Tinley Park mom leaves child in car — endangerment?

This case is about so much more than one mother and her two year old child in a Walmart parking lot.

It is about our rights as parents and Americans. The police jailed this woman, took her two year old into ‘protective custody’, labeled her a child abuser and now SHE needs to defend herself and her motherhood in front of a judge. It should be THE POLICE defending their actions in front of a judge.

If the mother wins, score one for our rights and liberties.

If the mother loses:

EVERY PARENT IN ILLINOIS WHO LETS THEIR CHILD WALK TO SCHOOL UNATTENDED BECOMES A CRIMINAL.

This ‘little misdemeanor case’ has pretty big implications for all parents, all citizens of this country.

Good luck to you on March 13 at your trial Treffly Coyne.

“Samara” You are the nutball I am afraid of my chid encountering.

Get real.

Seek therapy.

Stay away from my children.

All of you what if people are crazy. Many children are killed in parking lots, run over by cars every year. Many kids are killed in car accidents. These are horrible eyou should consider the risk of anything your children might be exposed to, but you shouldn’t live your lives in trembling fear.

The mom left a little sleeping 2 year old in a warm car, she locked the door, she took the keys, I saw the video on the news, the cars hazard lights were on… the child was safe.

She was standing a few feet away for a few minutes right by the car.

And they took her baby.

This is an attack on motherhood by the male dominated and created law enforcement system. You should all be outraged. The people who should protect have injured a family.

I am outraged that this could happen. The family is a sacred thing and those cops went way too far over the line. Maybe it will be you and your family next.

Samara,
Your choice of words portrays that you must have been an outstanding professional during your days as a Police Officer. Seriously, if you would like people to take your words seriously, use grown up language. You seem to have some major anger issues and are possibly one of those police officers that give others a poor reputation.

I’d rather my child live a full life than one wrapped in fear and anger and as a ‘victim’. My brother was nearly abducted as a first grader, yet my parents continued to allow him to walk to school. He is now a healthy, happy, functional adult. What would he be like today if my parents had simply forbid him to ever be alone again? Not nearly the man that he is today. He probably would have been afraid to attend college and perhaps he would instead be sitting at home working in a factory. A sad, but very real possibility.

Do you have children? Are they allowed to play in your yard unattended? Do you have a dog? Do you realize that your dog ‘could’ kill them? We have a 100 lb newfoundland mix and while she is certainly large enough and strong enough to kill any of my children and possibly myself since I only have about 10 lbs on her, I’m not worried.

No one goes before their time. NO ONE.

Law enforcement is completely out of hand. If they are going to arrest this women, then they also need to arrest every parent that allows their child to ride a bike without a protective helmet. Statistically, this is much more dangerous that allowing a child to sit in a car for a few minutes.

Samara,
I hope that you find the peace, love and joy that you so desperately need in your life.

Good luck tomorrow in court!
No worries to the family! There isn’t a judge in this world that would side with the prosecution-
I have no doubt you have an excellent attorney- no worries, no worries. sleep well tonight

I hope none of the nonsense of these blogs ever reach your eyes.
People that fire off about a case they know nothing about,
shows their absolute ignorance.

And remember… these people that are mean, and comment in a negative way, are pathetic little people with nothing to do
other than slam people- they don’t count…they don’t matter…
they are nothing…

Ignore the blogs. Feel sorry for them. They don’t care about you or your case- they just want their 10 mins of fame on the internet…
ooohhhhhh…. what a BIG deal! Fame on an internet blog. Whoopie!

chin up!

oh, and Samara, that’s not my real name. So please don’t try to track me down and kill me!

Samara, dear, lets try to complete a sentence without a curse word, mm-kay?! That kind of language is just a poor excuse for having a small vocabulary.
It has already been pointed out, but children can be abducted right out of their own beds. I don’t think this mother did anything wrong. How many times have people given dirty looks to Moms that take their little ones out in bad weather? Well this Mom made the right decision to leave her daughter sleeping in the warm car. The car was locked and within her sight. Quit overreacting.
I have three kids. Not too long ago I had three kids under the age of 2. Umm, there has been more than one occasion where I have left the kids strapped in their seats while I run into the house for a diaper or take the kids in one at a time. Does that make me a bad Mom? Please, explain to me how I’m supposed to do that differently. I wasn’t blessed with three arms.

Samara, Sounds like a female name but I wouldn’t expect that point of view from a female. Samarra is a very violent city in Iraq. Maybe you’ve been there. It’s no place you want to stay long, I promise you that. Samara as you spelled it is a city in Russia and the name of that little girl from the movie the Ring. So far that name choice is looking highly suspicious. Kinda devils advocate ‘ish…problem is though. The way the world is today, we don’t need any advocates of the devil. Thank you for the perspective of the twisted side of life though. As everyone has pointed out, any of the terrible things that happen each day could happen regardless of the precautions taken. That doesn’t mean throw caution to the wind but it doesn’t mean living life in a bubble either. The police crossed the line. They are humans too. They made a mistake and like a lot of humans they are having a hard time admitting it. Not many people enjoy being wrong but it seems as though you have strong parallels with those same police that cross the line and then fight with everything they have to prove that what they did was right. It is not ok to remove the fly from your friends forehead by utilizing an axe or a sledgehammer, no matter how professional you are. Admit you are wrong and move on so that you can be respected when you really need to be like when you shoot the crackhead for coming at you with a butter knife. I can back you on that. This case wreaks of a personal vendetta against this family by some officials or shear stupidity on the part of those same officials (or both). If she broke the law, she broke the law. 10 minutes with no eyes on, she’s guilty. So far I haven’t seen that is the case. Maybe we aren’t being shown all of the evidence. Maybe there was a sign that said please break into my car and steal my child as soon as I turn my back. I don’t think so though. And if someone did take her child in the two minutes or so that she was 30 feet away, I have news for you. The guilty party is the kidknapper. By your reasoning Elizabeth Smarts parents should be in prison because they didn’t make her sleep between theme at night…the flip side of that would be that they would be wrong to make thier child sleep between them…I’ll stop here, I’ve endulged you enough. Your lack of repost shows that you have achieved what you set out to do and that was to do nothing more than draw attention to yourself.

Samara, I’m sure you use that language in front of your own children and I’m sure, like you, they’ll grow into hypersensitive adults. Next time you post use your big girl language and maybe we wouldn’t all think you were a raving idiot. You were a police officer for 8 years? Lord help the city and the people you worked for. Honestly and I couldn’t be more serious right now: See professional help. You owe it to yourself and the rest of the world.

Read this.
http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/09/07/348604.aspx

That woman should be the one on trial. This case is completly unjust and unfair, and those who can’t see that are stupid, and should have their right to vote stripped from them, because I don’t want people that stupid allowed to make decisions that effect my life.

This is just nuts. Normally I take a very cautious view and am the first to criticize parents who take chances. But there were no chances being taken here!!! The car was locked, not running, mom was just STEPS away and the car was never out of her sight. I feel awful for this poor woman. What is the law? That a child has to be in your arms at all times?

Treffly Coyne did nothing wrong. Good Luck to you. Samara I couldn’t read your whole article. I quit after the first few sentences, unrealistic. In this world today anything can happen anytime or place. The police have gotten to the point in this country,with the largest prison population in the world, that they believe that their beliefs are law. They have become a society of Blue. Police now over react rather than react. Common sense seems to be missing in training police officers. Once Again, Mrs. Coyne the best of luck to you, my prayers are with you.

Mrs. Coyne’s mistake was arguing with a lady cop. I can just hear the tirade coming from the police officer. Anyone who has been pulled over by a female officer should know to only say “Yes, ma’am; no ma’am; I’m really sorry, ma’am; you’re right, ma’am.” I hope the judge will recognize this clear abuse of power, and will award the officer a dog to kick instead of the citizenry.

Give those police officers a break. You have no idea how much pressure they are under to meet quota for arrests every month!

Treffly Coyne, I wish you luck. You are a great mom and I hope you win. I doubt any sane judge/jury would convict you.

And this “Samara”, good luck in your mental rehab. Don’t get arrested for leaving your medication bottle for too long.

I won’t attack Samara, everyone else seems to have done a fine job on that… but I have to wonder…

- Baby left in car for 10 minutes
- Car locked, hazards on
- Mom was a few yards away
- Two older children were with her

Everyone has talked about the 2 year old left in the car seat, but little has been said about the trauma the older two children suffered watching Treffly, first being accosted verbally by the community service officer, then subsequently arrested by a police officer. The anguish these two young children suffered on that day, and I’m sure the days following, is more of a case of abuse than leaving the two year old to begin with.

So what happens now? Treffly will very likely be aquitted, but what kind of repercussions will the community service officer and the police officer have to deal with? Are they being cited for over-reacting? Have they been put on administrative leave? Is there any kind of re-education happening that will teach them how to appropriately deal with something similar in future?

We read about all sorts of abuse scandles in the papers every day, and if there’s an arrest to be made, the children are removed from the situation as quickly as possible to avoid the trauma I mentioned above.

This police officer and the social community worker sicken me. They weren’t worried about the best interest of the child, they were worried about “teaching her a lesson”. That’s for the courts, which a citation would have most certainly dealt with at the appropriate time, in the appropriate forum.

God Bless you Treffly, I will pray for you tomorrow, and for the judge to see the truth among the madness.

You know, when the child-savers went to the lawmakers to get the authority from the government to persecute neglective parents they showed pictures of children starved and beaten black and blue by parents who were drug users, etc. So now lawmakers give CPS & police all the power in the world to protect children and this is how they use their power- arresting a mom who stepped a few feet away to teach her children about charitable giving? Please- do a reality check. Stop wasting the energies of people who need to be spending their efforts on truly neglected children. It’s clearly an abuse of authority. This is a growing trend that needs to stop. Paranoid people who have had a bad experience want everyone to over-react. If you have had a bad experience, I’m sorry, but punish the criminals who did it- not earnest parents.

Wow, Samara is more nutty than the Police on this matter, and that is saying a lot. Both need to experience their karma so they can know how much damage they are causing with their vitriolic words and actions against an obviously innocent woman in this matter. They not only insult and injure Treffly Coyne and parents like her, they also insult and injure themselves. It would be best if the authorities and people like Samara stop this abusive crossing of lines immediately, and apologize to Treffly Coyne, and all parents like her. “Judge not lest you be judged”… does that ring a bell? “Du du du Ding!… The fries are ready!”

Treffly, I hope you win today! You did nothing wrong. Anyone who has 2 kids or more knows what a juggling act being a mom is. I’ve done similar with my own. I NEVER leave my kids out of sight, I NEVER leave my keys in the car, I NEVER leave them for longer than it takes to either drop a letter in the mailbox or fill the van with gas, and I always lock the doors and arm the alarm. This is basically what this mother did and so many other good parents do.
But then I see in the news of how a car was stolen with a toddler/baby in the car. And while the majority of the time there is a happy ending, you never hear about those parents getting their child taken away by CPS or the parents hauled off to prison for their neglect to keep their vehicle in sight, their keys with them and the doors locked. Big double standard don’t you think?!
Treffly Coyne should be found not guilty and her children and the children’s friend should receive psychological counseling at the expense of the arresting city police. Abandoning and scaring to death 3 vulnerable little girls by the police is inexcusable. A big apology is in order from the police – but of course we know that will never happen!
Good luck!

This is so ridiculous that I don’t even know where to begin. She was no further away from her car than she would have been if she returned a cart to the cart corral. She locked the car and the child was sleeping. I absolutely would have done the same thing and would not have thought twice about it. Besides the trauma to the mother…what about the impact on the children. The older children were terrified and probably don’t trust the police to actually protect them now. Not to mention the trauma for the little one to be hauled off by strangers…I find that to be much more damaging to her than sleeping in a locked car that her mother is in plain sight of!! As far as Samara’s comments….I don’t even have words to describe your thoughts…insane comes to mind but that seems to be putting it too mildly.

I wish this mother all my best in this situation and she will be in my prayers!

Sam, is that short for Samara?

Naw, just a better nut case.

Treffly-
I am so sorry that this has happened to your family.
I had a run in with the law regarding leaving my kids unattended several years ago.
At that time I was a young mother of 2 little kids and didn’t even know that it was an actual law that you couldn’t leave your kids in the car, no matter the circumstances.
I did leave mine in a locked, vented, shaded and not running car on a fall day (which was not hot or cold). I was gone 12min in a building where i had to quickly drop some important mortgage papers off.
I was surprised when I came out and a police officer was at my car and told me what I did was against the law. A lady going to lunch saw my kids and had called the police. I was given a citation with a court appearance. I got to go up and have everyone else listen to the judge as I was asked if I plead guilty to leaving my kids unattended.
I do believe I plead guilty or no contest, because yes I had left them (even though I felt my situation had been a safe environment). I know that if I had tried to dispute the circumstances, I would have been arrested and jailed or fined heavily. I was ordered to take a parenting class of my choosing (I took Love and Logic- which had nothing to do with leaving my kids in the car). I then had to go back and see the judge after I finished my class. I guess to see if a class had reformed me? Well, it had… I was saw that I could have my kids removed for any little thing… which would put them in my spouse’s care? Not sure what would have happened. So from then on I have been paranoid about what other “do gooders” are out there that are waiting for me to make a mistake and call it breaking the law.
I guess if you are a busy mom that left her kids in a safe car for a few minutes, you immediately need classes for everything you do as a mom. Well, I know I am a good mom that takes care of all my kids and makes sure they learn about strangers and all the dangers out there. I don’t make them afraid to step out of there door. The government is not in charge of raising my children… I am. I hope that our system of law enforcers can use there common sense and maybe some empathy when interpreting the laws they are trying to enforce.
I have a friend that was also ticketed for having her kids in the car of a friend’s driveway, while she was just inside the door of the friend’s house- taking her some cookies.
I guess that the police are more concerned about over worked soccer moms (not the ones that go killing their kids) then about real criminals. Not enough crime in the suburbs? Not so!
Good luck and God bless on you and your family, Treffly. I would say not to worry, but our society seems to be going down hill in the “trust its citizens with their own families” department. Just remember this when voting for the next president, who will decide what government and law enforcers are aloud to do in your family.

Good luck in court tomorrow, I agree with others that say that no judge in their right mind would convict you of any crime!

From reading the above comments, the majority of the parents that have posted need to go turn themselves into local authorities for doing what you did, myself included…

Just the other day, I left my 6 year old son in my truck as I opened my door next to my wife’s van to swap the car seat out of her van into my truck so our 2 year old could ride home with me while my wife attended a shool function with our 10 year old daughter.

I read stories everyday, as I’m sure most of us do, about “parents” that abuse, neglect, or even throw their kids off of bridges that will probably plead insanity and be out walking amongst us again in a few years…and the police had the audacity to actually cuff Mrs. Coyne in front of her children, and worse yet, take her 2 year old child into “protective custody”…how ridiculous is that?!?

The Coyne’s are obviously great parents and very intellignet people judging by Mr. Coyne’s advice to his wife not to speak to authorities until he arrived, not to mention Mrs. Coyne teaching their children to give generously to those in need.

This is a gross waste of tax payer’s time, and money and is an insult to loving parents everywhere that are doing best by their chidlren.

What a joke this all is. Does anyone know whether there is a way to donate to the Coynes? Legal fees are never cheap. It burns me up to watch a good parent have to deal with this cr*p. My siblings and I think of our mom as the best mother a person could have, and I know she’s done similar things with us. I guess from now on, when a mother fills up her tank at a gas station, she should pull up to the pump, wake her sleeping toddler, and hold the toddler while she fills up her gas tank. Also, it’s my understanding (I might be wrong) that the cops just left the other kids at the store after they arrested Ms. Coyne?! If that is true, that seems a lot closer to child endangerment than what Ms. Coyne is accused of.

P.S. Samara, you forgot to take you meds. DON’T FORGET TO TAKE THEM EVER AGAIN! YOU GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU’RE A LUNATIC WHEN YOU’RE NOT ON THEM!!!!!

Sam,

Not all parents can afford a sitter or a nanny. I have 2 year-old twins and I’m lucky enough that I have never needed to go anywhere without either our nanny or my husband. But there are several other moms in my parents of multiple club are not so lucky. They had to go everywhere –do everything with their kids.

By the way, how old are you? not in school today?

All of you are a joke, I’ve been cordial and on the level…and I am sure its a safe bet that my educational background trumps yours, but that’s not why I am here.

I have a 3yr old son and working on kid number 2…I do not have a ton of cash, nor do we have a nanny…and yes I can say I have never, not once….locked my kid in the car unattended….if he’s sleeping and I need gas and have to go in a pay…I gently unbuckle him, go in and pay, and bring him back….hopefully still asleep. I live in the DFW area and can safely say the car is the last place you want your child left unattended. Between the crime and the temps around it, it is not a safe thing to do.

The temp in a car, vented or not, can approach dangerous levels in less than 20min. Every year I hear about a handful of kids who were either abducted or died in the car due to being left unattended…heck half the time the parents were right inside the C-store watching from the window…Most parents are not aware of how fast things can go wrong. I for one, no matter how cold, how much of a hurry, how quick,etc, etc, would ever leave my kid in the car…period.

Heck our daycare at the church will call the cops if a parent leaves the older kid in the car while they bring in the little one.

It is just not a gamble I am willing to take with most precious thing in my life…sorry…I will inconvenience myself before I leave little Sam in the car alone.

Most of what I am talking about here are younger kids who are strapped in a carseat. Not the 7-10 year old that can act on commands or get themselves out of the car on their own in case of danger… It is the child that can not do on his own who is most at risk…like the 2yr old in this case.

Sam,

If you can post even one story in which an abduction or dangerous temperature change occurred in a situation with facts that are otherwise identical to the story here, I would be astounded. If a parent pays with a credit card at the pump, should he or she wake the child up and hold the child while pumping gas? What Ms. Coyne did was the smart, normal thing to do. What if she had done what Samara suggested, and dropped her kid on the pavement by accident? That’s more likely than the doomsday scenarios of a kid freezing to death in 5 minutes or being abducted while the doors are locked and the alarm is on. Most parents care a lot more about their kids than the government or some Wal-Mart meter maid does. Let them take care of their kids.

She needs to teach her kids that many police use their uniform as a club to lord over the citizenry. Legal over-compensation. “Yes, ma’am; sorry ma’am, you’re right, ma’am, I’ll never do it again, ma’am.” Good thing she didn’t get her head clubbed. Notice one of the charges is “obstruction of justice.” NEVER ARGUE WITH A COP – ESPECIALLY A LADY COP!

If you pay at the pump, roll the back window down and talk to you kids while you pump…thats not leaving them in a locked car.

Tom, I stand corrected…you are right, just because a situation with these exact circumstances has never happened before with a bad outcome, means it will never happen…my bad…I should have known better. And I would rather risk me dropping my child, then leaving them in the car.

Damon says: I have to wonder how is this going to effect her children’s view of police now?

Wow no wonder she’s not on the police force anymore(thank god), she is what i assume was the type of officer that our young mother came into contact with. Folks, as asked earlier how many parents have pumped gas in their car and paid for it with their kids still in the car,I Assume again every parent in the once free United States has done it. The two older children where found by there father sitting inside the Walmart alone? Why was the commanding officer on the scene not arrested for child neglect also, that is the worst nightmare neglect case ive heard, cops caught up in creating drama, arresting a mother then letting two kids wonder by themselves into a huge store with at least three other exits to be takin, the officers where just wanting to ruin a perfect law abiding family and throw them in the same class as the criminals they have locked up in their State Prison. These officers where wrong and our government along with them have taken all rights away from law abiding citizens and some how allowed to label good people bad because there are crooks rapist child preds out there. A Box is what our government seems to be pushing us to live in(THE NEW China), do and act the only way they say or you and your family will be raked over the media and the courts until youve paid the lawyers and state and have been tramatized and broken$ hearted. I do not remember ever going to vote allowing this police officer the right to tell us she or he knows better than We The People, if anyone watches the news lately then you will see most of the headlines are Corrupt Government officials and wife killing cops,not mothers gone wild(all politicians and ranking official should be kicked out and we should start over). Beatles where right, we need a Revolution and take back our country, and heres a good question didnt this happen in Barrack Obamas state? Dang what else can we look forward to if he’s running the what used to Be a free world. May god help us all and i had better start seeing kids standing next to their parents at the Gas pump.Thats probably where this cop will get her next victim at the Walmart gas pumps. WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? And yes there are some dumb parents out there, we all with Brains know this. But this isnt one of them, and who knows for those of you who hang way out there on the WING maybe your loyal government will make a new law that will only allow certain folks to have kids like for instance the NY governor Spitzer im sure he’s been a great father and never broke any of the law’s he put so many away for as A DA.Funny isnt it how some folks never get it and power goes straight to the head when given. Bring Back the Free World, a voting booth in every town for every law might get us there, because our politicians sure aint(TN slang).God Bless and may the normal folks survive and build a better country…

If the mother faces time in jail for this petty situation, then I think it is somewhat ironic. Police think she did an injustice to the child, well–if she has to spend up to a year in jail for this, then the police did an injustice to the child and her siblings. Being without a mother for up to a year–that can be traumatizing and can carry with it future repercussions to the childrens’ egos. Parents all over the nation do the same thing this woman did. Like when a mom has to carry in her groceries into the house, leaving the child in the car for a brief moment. It would be more dangerous leaving the child in the house and then get the groceries because the child could wander off and perhaps fall down the stairs.

Sam,
Get a life and realize that your opinions are the EXCEPTION not the general consensus. You’re like the last person in the world arguing that it is flat when everyone knows it is round!

By the way if you have such a high and mighty education, why don’t you have the excess money that a good education brings in? You say you don’t have much money; yet suggest that people without much money either, spend it on babysitters while they go shopping. Learn to take your own advice before you try to give it to someone else!

wow, i heard about this on the radio and I cannot believe this poor woman and her family have had to go through all of this. And damn these people who are supporting the government on this. I have a 2 year old, watch a 2 year old and am 5 months pregnant. There is no way i could physically carry two 2 year olds while returning a cart or pumping gas.
And as for Sam (who would probably say that I am a horrible mom for not doing so) sometimes going out is unavoidable, and getting a sitter or a nanny is not possible. News flash not everyone is rich and can afford a sitter at anytime. And if you ask me there is more risk leaving your child with a sitter, even one that you know, than leaving to return carts or donate to charity. The fact that you would rather drop your child than leave them in the car for less than 5 minutes says something about what kind of risk you put your child in. As far as I’m concerned you and people like you are the reason why Americans are afraid to step out of the house, Bad things happen, too good people too. But should we only live partial lives and condemn our children to the same? I will be praying for this woman and her family as this case goes to trial. Their children will be far more effected by this than anyone else and really they most important part.

Wow Sam, get some exp with parenting before u offer up your education background about parenting to us Dads and Moms who have raised kids, and most posting here have raised more than three and there is a big difference between one, two, and so on. about all i gather from your post is that you type well due to a creative writing class, her decision to leave the kid probably wasnt the smartest but by no means should she have been arrested. My wife and I have been raising kids for 21 yrs now(about your entire life) ages 21,12,11,4,3 so my parenting skills and being a Dad not just a father far out weigh anything you think u learned in school(even if your a young teacher) or in the latest edition of how to raise babies, Or maybe you got the first copy of Brittneys Spears mothers book on how to raise kids before it was cancelled im sure it would of been a best seller! I guess when i take in the groceries while the little ones are waiting to be unbuckled im wrong, oh yeah i should of planned ahead like u said. You are so young and so full of it. I bet your mother did alot of things when you where a child that in your politically correct world would of put her in jail. Question for you young silly friend, when your kids get older and you decide to run to walmart because they say a toy on tv or u need some shaving cream(i assume you are shaving now), and u come out with both of them in the cart(maybe to dangerous for you both in cart?) do you load them first or leave them in the buggie while you put the bags in the trunk and leave them exposed to the cars driving up and down the isles at not so kid friendly speeds then return cart and finish loading the kids last? Myself i find a spot near to buggie return on arrival, sometimes i must wait awhile then on exit i put the babies in Van first ,load groceries, then return cart while keeping an eye of course on the van and of course now we must watch out for the dreedful policeman then hurry back to van to make our escape.Thats when im by myself of course, the wife sits in the van if we are together. Now under your view i should tell the kids no i dont have a baby sitter and we must plan ahead for these events, because there are bad people out there and your Dad or mom might go to jail because of it. Correct? ooooo young man please love your kids and when they get older remember that your not always right.Parenting is not easy and there are lots of times what you think is right may not seem that way to someone else especially a person who is young and had their first kid or person who has never raised any at all, But that does not make them correct and you wrong, there are laws yes, but officers are also known to abuse the laws, You voted for hillary didnt ya Sam? Two kids you might want to rethink, those child tax credits will help you alot.

Sam,

The fact that parents leave their children in cars in circumstances practically identical to those here (i.e., doors locked, alarm on, to run an errand taking a few minutes) millions of times a year, and you can’t find a single instance of that going bad, suggests that maybe it shouldn’t be illegal. There was no danger of the lady forgetting her kid in the car, since she wasn’t going home without it. You can’t regulate all human conduct for a reason- it leaves no room for discretion. See Jennifer’s post 64. And don’t let the police catch you pumping gas with your kids inside and the windows up, or it’s Old Sparky for you!

Tom – thanks for keeping the discussion on the level. It’s a good thing there are not alot of examples of this happening, right? But it happens every summer here in DFW, both parents leaving their car running while running in to get the mail (only takes 50sec per the above poster) and the car gets jacked, or they get cooked in a hot car. I am not willing to risk my kid for something i can control myself. And on the pumping gas comment, I made the point earlier, when i pump gas, I pay at the pump…and either roll the back window down or open the door and talk with my son while its pumping…

All I am sayings is that a child should never be left in their carseat,unatteneded in a locked car…thats it…period…nothing else…keywords here are unatteneded and locked car.

After I read this story I had to find someplace to express my support for this wonderful mother. I hope she reads some of these blogs and sees how many other good mothers agree with her and thinks the police should be taken to task for what they put her and her family through. I’m the first one to admit that I regularly step out of my car to my post office box that’s 10 feet away. I leave my 2 1/2 year old strapped in his seat for the 30 seconds or less it takes me to run in. I ALWAYS lock the door and I can ALWAYS see the car. If I didn’t think it was impossible for someone to try to jimmy my locked alarmed vehicle in the 10 seconds it would take me to run back to my car, do you think I’d do it? Ms Coyne, you have my utter support, I hope you are completely successful in your case.

If this woman is being charged for what she did DO NOT EVER walk your shopping cart back in the corral in a parking lot….get out to step to the box to mail a letter….walk your child to the door of the school/daycare/etc if you have another child in the car…..

Do you see what I am getting at?

This is classic “no tolerance because we can’t think for ourselves” run amuck.

The Crestwood police should be ashamed.

Hey Sam,

I like that you are being protective of how you would deal with your daily parenting routines and I’m sure you keep it up diligently.
But thinking practically. Either you must be a good multi-tasker or you are doing way to much work. SCENARIO: You have three young children, one is a toddler and must be held. Two other children are old enough to walk at your side. You can put the toddler in the car seat, lock the door, put alarm on (or all the children for that matter) and put the cart away or risk taking all your children, holding the toddler as you push with your one hand, trying to guide the cart to its directed spot. You have two kids who might wander off or stay close to you. Now, the chances of an abduction are real but very slim. The chances of an auto accident where you, pushing the cart with all your kids by you, are hit is more likely. Therefore all your kids are in danger of being struck. It would seem more practical, and even safer, to keep all the kids in the car, windows opened a bit for air circulation, as you make your short trek to put the cart away. One task. Multiple tasks when pushing cart, holding toddler, watching out for kids and cars–all at once. Which seems more practical?
In these days, people’s times are more and more restricted. That’s why we have technology to basically do the work for us that we would have had to do 50 years ago. When you say, why not wait 40 minutes until the toddler awakes and then take them to give to the charity box? Now, will the average American wait that long for such a small endeavor? It’s just not practical. I applaud you if you are capable of doing that, but most likely others are unable. The time to unbuckle the kid and carry him into the post office to drop off a letter and then buckling him back in again–you catch my drift, people’s time schedules might be very limited and they might be in a hurry–such as, perhaps an emergency at the house. In my illustration a couple posts up, I said, do you live your life in fear of contracting a deadly virus when the chances of getting it is 1 and 1,000,000? No, and if you do, I feel bad for you. Although child abduction is real, it is rare but with certain precautions such as 1. turning on the alarm, 2. turning hazard lights on, 3. locking door, which all this mother did, then you make it hard for a child abductor to take your child. Most cases of child abductions are because of the parent’s negligence, such as the sad story of Madeleine McCann where they left their children at the hotel alone while they feasted. I know you don’t agree with the vast majority of people here but, even though we are opposed to you doesn’t mean we are bad parents and you aren’t either. You just think in a different way. And folks who chastise Sam, she is not crazy, her routine is different from yours. As long as she doesn’t partition for new child laws requiring parental assistence of children at all time (literally all the time) no matter what conditions, such as Mrs. Coyles, then her opinion should be respected. Anyways, I have no doubts Mrs. Coyle will find victory in this suit and I just hope the trauma her children experienced in this situation aren’t affected in the long-term. The police did more damage to the children then the mother did.

Sam,

You repeatedly argue that “….a child should never be left unattended in a car…period!” And you talk about putting the child at risk. What exactly are the dangers that this mother subjected her child to while strapped into a car seat in a locked and alarmed car while she was 30 feet away? I’ll bet you can’t name a single risk greater than, say, being abducted by aliens. I think the problem the people are having is that you state a conclusion as if its clearly correct, yet don’t bother to offer any support.

As for your example: “Some crazy walmart shopper may have plowed into the car parked in the loading zone…heck just the other night some car ran smack into a parked 18-wheeler…just a freak accident.” Isn’t the risk at least as equal of the child being hit while standing outside the car next to her mother 10 yards away? And wouldn’t the child actually be *safer* in the car? So, looking at the risks in the situation, it was the more risk-averse choice to leave the child in the car.

No one is saying that you, as a parent, cannot make the choice to never leave your child in a locked car “unattended.” The problem people are having is that you are forcing YOUR choice for YOUR child onto everyone else, and saying it is irresponsible to think otherwise. The risks involved in what this particular mother did do not outweigh any number of things I’m sure you do with your child every day. So I congratulate you on your safety-conscious attitude. But please don’t tell me that the state should enforce your particular preferences, especially when I haven’t heard an even moderately convincing argument in support, backed by the police power.

What a waste of resources. I’d rather see that money for court go towards helping out a mom who needs some day care, maybe buying some prenatal vitamins for someone or paying for an imunization. It is clear that mom is responsible and thoughtful. Good for hubby telling her not to say a word. I hope the law enforcement realm gets a wake up call on this one.

UNATTENDED? Give us a break Sam. If your reasoning could be reality then no medical personnel should leave a child alone in a hospital room. Think about all the hazards. No parent should allow their child to sleep in its own room. Who knows when an abductor might slip in? NO child should be allowed to play outside while dad does the dishes. It’s too much. What if you have a swimming pool? What then? What about a toilet. Children can drown in them too. WHAT IF WHAT IF WHAT IF?

Hey guys…I am done with yall…If you want to leave your kid in a closed, locked car while strapped in the carseat, have at it…I can’t say if I am right or wrong. But that just doesnt seem safe…sure the car was a few seconds away and was in plain sight, does this mitigate the risk…yes it does…and ive never call this lady a bad parent…just said it wasnt her best decision…and you know what…I bet she never does it again. She wont get jail time, as she shouldn’t, but at the same time there is a lesson here.

I do what I can to mitigate the risk to my kid, if all you parents feel a locked car is safe, have at it…I am not one to judge, and if I reread my posts I do not feel i have passed judgement on her, or any of yall for that matter (except the guy from Tenn). I for one do not feel a child left in the car is the best solution. Will there always be risks, yes…walking to school, being idependent, heck even driving in a car…things happen.

James Camden says: That would be safer, but sometimes taking the safe trail is always the long trail. Make your life easier and do things logically.

posting problems…try again

Wow, I feel sorry for the dog!

The “don’t leave a child unattended” laws were put in place after a small percentage of parents were found to be blatently negligent and disregarding their child’s welfare by leaving kids for shopping sprees, forgetting their children in the cars or leaving open access for children to play in cars. The statistics on this child in cars issue even prove that it’s a rarity. About 30 kids die a year from this…. 47% – child “forgotten” by caregiver, 25% – child playing in unattended vehicle, 21% – child intentionally left in vehicle by adult, 7% – circumstances unknown. These don’t of course include the carjacking fatalities, but I would guess these aren’t all that common either. 12 states have laws, 15 state have legislation pending. Illinois is OK with ten minutes and Florida is OK with 15 minutes and they have the most deaths (go figure). This is if the child is not in danger and the car is turned off. The laws in some states don’t give a time allowance or limit, depending on how you look at it.

Between 1992 and 1996 carjackings accounted for only 2% of vehicle thefts. No one was killed, only 4% of victims had serious injury, most carjackings happen without injury. Most happen at night. Sorry, could only find old stats. I have better luck leaving my kid in the car than leaving them to sleep in their room where they might wake up to use the bathroom and fall in the toilet!

To Sam & Samara: The problem here is not with Mrs. Coyne. It sounds like an overzealous officer saw their chance for a big arrest. This is what we get when a large portion of the country (though not the majority, yet!) believe that government has the answer for everything and the individual is not capable of making a rational decision based on common sense and must consult the “Politically Correct Handbook” on every tiny issue. I can see myself doing exactly the same thing, had I been in the same situation. If either of you two do not get the connection between the Mrs. Coyne incident and big government, please respond. I’d be happy to “esplain” it to you.

OK People! We don’t know really what happen that night now do we. I am a parent of two. I know would NEVER, NEVER leave my child sleeping in a car (I am sure it was running) while I shows other the importantance of giving on a dangerous icy night (now why did she go out on that night when it was dangerous?). Even for a split second. Her husband said that she wa 30 feet away. How does he know? Did she take a rule and measured before she took her other two childern out of the warm car on an icy cold night? Humm. Even in eye shot, won’t pervent someone to grasp an oppurtunity to take a running car. How many time have we heard “I left the car for a minute with my child in the back (even a awake child) and my car and child were both gone.” I am sure they would be the first to criticize the police department for not beefing up the security had that happend to them. Another question if someone know more about what happened. How did the police get notify the there was a child in a car alone? Someone call them? I so, it had to take more than a minute or two before a unit showed up? Or was it just a patrol car cruising the lot? True, we shouldn’t be too over protected, but we also have to practice common sense. Crestwood does have crime, there is no place safe in the world to leave a child unattended. If anyone can put my mind at ease that is great. But you really should have valid point in order to change my mind about the world!

Austin said it best on page 3,,, And as for you — Still lots of questions—-your statement above—-OK People! We don’t know really what happen that night now do we. I am a parent of two. I know would NEVER, NEVER leave my child sleeping in a car (I am sure it was running) —- your telling us we dont know the facts but you go on to say your sure the suv was running, some of us read the story and actually watch the news unlike yourself, The first officer was a foot patrol guard at Walmart who confronted the mother with verbal abuse then called the law, and Thirty feet is not far its about the width of most Ranch style homes in the US, my boys could throw a lolli pop that far when they where 1yrs of age. And the weather outside where this took place is always nasty during the winter months so snow sleet ice blizzard effect is common and these folks are used to driving in it they dont usually cancel school in that city, now im guessing your probably the one who buys up all the darn milk and bread at my store when they call for an inch of snow. And i wonder how many times you or one of your friends have pulled up to the ballpark and got out to talk to a someone next to the car while the kids where asleep or watching a movie? im sure like Sam you wont admit your wrong to proud even though we dont even know you. Now sam was correct in his one statement to The post office lady Audrey i think her name is, most of us will agree she shouldnt leave her kids in the car out of site while she enters a building, not to smart, your own house sure thats commom for parents to take in one infant at a time thats just one of the things that goes along with raising more than one kid, of course under yours and Sams thinking we should have a nanny or babysitter available all the time for those types of situations, you just make sure when you load the kids in the car and relize you forgot your purse that you unload all kids go back inside then start over. You and sam have a messed up view on reality and the differece between a good parent and one that is negligent. Like i said at the start of this post Austin on page 3 summed it up perfectly and had this officer acted accordingly this would not even be a topic. And stop drinking the Kool Aid and posting after the kids are in bed!

And Sam you where attacking the people of this site long before i posted trying to tell everyone that your view is the correct one and we should all fall in line. Im not like most of these folks who offer you prays and hope you grow to understand, this retired marine hopes reality smacks you right in the face i would prefer it to be my size 13 Nike in your rear, your comments are a young inexperieced not in reality(I Know best follow me)far left view and if im reading correctly your trying to say in your last two post that maybe your extreme opinion was not what you really beleive, then Man up and say your wrong and that this was an abuse of power and that you being a young father of soon to be two can see where circumstances can arise that you as a capable and loving parent will make decisions for your family that maybe (god help you) the in your face rock hard officer sees different and before you know it we are writing comments about how reality of big government hit Sam square in the arse. And one more thing if you love your wife and kids and are so highly educated and you live in such a bad neighborhood then maybe you need to stop posting so much get a second job and get your family to a safe new home, ive seen bad neighborhoods across this world and i personally would pick up cans on the road for extra money before i let my kids be subjected to it. I hope your not Voting for the left because you think they are going to solve your money problems and take care of the lower paid peeps of this country because it aint going to happen.

Dropped charges!!!! The “obstruction of justice” charge, too. That was one MEAN LADY COP. Don’t you even no how mess wit da po-lees exspecially when it a lady cop!

Here’s from the Herald Tribune AP story…

Crestwood Police Chief Timothy Sulikowski said he disagreed with prosecutors’ decision.

“We stand by the actions of our officers that night and they were looking out for the best interests of the child,” he said.

Sulikowski said that while police were obligated to report the case to the state’s child welfare agency, Coyne would not have been arrested had she cooperated and not refused to give them basic information, including the child’s name.

“By not providing us with that information and the information of her child, at that point we don’t know that that child is hers. We don’t know if that child has been listed as a kidnapped child or a missing child,” he said. “Absolutely, she forced this.”

Coyne has acknowledged that she did not tell the officers her child’s name after she called her husband on her cell phone and he told her not to say anything until he arrived. She said she was afraid and only wanted to wait for her husband, but police arrested her before he did.

Po-lees: WHAT YOU MEAN LEAVIN THAT BABY HERE LIKE ‘KAT?
Coyne: I was just…
Po-lees: DON’T YOU MOUF OFF AT ME, SISTER. I PUT YO A** IN JAIL FASTER’N'A NEW YOKE MINUTE.
Coyne: But I only..
Po-lees: DAT DO IT. TURN AROUND. I BOOKIN’ YOU. I SAY TURN AROUND! GET OFF DAT PHONE! WHO YOU CALLIN? IS DAT REALLY YO BABY? WHAT YOU MEAN DOIN’ WHATEVER YOU WANTS. WE GOTS LAWS, SISTER…

What I meant when I said we really don’t know what happen is that police don’t go around arresting everyone for every little offense. Too much paper work! Da Po-lees did find the article that best explains what more likely happened. I thought she was being irrate. And if thats the case, that is something you don’t want your children to see as well. Especially since being disrespectful to police authority has obviously triggered the arrest. Well maybe that is a life lesson. Hummm..

I keep reading about ppl leave childern in the car while the run into the hose for a split sec, or they are at a distance while their childern play at a play ground. These places have a better percentage of well-being, especially in a good neighboorhood, a public parking lot in the middle of xmas season, I would imagine, the percent of well-being goes way down. Some of you that aren’t from around here may not know what happen last month in Tinley Park (where Mrs Coyne lives)at a Lane Bryant store. Tinley Park is a pretty respectable suburb, but in the beigning of Feb., some guy went in there to rob it, killing 5 ppl. Even still almost every night on the news here in Chicagoland. Visit http://weblogs.cltv.com/news/local/chicago/2008/02/latest_on_tinley_park_murders.html for the full story. Nowhere safe! Especially in a public parking lot! Now I do agree charging her so steeply was wrong, but she does need to be aware of dangers and try to make better jugdements. Maybe like jen said in one of her blogs, a fine of some sort….

I think the police officer should be investigated. It is a power trip, no question about it. I think the police officer abuse her power and should be accountable for her actions. The Police Chief is protecting his own and he should be held accountable for not doing anything about the power tripping officer. I’m boycotting the area and I’m not going to spend dime in the area, until someone is held accountable for this officer action. I’m wonder how many more people have be harass by this officer.

I am also facing a trail for leaving my 10 year old, 4 year old & sleeping one year old in locked car, with a walkie talkie, while I dropped off a computer in Best Buys. I work in a substance abuse office and for years evaluated maturity levels of all ages in order to recommend an appropriate level of treatment care. However, I am not allowed, by a Utah city ordinance, to determine the maturity level of my 10 year old. Yet, under this same ordinance a 12 year old mental and/or physically disabled child is allowed to be left unattended, in a car, with younger children. My 10 year old can walk unsupervised to and from school regardless of the distance or weather. He can also play unsupervised at a public park or swim at the city pool but he cannot be in a locked car with his younger siblings. How far does this go? Will parents, guardians, grandparents, ect., be required to remove their young travelers to pump gas, reqardless of the weather conditions?

To Samara,

I am wondering why you would hold the Illinois mother to a different standard then the Smart family? Per your oppionion, the mother who left her child in the car is unexcusable and completely responsible for endangering her child. However, per your views, the Smart family wasn’t prepared and therefore, allowed an oppertunity for Elizabeth to be kidnapped. They simple chose to have seperate bedrooms from their kids. Sorry, your wrong!!! Children and their families are both victims! Those who commit crimes against children are the only ones to be held accountable for their actions. What would our children become if they are taught to live in fear and allow their fears to govern their behaviors? Smothering and sufficating a child from developing normally is just as abusive as beating and belittling them.

Sam, I’m not sure you realize how self-righteous you sound in your posts. You are so adamant about never ever leaving a child unattended in a car that you see no room for disagreement. But the fact is that this, like so many issues in parenting, falls within a gray zone. You talk about how you always mitigate the risks when it comes to your child. Really? Always? I think it’s better not to judge harshly, lest you yourself be judged harshly. I have never, in 8 years with 3 kids, left my child with a babysitter. How about you? Data says that it’s the children who are left alone with an adult that are the victims of molestation. My children don’t watch any TV. How about yours? Data says that there is a direct link between TV watching and ADHD, and other behavioral disorders. I feed my children organic food and live “green”. How about you? Data says that there might be a link between chemicals in food and decreased immunity, and continuing to emit large amounts of greenhouse gases will force our children to inherit a dilapidated planet. I chose not to have children until I was in a financial position to allow them to live in a very safe area. How about you? Well, you already mentioned… But guess what? I leave my kids in the locked and alarmed car in order to run 2 minute errands. None of these choices is a reflection on mine or your greater love for our children. I don’t pass judgment on ANY of the parenting choices you make. Every single parent takes risks with their children. Every single one. The question of which risks you take are determined by the priorities and experiences of your individual life. You might be more afraid of carjacking, and I might be more afraid of babysitter neglect (I personally know someone whose 6 month old was killed in the care of a trusted babysitter). We all do our best to mitigate the risks that feel very real to us.

As for the idea of leaving your child in the car. It has been pushed upon us the idea of “NEVER leave your child in the car, not even for a SECOND”. But if you look at the cases where children died in cars, the majority of the time it is NOT parents who leave their children in the car while they knowingly run an hour-long errand. The fact is that most of these are parents who would never leave their babies in the car KNOWINGLY. Rather what characterizes these parents is a sudden change in schedule. They forget that their child is even in the car, because their child is usually not in the car when they leave the car. This is why they are not prosecuted. It is a tragic, tragic accident. There was never the intent there to be a negligent parent. Instead of all the hype about never leaving your child in a car for a second, I would rather see a campaign advising parents to always check the backseat before leaving the car. I think indoctrinating that habit is the key to saving lives.

FUCK THIS SHIT

Well, once again we are all put in a position were power hungry police officers believe themselves to be god. I’m going to mention most cops are great people who face only 5% of the general population- criminals and victims. But some get a gun in hand and suddenly think the world is theirs.
I am now a university student, once a upon a time i was a kid who enjoyed independence. My parents had the check in rule- where are you going, about how long, with whom etc. Other than that, i had a lot of freedom about my choices. If we all did like some think, (cough SAMARA) i would probably be afraid to leave my house. Instead, i went on an exchange in high school-all by myself, in a foreign country, knowing no one. I learned things about myself and about people around me. I am so glad 95% of people post they think this whole thing is ridiculus. This lady is a good mom, she didnt deserve this, and i hope the cop is reprimanded (even fired) for over-stepping her bounds.

I agree with everyone’s comments about Samara. Yes there are abductors everywhere! Even in the familair settings of your neighborhood where you let your children play. I have two children one 8 and one 1 1/2. I will run in to pay the gas attendent after filling my car, and leave my children in the warm car, during the harsh winters I have here. Arrest me please!

Samara is absolutely correct!Those of us who work in law enforcement or human services know of too many cases like the ones she refers to.If someone can steal a car which is locked, they can also enter the car to kidnap the child. How about a scenario in which the father leaves a child in a locked car at a gas station while he goes in to pay for gas. While he is inside, some drunk driver plows into on of the gas pumps. The father runs out in horror to see his car totally in flames and his child screaming, totally helpless and unable to get out of the locked car. Or how about the child who has learned to operate power windows. While dad is in the store, the child’s head is wedged between the window and the car. How about a situation in which dad has a heart attack while in the store where he thought he’d only be two minutes.He is unconscious. The EMT’s arrive and bring him to the hospital. The child is left locked in the car.THERE IS ABSOULUTELY NEVER A GOOD REASON TO LEAVE ANY CHILD UNATTENDED IN A VEHICLE. YES HOW MANY PARENTS WOULD LEAVE A MILLION DOLLARS ON THE FRONT SEAT OF THE CAR WHILE THEY WENT INTO A STORE? I WILL BET NONE. IS YOUR CHILD NOT WORTH AT LEAST THAT MUCH?

A lot of these police officers are starting to look and sound like Nancy Grace on crack. This same thing happened to me and my wife. 70 degrees and cloudy, directly in front of restaurant window, with clear view, locked and alarmed, baby sound asleep and checked on. Next thing, four police cars — FOUR! The NancyGrace patrol hurling insults, accusations, going berzerk. Everyone standing around scratching their heads, commenting on how their tax dollars are spent.
Clearly, a lot of these nutters, including the law enforcement officers, aren’t aware of the law! It says “significant risk” to the healthy and safety of a child. The odds of someone crashing into your car while you’re paying for gas is not “significant.” The odds of a child being abducted from a locked and alarmed car directly in front of a windowed diner where he is being watched in broad daylight is not “significant risk.”
The police department has a policy of not accepting applications from people who are deemed intelligent. Look what that has created! Paranoid, insulated, damaged and frightened to death individuals applying the law. Can you imagine how their own children are going to grow up amid such over-the-type paranoia and fear of the thousands of things that “could” go wrong at any moment?
Leave the people alone and stop watching Nancy Grace coppers! Get some help!