Mom Accused: Locked 7 Year Old In Trunk While She Partied

[matcom]

<snip>

SAN DIEGO – A woman accused of locking her 7-year-old son in the trunk of her car while she celebrated her birthday inside an Ocean Beach bar pleaded innocent today to child abuse and false imprisonment charges.

Sara Marie Powell, 27, was arrested after San Diego police got an anonymous tip about midnight Sunday that the child was locked in the trunk of her gray 1985 Volvo. The car was parked outside Winston's Beach Club, authorities said.

Officers knocked on the trunk but got no response, prosecutor Jeffrey Dort said. A dog was also in the car's passenger compartment, the prosecutor said.

Police went into the bar and an announcement was made for Powell to go to her car outside. She responded and the boy was freed, authorities said.

A sleeping bag and pillow were in the trunk. Dort said the child, who had been there about four hours, sat up and said he hadn't made any noise.

"It was like he had been coached not to make any noises and not to tell anyone what had happened," Detective Vince Villalvazo told reporters outside San Diego Police headquarters.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20040825-1627-momarrested.html

[flamingyouth]

1. The dog was locked in the car

And the kid was locked in the trunk. Obviously, neither case should have happened. I'd say that's a particularly creepy aspect to this horrible story.:grr:

[HughBeaumont]

2. A reason to bring back public guillotinings.

So mistakes like this, Freepers, fundies and Phelps followers can't reproduce.

Can you say WHITE TRAAAAAASH?!?

Doesn't the inside of a car's trunk soar to about 140 degrees F if it's hot out (which I imagine it does in San Diego)?

[Xithras]

6. In the sunlight, which doesn't sound like the case here

The police pulled her out of the bar at midnight after he'd been in there four hours, so external heating shouldn't have been an issue. Depending on the size of the trunk, though, his body heat could have warmed it up a bit.

This lady needs some hardcore jailtime (not to mention a beating, IMO) for this. She gave her DOG more playroom than her own kid? There's a reason vigilante justice is illegal, and the thoughts going through my head aver what to do with this lady are the reason why :grr:

[redqueen]

8. Sorry to bust your bubble (not really)

but the woman who starved her 9 year old child to death in Dallas wasn't White trash.

:grr:

[redqueen]

3. Dammit

I saw this in GD... it served to remind me of the woman here locally who starved her child to death.

Dammit dammit dammit...

Sometimes I think people should have to get a license to breed...

[DS1]

4. Hey, it's not like she went to a demolishion derby

:eyes:

[TOhioLiberal]

5. I've said it before...

...and I'll say it again! If you can't get a babysitter, DON'T GO OUT YOU SELF ABSORBED P.O.S!
(/RANT off)

[Dookus]

7. this is illlegal?

oh crap!

(runs outside and gets baby-sittee out of trunk)

[redqueen]

9. Why you...

:spank:

[Union Thug]

10. My dad would occassionally....

Stop by the tav and leave me and my brother in the car, telling us he has to run in for "just a second"... We usually fell asleep or were completely indignant when he returned.

Oh the joys of childhood.

[LDS Jock]

11. Was this in the Lisa Welchel book of parenting tips?

Its about as humane as some of her other biblical ideas.