Sunday, June 12, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Law criminalizes leaving
children alone in cars
17 kids left in cars have died since '96 in Nevada
By BRIAN HAYNES
REVIEW-JOURNAL
For Jody Esposito, a parked car is no longer just a parked car.
Not since her 5-year-old son played hide-and-seek in a trunk, got trapped and died. In the four years since, Esposito has dedicated herself to educating parents about the hidden dangers facing children left alone in seemingly harmless vehicles.
Her efforts took a giant leap forward when Gov. Kenny Guinn signed into law a bill that makes intentionally leaving young children alone in vehicles a misdemeanor.
"It's like my son's life wasn't in vain. In my mind it will always be Michael's law," said Esposito, who now works for the safety group Kids and Cars.
The law's passage comes as Las Vegas heads into the sweltering summer months. Although the law won't take effect until October, child safety advocates said it will help educate parents about the serious dangers related to leaving children alone in cars.
Since 1996, 17 children have died in Nevada after being left in cars, Esposito said.
Among them were three local children who died during the past two summers after accidentally being left alone in their family vehicles. Others have been imperiled while their parents shopped for televisions or went gambling.
Already this year, Las Vegas police have investigated more than 30 cases of children being left in cars. At that pace they will eclipse last year's record caseload of 80, said Lisa Teele, who supervises the Las Vegas police abuse and neglect detail.
She said many parents don't realize the danger when they temporarily abandon their children.
On a sunny summer day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise quickly, as much as 19 degrees in 10 minutes, according to a study by Golden Gate Weather Services at San Francisco State University.
"We have to realize things do happen, and when they do happen they happen quickly," Teele said.
Supporters of the new law say it gives law enforcement another tool to deal with typically good parents who simply did not realize the dangers when they left their children alone.
The law applies to children younger than 8 who are left in a vehicle under conditions that could pose a significant risk to their health or safety, or with the keys in the ignition or the motor running.
The law does not apply if someone at least 12 years old is supervising the younger child.
The law allows the courts to dismiss the charge and seal the case if the parent completes a child safety course.
"I don't want to punish. I want people to change," said Sen. Valerie Weiner, who sponsored the bill in the Legislature.
In years past, prosecutors typically charged parents with child endangerment, a felony.
As Las Vegas creeps into summer and the mercury rockets into triple digits, safety advocates will continue their education campaigns, including the Heat Kills program sponsored by the Las Vegas Fire Department.
"Never leave your child unattended in a car because you don't want to live a lifetime of grief like I have," Esposito said.
