Unemployed Mother Arrested For Leaving Kids in Car During Job Interview [POLL]

This is a “what would you do” scenario.

An Arizona woman was arrested and charged with child abuse after leaving her 2 small children in a car with the window cranked only about an inch while she attended a job interview.

Her reasoning? She was not able to find a sitter; and having been unemployed and on food stamps, was desperate to get the job.

Temperatures rose to around 100 degrees in the car whose motor was left running albeit without the air conditioning while the 2 year old boy and 6 month old baby sweated profusely.

Thankfully someone heard the baby crying and alerted authorities.

Now the mother is being charged with child abuse – possibly the loss of custody of the two children – and a stint in jail.

But the story doesn’t end there, as it has captured the attention of a New Jersey woman, who, within a couple of days has raised 95 thousand dollars to help the woman out.

According to this from nj.com:

Unemployed and on food stamps, Shanesha Taylor went to the job interview last month at a Scottsdale insurance company.

The 35-year-old wasn't able to find a sitter, so she left her 2-year-old son and 6-month old baby in her Dodge Durango with the key still in the ignition and the windows rolled down an inch.
A witness found the infant crying hysterically and sweating profusely as temperatures inside the SUV exceeded 100 degrees.

Taylor was arrested after returning to the vehicle, and her tearful mugshot later caught the attention of 24-year-old Amanda Bishop of New Jersey.
Bishop said she was inspired to set up a fundraising web page for Taylor because she could relate to growing up in a family that doesn't have a lot of money.

Taylor pleaded not guilty Monday at her arraignment.

Prosecutors point out that her actions put the safety of her children in danger.

"Everything is focused on the mother and understandably so. It seems to be a very compelling human interest story," County Attorney Bill Montgomery said at a recent news conference. "But I'm equally concerned and compelled about the circumstances those two children were in."

Montgomery said it's too soon to determine if Taylor will receive a prison term or face losing custody of her children. Her offenses could amount to a sentence ranging from probation to seven years in prison, prosecutors said.

Bishop established the fundraising site on YouCaring.com with the goal of raising $9,000. She was flabbergasted when the site reached the goal in four days and then exceeded it by tens of thousands of dollars.

The site also has received more than a thousand comments, some of which accuse Bishop and other supporters of endorsing child abuse. Bishop said Taylor should not be condemned for one bad decision.
"She could have been at a bar or at a club and leaving her children in the car," Bishop said. "Here's a woman who is an example of someone who is trying — who is trying to better her situation and doing what she can to provide for her children."

I’ve always believed in the expression, “…there but for the grace of God go I.”
So I wonder what would I do in that situation.

No doubt I’d want the job – but the immediate welfare of my children comes first.

It’s commendable that the woman wants to get off food stamps and earn a living. It’s beyond careless for her to take them to a job interview by leaving them in a car with the engine running and the window cranked opened an inch.

A prospective employer might not be comfortable with a woman schlepping her two kids along for a job interview - but if that was my only option, I'd go that route. There is no justification for leaving them in a hot car with the engine running.