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Young boys die in sweltering SUV

post #1 of 23
7/9/03 at 3:32pm
Thread Starter 
LANCASTER, California (AP) -- The foster mother of two young boys who died after being left five hours in a sweltering sport utility vehicle was arrested for investigation of child endangerment.

Leslie Sue Smoot, 48, was booked late Tuesday night and held on $100,000 bail. No court date was scheduled.

Sheriff Lee Baca said earlier Tuesday that those responsible for leaving the children in the car would be charged with child endangerment and possibly manslaughter.

"Vehicles are not playpens," he said. "Vehicles are not baby sitters. And vehicles, when they are not properly


http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/0....ap/index.html
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post #2 of 23
7/9/03 at 3:33pm
Thread Starter 
That's another excuse I am tired of hearing... I thought my husband was getting them out. Hello, after 5 minutes and them not appearing in the daycare, wouldn't you go look? Those poor boys, what an awful way to die.
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post #3 of 23
7/9/03 at 3:38pm
I think I'm going to be sick after reading this.
Some day I will learn NOT to read these articles. I can't even believe this story. This is one of the sickest, saddest things I've read.
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post #4 of 23
7/9/03 at 3:51pm
OMG that is terrible!!!
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post #5 of 23
7/9/03 at 3:53pm
How can you think someone else is getting them out?????????
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post #6 of 23
7/9/03 at 3:58pm
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post #7 of 23
7/9/03 at 5:01pm
I can't believe we are still having stories like this one - when will people ever learn?? The very first thing I do is make sure Carrie's out, how can you not notice or just assume someone else got them? Those poor children, what a horrible way to die!
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post #8 of 23
7/9/03 at 5:41pm
That is such a lame excuse. What an idiot.
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post #9 of 23
7/9/03 at 5:43pm
That is so sad! I wouldn't even leave my DOG in a hot car!
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post #10 of 23
7/9/03 at 6:01pm
Why the h*ll wouldn't she just get them out herself? They were 3 and 5 for Pete's sake ... it takes what??? Thirty seconds to unbuckle them and then they can get out on their own.

That does leave a big question in my mind though .... how did A) nobody else notice while they were sitting in that parking lot and B) why couldn't they get out on their own?

Cody is only 3 and he can unbuckle himself, unlock the doors, and get out anytime he pleases. As a matter of fact, we're having a hard time keeping him buckled in. So surely the 5 year old could have unbuckled the two of them or at least himself and gone for help.

Anyone else find that odd?
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post #11 of 23
7/9/03 at 6:04pm
PUNISHMENT!!!

Duck Tape Her in a vehicle and set it in the desert of Death Valley!

how can people be sososososos STUPID!!
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post #12 of 23
7/9/03 at 6:42pm
Good ?'s Dawn. I have a few of my own.
Why an investigation? They were her respnosibility and she did not take that seriously .

Possible manslaughter???? they are dead because of her and basically by her hand.

Endangerment??? No where near serious enough of a word never mind a proper explanation of her actions. she didn't endanger them she basically signed there death certificates.

Ok gotta get over this story.
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post #13 of 23
7/9/03 at 8:27pm
What a complete moron! I hope she goes to jail for life! I am sorry there is no excuse at all for what she did!! I agree after a few minutes wouldnt she go back and check to see if someone else go them out!! Those poor babies!

I agree Dawn, i find the whole thing very odd! Austin can get out of his seat to and open the door to the mini van on his own! There has to be more to it than what the police are letting out.
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post #14 of 23
7/9/03 at 8:47pm
If she was their foster mother, possibly they had been terrorised by their own parents into always sitting very quiet and making as least noise as possible???

And how must their birth parents and families feel, having them taken off them only to have them be killed be the State approved foster mother??
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post #15 of 23
7/9/03 at 9:54pm
I just have to say amen to the parent who will not let her child return to the center!
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post #16 of 23
7/9/03 at 10:09pm
What a Sorry excuse. You do not leave your kids in the car for 5 minutes much less FIVE hours, that is such B.S. I feel so sorry for the kids dying that way, poor babies.

I agree with the ladies that have the questions on the board. I know my daughter can unbuckle and open the door by herself. But there might have been child safety locks on the door. Who knows. That lady is a poor excuse for a human being.
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post #17 of 23
7/10/03 at 2:20pm
I ranted about this here at work yesterday. I can't believe someone could just forget and leave a child in a car. Sorry excuse.

I hadn't thought of the point Dawn brought up. Wonder why the kids couldn't get out themselves.
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post #18 of 23
7/10/03 at 2:35pm
The thing that toasted my cookies about that is the fact that she OWNS A DAYCARE.

WHY DIDN'T SHE JUST TAKE THEM INSIDE WITH HER?
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post #19 of 23
7/10/03 at 2:37pm
Yeah, I thought about what Dawn said, too.. why couldn't the older one, at least, get out of his seat?
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post #20 of 23
7/10/03 at 2:41pm
What a pathetic human being! I really hope that she is severely punished.
THose are very good questions, Dawn. Hailey is not even 3 and she can get out herself. She even knows that when she cannot open the back doors (child safety locks) then she can climb over to the front and get out.
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post #21 of 23
7/10/03 at 2:43pm
Thread Starter 
Dawn those questions came to my mind also. Especially the 5 year old should be able to get out of the seat and open the doors. The front doors don't have safety locks do they? You would think as kids were being dropped off, someone must have noticed them sitting in the car, and if they were used to being at the daycare, wouldn't anyone recognize them? My other thought was the same as above, could be either their biological parents or the foster parents who told them to stay there. We will never know the truth! Just very sad for those two little boys!
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post #22 of 23
7/11/03 at 1:28am
I am tired of parents who do this. Miscommuncation is no excuse for those deaths of those "babies."
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post #23 of 23
7/12/03 at 6:30pm
i honestly tthink those children were too terrified to climb out of the car maybe they were so scared of there foster mother they just sat and stayed quite to avoid getting a smack thats my theory!
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