Frederick man charged after his children are left in car
Thursday - 1/5/2012, 5:02pm ET
Michelle Basch, wtop.com
WASHINGTON - Two young children left alone in a car on a winter day.
The Frederick County Sheriff's Department says it happened Tuesday afternoon outside a Wal-Mart Supercenter off Buckeystown Pike in Frederick.
Investigators say 41-year-old Sm Anisur Rahman of Point of Rocks left his 4-year-old and 5-month-old children in a car in the parking lot, and went inside the store to do some shopping.
"With the weather conditions the way they were; the temperature was 24 degrees, and the wind chill was 11, it was a very hazardous situation," says Sheriff's Office spokesperson Cpl. Jennifer Bailey.
"We were able to tell from the video surveillance about how long the children were in the car, and we know that they were in the car for about 20 minutes," Bailey says.
A Wal-Mart employee spotted the kids, called 911, and stayed with the car until help arrived. Around that time, Bailey says, the father was leaving the store.
The children were not hurt, and were released to their mother.
Rahman is charged with child abuse, a misdemeanor offense. If convicted, he faces a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail.
Bailey says child protective services will be contacted in this case.
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