Baby Left In Car Now In Custody of Child Protective Services - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

FIRST ON KHQ.COM: Baby Left In Car Now In Custody Of Child Protective Services

Posted: Updated:
by Kelsey Watts, KHQ Local News Anchor/Reporter - bio | email

SPOKANE, Wash. – A one-year-old baby girl is now in the custody of Child Protective Services, after her mother left her alone in a car while shopping at Office Depot in the 4500 block of north Division in Spokane. 

It happened Wednesday around 5 p.m., and a concerned witness called police.  When the Spokane police officer arrived, he found the baby in her car seat, with the window rolled down and the car engine on.  The officer said the girl appeared happy, and was doing fine. 

Spokane Police say the baby was left inside the car for 10-15 minutes.   

The child's mother told police she left the baby in the car with the child's father, but police were not able to confirm that.  However, they were concerned enough, they called Child Protective Services, and the baby is now in its custody. 

While CPS can't comment on specific cases, they did tell KHQ it's normal policy for CPS to conduct it's own investigation into potential child abuse or neglect. 

It is illegal in the state of Washington to leave any child under the age of 16 alone in a running car – a misdemeanor offense. 

Right now, the child's mother is not facing any charges, but Spokane Police say she may in the future, depending on the investigation.

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 3:46 PM EDT2013-05-21 19:46:46 GMT
    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The father of an 8-year-old Oklahoma boy says a teacher saved his son's life as a tornado tore into their school yesterday.
    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The father of an 8-year-old Oklahoma boy says a teacher saved his son's life as a tornado tore into their school yesterday.

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 1:43 PM EDT2013-05-21 17:43:51 GMT
    BREAKING NEWS - The Medical Examiner's Office has revised the death toll in the Moore, Oklahoma tornado from 91 people to at least 24 people.
    UPDATE: Originally the death toll was reported to be 91 people and counting, however, the Medical examiner's office revised the death toll from the Oklahoma tornado to at least 24 people. A spokeswoman said Tuesday morning that she believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos of the storm.

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 3:31 PM EDT2013-05-21 19:31:19 GMT
    WASHINGTON (AP) - Wind, humidity and rainfall combined precisely to create the massive killer tornado in Moore, Okla.
    WASHINGTON (AP) - Wind, humidity and rainfall combined precisely to create the massive killer tornado in Moore, Okla. And when they did, the awesome amount of energy released over that city dwarfed the power of the atomic bomb that leveled Hiroshima. Meteorologists contacted by The Associated Press used real time measurements to calculate the energy released during the storm's life span of almost an hour.