Guest MrRant Report post Posted July 10, 2003 LANCASTER, California (AP) -- 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." Smoot told authorities she left the boys, ages 3 and 5, in the car around 9 a.m. outside A Child's Place Daycare, which she ran. "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." Smoot told investigators she discovered the boys in their car seats when she returned in the afternoon and pulled them from the vehicle. The 5-year-old was dead. His brother, who was severely dehydrated, died a short time later at a hospital, sheriff's Sgt. Paul Patterson said. Afternoon temperatures hovered around 100 degrees in the high desert town about 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Officials from the Department of Children and Family Services said they will investigate. A woman who answered the phone at A Child's Place Daycare declined to comment. Friends and parents gathered Tuesday at the 24-hour day care center. Naeemah Edwards, whose daughter attended the center, told KABC-TV she was shocked. "They come in with my daughter, and they play together," she said, adding that she would not let her child to return to the center. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CED Ordonez Report post Posted July 10, 2003 She runs a frickin' DAYCARE CENTER and she leaves her foster kids in a SUV for FIVE HOURS?!? Hello, genius, your jail cell is two doors to the right... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest lomasmoney Report post Posted July 10, 2003 I'm not trying to be mean or funny but i think that by the age of 5 a child should know how to unlock a door or at least roll down the windows. But knowing the safety first nature of today's parents i wouldnt be suprised if the older boy tried to get out only to be no sold by the child lock device that is on most cars Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The ChriZa Report post Posted July 10, 2003 I'm not trying to be mean or funny but i think that by the age of 5 a child should know how to unlock a door or at least roll down the windows. But knowing the safety first nature of today's parents i wouldnt be suprised if the older boy tried to get out only to be no sold by the child lock device that is on most cars There's also the possibility that the kid got the "Now you stay in this car or ELSE!" treatment, and didn't know how much danger he was in. Regardless, this idiot should be put away for at least 20 years, though it'll probably end up as more like 6 months. I guess this is why I'm not a judge...stupidity would truly be a crime, especially when it ends the life of a child. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kkktookmybabyaway Report post Posted July 10, 2003 "Vehicles are not playpens," What what are found in cars today (Playstations, DVD players, etc.) I respectfully disagree... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Fook_Hing_Ho Report post Posted July 10, 2003 I'm still wondering why she didn't just open a couple of windows if she was going to leave them in the car. You'd think that would be common sense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheBro Report post Posted July 10, 2003 Sadly, it happened here yesterday afternoon where I live. This chick ran a daycare here and left the kid in the van from 9 a.m. till just before 5 p.m. . He died, and it was her own kid. That's sad, and it seems like stuff like this will continue to happen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lil Naitch Report post Posted July 11, 2003 These people need to get some common sense. Communication error my ass... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest La Parka Es Mi Papa Report post Posted July 11, 2003 What a stupid bitch. She deserves a life sentence. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The ChriZa Report post Posted July 11, 2003 What's next? "Oh this was all just a big misunderstanding. I left my kids on the train tracks with the belief that my husband would pick them up in an hour. Perfectly honest mistake." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crux Report post Posted July 11, 2003 Dumb bitch. I hope she gets what is coming to her. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CED Ordonez Report post Posted July 11, 2003 "I left my toddler next to large open buckets of ammonia and bleach. I could have easily taken care of the situation myself, but I could've sworn somebody else was going to cover the buckets up and take them away before my baby could knock them over." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
