Mom left kids in hot car while she visited salon defying COVID-19 shutdown, cops say
A nail salon in Maryland was caught defying a statewide stay-at-home order when police said they found a customer’s kids alone in her car.
Police charged 21-year-old Keontae Moodie with two misdemeanor counts of leaving her children unattended on Thursday, Baltimore County government said in a news release.
The salon was told to shut down, according to the release.
“We’re still in a pandemic and we still don’t have the solutions to the problem,” Sgt Vickie Warehime told WBFF. “Getting your nails done should not supersede the safety of your family, your kids, and others who you put yourself in contact with.”
The situation began to unfold when the Baltimore County Police Department responded to a call for child neglect shortly after noon on Wednesday, the release states.
“Upon arrival, the officer observed a three-month-old boy and a three-year-old girl inside of a parked black Honda with no adult supervision,” police said. “The weather was in the 70s and the vehicle was not running.”
After failing to find a parent or the owner of the car, the officer reportedly used his baton to break the driver’s side window and get the children out.
Medics were also on scene “to make sure they were not in distress,” according to the release.
The officer’s supervisor then arrived and began knocking on business’s doors in the area.
“A nail salon had the shades drawn but the supervisor could see people inside,” the release states. “After several more attempts, an employee came to the door.”
When police gave the make and model of the car, Moodie reportedly stepped forward and said they were her children.
Moodie faces a fine of up to $500 and up to 30 days in prison under Maryland family law for leaving children unattended.
This story was originally published May 16, 2020 at 12:49 PM with the headline "Mom left kids in hot car while she visited salon defying COVID-19 shutdown, cops say."
