Trigger Warning: The article mentions details about child abuse.
Child abuse and neglect cases are not new; despite several cases and warnings, things haven’t changed. A Florida mom is facing serious charges after her three young children were found locked in a hot car while she shopped inside a Walmart. Ciera Washington, 29, has been charged with three counts of child neglect after allegedly leaving her children unattended in a vehicle on September 14 in Sunrise, about 10 miles west of Fort Lauderdale.
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According to a criminal complaint, as per PEOPLE Magazine, a passerby heard a “faint knocking” coming from the vehicle around 3:30 p.m. Upon inspection, they saw two empty car seats and noticed a child’s foot sticking out from the pass-through opening leading to the trunk. When they found the vehicle, they found all three children inside, in distressing condition.
With the help of another bystander, they accessed the vehicle and found all three children in the trunk. The car was turned off, all windows rolled up, and the children were reportedly “drenched in sweat,” with the two youngest wearing soiled diapers. As the three kids were rescued, the passerby took the oldest child into the store to look for their mother and called authorities.
Ciera Washington was inside the store for 39 minutes before officers with the Sunrise Police Department arrived. While it was not initially confirmed whether the mother had left her kids intentionally or simply through negligence, she admitted to officers that she had “made a mistake,” blaming the delay on long lines inside the store.
She allegedly told police that she had left her oldest child in the car with the keys in the ignition and the air conditioner running. She was arrested later that same day, on 9th September, and booked into Broward County Jail on three counts of child neglect without causing significant bodily harm. According to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, she has since posted bail and been released.
In general, leaving an underage child alone at home for long hours can come with severe legal punishments. However, every state in the country has its own rules. Typically, most child development experts agree that children around 11 or 12 years old may be ready to stay home alone for short periods.
While most kids may not be ready until age 10 or 11, some mature 8—or 9-year-olds might handle being home alone for 30 minutes. Since every family’s dynamics and children are different, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution here. Various factors can determine if a child is ready to stay on their own; these include whether a child is capable of making decisions, staying calm under pressure, and managing basic tasks. (via healthychildren.org).
For example, would they know not to drink spoiled milk or how to act if something doesn’t seem right? These factors can determine if a child is capable of living alone. Parents who willingly or unwillingly neglect their kids and then come up with excuses are bound to face serious charges, and there’s no excuse for that.
