Woman arrested after toddlers left in vehicle in sub-freezing temps, Lawrence police say
A 26-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of going to a bar and leaving her two toddlers in a vehicle while temperatures were in the single digits early Wednesday, Lawrence police said.
Police were called to Playerz Sports Bar at 1910 Haskell Ave. around 1:38 a.m. to investigate a report of trespassing. Police were told the woman had been removed from the bar but was trying to get back inside.
Officers were told by the bar staff that the woman had been at the bar while her 2-year-old and 3-year-old were left unattended inside a vehicle.
The temperature around 1 a.m. in Lawrence was 7 degrees with a wind chill of -9 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
The woman left the bar by the time police arrived, but officers soon found the suspect vehicle near the intersection of 19th Street and Haskell Avenue.
Police stopped the vehicle and arrested the woman after determining the children were “left along in the vehicle without heat for a substantial amount of time,” Lawrence Officer Derrick Smith wrote.
The woman was taken to the Douglas County jail on suspicion of aggravated endangering a child and operating a vehicle under the influence, police said. Her name was not released by police.
“We can’t stress enough how dangerous this cold is,” police later said in a tweet. “Please take proper precautions, and use common sense.”
This story was originally published January 30, 2019 at 6:54 PM.
