Woman Charged With Child Neglect After Leaving Kids In Hot Car: Police

Ashburn VA

06 May, 2022

3:41 PM

Description

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — An Ashburn woman was charged with felony child neglect after leaving two children in a hot car in Leesburg on April 24, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Authorities identified the woman as 51-year-old Lorraine Turner. The incident occurred at Harris Teeter in the 19300 block of Winnmeade Drive in Leesburg. Deputies responded to the scene around 3:30 p.m. on April 24. Deputies determined that Turner left two young children in the car for twenty minutes while she was in the store. "Multiple witnesses reported hearing the children crying and in distress due to the heat and called for emergency services," the sheriff's office said in its report. When deputies arrived on the scene, fire and rescue personnel were assisting the children. Turner was charged with one count of felony child abuse and neglect. She was originally held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center and was later released on a $2,000 unsecured bond. The National Safety Council estimated that 38 children die in hot cars every year. "There is no safe amount of time to leave a child in a vehicle, even if you are just running a quick errand," the NSC said on its website. The CDC hosts an array of resources to prevent child neglect, and to help victims who had adverse childhood experiences. More information is available on their website.