Mom who left kids in hot car spared jail
2011-08-01 16:35
London - A mother who left her three young children in a car for 45 minutes
as temperatures climbed to as high as 40° was spared jail on Monday.
The children, aged between two and 8-years-old, were rescued when they
managed to sound the horn and attract the attention of a member of the public.
Kelly Marie Langham, aged 26, of Carlisle, told magistrates she thought she
would only be away for a few minutes as she popped into the city centre
pawnbrokers last month, the Press Association reported.
She had left the car windows slightly wound down but said she did not
appreciate that the heat could rise to the extent that it did.
The youngsters did not require hospital treatment but were said to have been
left traumatised after being removed from the vehicle.
Langham was ordered to complete a one year community order focused on
helping her develop better parenting skills, with a six-month drug treatment
order.
Detective Inspector Kim Fulton said in a statement: "This case sends
out a stark reminder that it can get extremely hot inside a vehicle at this
time of year. Kelly Langham made a serious error of judgment which has today
resulted in her appearing in court today.
"Even with the windows slightly wound down the temperature in her
vehicle reached 40°.
"This and the fact that she left her children unattended for 45 minutes
placed them at risk of serious harm. Thankfully the actions of a member of the
public avoided a more tragic ending to this story."
