and for your morals - then you just decide things willy nilly. It's ok for parents to leave kids at home for HOURS (latch key kids)...not sure at what age - but pretty young I think. But heaven forbid if you walk a few feet and leave a sleeping kid in the car!
I guess one thing would be the officer would not know the mom was just coming from the money box...she could say that and meanwhile has been in the store shopping for an hour. Police get lied to so much - I'm sure they are skeptical of someone that actually is honest.
My husband and I were discussing this yesterday as well. We both thought it was absolutely ridiculous. We couldn't figure out HOW that child was in any way endangered!!
I have to say that I think it's silly for the mom to be in jail for a year-that seems really harsh; however, I do think it is crazy of her( or anyone) to leave children in a locked car with the windows up. (i dont know if the windows were up, but what is the point in locking it if the windows are down) At any case, cars get hot QUICK and sadly, here in my home city of Raleigh 3 children died due to parents leaving them in the locked car. Granted, it was longer than five minutes, but a small child can pass out from over heating on hot days in 15 min or less....I don't know about you but my post office line takes about 10 min to get through. I only have one child now, and pregnant with another(i do pan for many more), and as frustrating as it must be sometimes to take a group of children in for errands, that is what I am going to do, or wait for weekends when my husband can either go too or watch the kids.
Miche,
The article stated that it was sleeting at the time of the incident. No danger of getting overheated there.
In any case, it bothers me that parents aren't trusted to use their own good judgement.
This is typical of the stupid things going on in our country; little boys being charged with 'sexual harassment' for kissing little girls on the playground. More of a society that is going its own politically correct way. More usurping of parental rights.
I hope there is a public outcry over this. That seems to be the only way anything is done.
I wasn't surprised when I saw it was in a big city and on the east coast.
Good grief, Charlie Brown!
Sooz
Wow. I hadn't heard about this!
I'm so glad you posted this. I'm just now getting caught up on everyone's blogs and I had written a similar post but the link expired! I'm so glad to see the charges were dropped.
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