Thread: Mom faces trial for leaving toddler in car

Controversial child endangerment case stirs Internet debate

CHICAGO - Treffly Coyne was out of her car for just minutes and no more than 10 yards away.

But that was long and far enough to land her in court after a police officer spotted her sleeping 2-year-old daughter alone in the vehicle; Coyne had taken her two older daughters to pour $8.29 in coins into a Salvation Army kettle.................

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23594474/?GT1=43001

I gotta say thats going a little far.
don't get me wrong, I'm all for charging people who leave children and pets in a locked car, but they were 10 yards away, donating to a charity, and its not like it was a hot summer day or anything.
The problem with the legal system now a days is cops are so concerned about useless stupid little things like this, when they should be worried more about bigger things like crime rate, murders, theft, etc.

Coyne’s attorney, Michelle Forbes, argued that Coyne did not break the law any more than a mother who parks in front of a school in a rainstorm and leaves an infant in the car as she runs a few feet to pick up another child.

“As long as the car is not out of her sight, then the child is not unattended,” she said.

I would absolutely agree with the attorney in this case.
That child was not unattended.

"i_bleed_purple" wrote:

I gotta say thats going a little far.
don't get me wrong, I'm all for charging people who leave children and pets in a locked car, but they were 10 yards away, donating to a charity, and its not like it was a hot summer day or anything.
The problem with the legal system now a days is cops are so concerned about useless stupid little things like this, when they should be worried more about bigger things like crime rate, murders, theft, etc.

It was a CSO, not a full cop.
CSO are not trained to deal with things like murder, crime rate, theft, etc. They are responsible for more community based issues, like children being left in cars.
I agree that this lady should not be treated like she was endangering her children, but let's not use this as a platform to cop bash.

I'm always torn on this.

There are many instances where I pull into the gas station with the child in the back.
Do I spend 5 minutes getting the kid out of the car and back into it only to run into the gas station for a soda that takes 45 seconds?


I did it a couple weeks ago and I felt kind of guilty even though I was literally watching him the whole time, except when I had to open the door of the beverage cooler.



There is certanly a gray area here.
Better safe than sorry though.

It is definately a gray area bh.
And the CSO should have looked at it as such, and not just in the black and white of the letter of the law.
The law is set up to keep people from leaving their children unattended in a car.
I don't think that the child was unattended in this case.

Of course, there is always more to the story - how long was the CSO sitting by her car waiting for her to come back? What occurred to necessitate the obstruction charge? Etc.
But in this instance, I would say that the CSO misused the law.

"NodakPaul" wrote:

It is definately a gray area bh.
And the CSO should have looked at it as such, and not just in the black and white of the letter of the law.
The law is set up to keep people from leaving their children unattended in a car.
I don't think that the child was unattended in this case.

Of course, there is always more to the story - how long was the CSO sitting by her car waiting for her to come back? What occurred to necessitate the obstruction charge? Etc.
But in this instance, I would say that the CSO misused the law.

If somebody were to take your parenting skills into question your naturally going to get defensive about it...especially when you know in your heart what you did was not putting your child in harms way.
I could easily see something like this getting turned into an obstruction charge to some level.

this is stupid, if she is that close it shouldnt matter

All CPS is a bunch of freaking home ruiners! They can go to hell all of them

I'm always torn on this.

There are many instances where I pull into the gas station with the child in the back.
Do I spend 5 minutes getting the kid out of the car and back into it only to run into the gas station for a soda that takes 45 seconds?

I did it a couple weeks ago and I felt kind of guilty even though I was literally watching him the whole time, except when I had to open the door of the beverage cooler.

I feel the exact same way with my soon to be 2 year old son.
Getting him in and out of the car seat (2 door) is nothing short of a headache but at the same time I understand why the law is in place.
As for the lady who is getting charged, I would most likely drop the case if I was the judge if some photos of where she was parked, where the charity thing is located and how far she truly was away from the car.
If it proves to be the 10 yards or less she claims and for a very brief period of time, just drop the case and bring in some real criminals....Like all these losers I read about shooting people all over the U.S.