Court: Leaving Child Alone in Car is Abuse
Leaving a child alone in a car constitutes child abuse or neglect in New Jersey, a New Jersey court ruled Tuesday.
A state appeals court found a mother didn't exercise the minimum degree of care required by state law when she left her sleeping 19-month-old child in a locked car with the engine running and windows opened an inch while she shopped in a South Plainfield store in 2009.
The woman was gone five to ten minutes, but security called police after they saw the unattended child.
The court says a parent invites substantial peril when leaving a young child alone in a motor vehicle, no matter how briefly, unless there is an extenuating circumstance such as going into a store to purchase medicine.
MORE COVERAGE:
- NJ court finds leaving child alone in car is abuse / News 12 New Jersey
- Leaving a child unattended in a car is abuse or neglect, N.J. court rules / Star-Ledger
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