Bigger Picture: Leaving Your Kids Alone in the Car
Reported by: Amber Jenne/WCIA-3
Friday, Mar 14, 2008 @12:48pm CST
Crestwood police arrested Treffley Coyne after she took her two older daughters to pour coins into a Salvation Army kettle.
Police say Coyne endangered her sleeping child, but Coyne says she was gone for only minutes and was never more than 30 feet away.
Her husband says she did nothing wrong.
So, this begs the question.
Is it ever okay to leave your kids in the car for any reason?
WCIA 3's Amber Jenne has the "Bigger Picture."
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Coyne and her husband say this incident has torn their family apart for no reason.
Coyne says after she locked the car, she even activated the alarm system and turned on the flashers to keep her child safe.
Her attorney argued since the car was always in sight, her daughter was never unattended.
Even so, police say they were only looking out for the best interests of the child because these days you can't be too cautious.
People in Decatur have mixed feelings.
"She should have been arrested, you shouldn't leave your kids in the car."
"Her situation was appropriate. The baby was asleep, the weather was nasty, and I think that she didn't do anything wrong."
Cook County officials dismissed charges against Coyne for lack of evidence that she endangered her child, but say she was arrested because she refused to give police any information.
They say the child could have been missing or kidnapped, and they didn't want to take any chances.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services found no credible evidence of abuse or neglect.
If convicted, Coyne would have faced one year in jail and a fine of $2,500.
For the "Bigger Picture," I'm Amber Jenne for "Your News Now."
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Now its your turn. What do you think?
Is it ever okay to leave your kids in the car for any amount of time?
Is there any instance that makes it okay, and should this mom have been judged so harshly?
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