2 Young Boys Die Locked in Sweltering SUV

[Josh]

The foster mother of two young boys who died after being left five hours in a sweltering sport utility vehicle was arrested for investigation of child endangerment. Leslie Sue Smoot, 48, was booked late Tuesday night and held on $100,000 bail. No court date was scheduled. Sheriff Lee Baca said earlier Tuesday that those responsible for leaving the children in the car would be charged with child endangerment and possibly manslaughter.

"Vehicles are not playpens," he said. "Vehicles are not baby sitters. And vehicles, when they are not properly ventilated, are death traps."

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[Howard]

This already happened. Why can't people learn from mistakes other than their own?

 

[Gyrene]

I think someone should lock her in a 120 degree, 7x5 room @ 100% humidity for 5 hours and see how she likes it.

 

[ClueLis]

I thought fostermothers were the people who were supposed to be used to taking care of kids.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: ClueLis
I thought fostermothers were the people who were supposed to be used to taking care of kids.

Apparently she thought someone else took them out, she didn't realize they were still there.

Inexcusable, but not blatantly irresponsible.

Viper GTS

 

[Ime]

You'd might expect this from a young mother(read: teen mom), who might not "get it" despite the MASSIVE publicity about how dangerous hot cars are... but from a 48 year old woman?

I say she did it on purpose.

 

[mpitts]

I like how she also runs a day care.

There goes that business.

 

[Ime]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: ClueLis
I thought fostermothers were the people who were supposed to be used to taking care of kids.

Apparently she thought someone else took them out, she didn't realize they were still there.

Inexcusable, but not blatantly irresponsible.

Viper GTS

I disagree... "thinking" someone else took them is not enough... you should know for sure.

 

[Josh]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: ClueLis
I thought fostermothers were the people who were supposed to be used to taking care of kids.

Apparently she thought someone else took them out, she didn't realize they were still there.

Inexcusable, but not blatantly irresponsible.

Viper GTS

Yea, but, still she should have at least checked if her husband did it if she wasn't 100% sure. It's horrible neglect/decision on her part.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: ClueLis
I thought fostermothers were the people who were supposed to be used to taking care of kids.

Apparently she thought someone else took them out, she didn't realize they were still there.

Inexcusable, but not blatantly irresponsible.

Viper GTS

I'd call that pretty blatant, myself. She had them in the car, closed the doors with them in there, and she didn't see anyone else get them out. And she didn't notice that they were nowhere to be found - for FIVE hours? :frown:

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Ime

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: ClueLis
I thought fostermothers were the people who were supposed to be used to taking care of kids.

Apparently she thought someone else took them out, she didn't realize they were still there.

Inexcusable, but not blatantly irresponsible.

Viper GTS

I disagree... "thinking" someone else took them is not enough... you should know for sure.

Am I arguing that?

Unfortunately things like this happen all the time, each parent thinks the other has the kid & next thing you know the kid is floating face down in the pool.

At least she didn't knowingly leave them out there while she got a massage, or something equally stupid (like so many people seem to do).

Viper GTS

 

[notfred]

A 5 year old should be able to operate a door lock. You'd think he'd have rolled down the window or opened the door or something...

 

[waylman]

this is a horrible thing but why does every sad story in the news have to be posted here? We can go to CNN to get our heart strings pulled. Please stop posting this stuff!!!

 

[MegaloManiaK]

"She indicated she thought someone else was going to get the children out of the car, possibly her husband," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Al Grotefend said. "There was some miscommunication."

What the heck? So she thought someone was going to get them out, but had no idea who it would be??? And never thought to go make sure they were taken? BS man.

 

[ThaGrandCow]

This happened AGAIN???
Jeebus, did the world population's IQ drop down to "common = stupid" while I wasn't looking

 

[UNCjigga]

WTF? She runs a day care and doesn't notice that her OWN kids are missing for FIVE HOURS (I'm assuming they were supposed to be inside with the other kids???) Yeah, I'd pull my kids from that center too!!! :|:|:|

Husband could be to blame for this too...details are sketchy but it seems like he was at the daycare too (obviously didn't get back in the vehicle and drive somewhere else.)

 

[EXman]

happened in my town too except her boy survived and the one she babysitted died. now they made a stiff law against it. caused a huge uproar in our town I think the lady got death threats and everything. forgot what she got but it was probably not enough. Manslaughter be home in 2-5 years I think

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: ThaGrandCow
This happened AGAIN???
Jeebus, did the world population's IQ drop down to "common = stupid" while I wasn't looking

No, it was already there.

 

[EXman]

A 5 year old should be able to operate a door lock. You'd think he'd have rolled down the window or opened the door or something...

Mom: "just incase I lock you in the car kids and forget about you heres what to do...?" they should never be put into that position not to mention some locks are hard to get open.

 

[Armitage]

Happened in Colorado Springs last year ... woman left her baby in the car, and went in to work an 8 hour shift at a fast food place ... Burger King IIRC. Anyway, 6 hrs into the shift she somehow "remember" that she had forgotten to drop the kid off at the babysitter before work. Kid was dead by then. IIRC, she didn't get jail time.

 

[Josh]

Originally posted by: ergeorge
Happened in Colorado Springs last year ... woman left her baby in the car, and went in to work an 8 hour shift at a fast food place ... Burger King IIRC. Anyway, 6 hrs into the shift she somehow "remember" that she had forgotten to drop the kid off at the babysitter before work. Kid was dead by then. IIRC, she didn't get jail time.

That's horrible. How can you forget that your kid is in the backseat or whatever?...irresponsible

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: EXman

A 5 year old should be able to operate a door lock. You'd think he'd have rolled down the window or opened the door or something...

Mom: "just incase I lock you in the car kids and forget about you heres what to do...?" they should never be put into that position not to mention some locks are hard to get open.

More like "here's how you work a car door so that you can get in and out by yourself". Granted, they shouldn't have been left there for five hours, but I still don't think I've ever met a 5 year old who can't get out of a car by himself.

 

[Luagsch]

i knew it: "SUVs are EVIL!!!!!"

... and the foster mother is on the same level as tu8girl...

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: notfred
A 5 year old should be able to operate a door lock. You'd think he'd have rolled down the window or opened the door or something...

He was probably in a car seat or booster seat and couldn't get free.

 

[phantom309]

STUPID
STUPID
STUPID
STUPID