Each year in the US, about 40 children die from heatstroke after being left in or becoming trapped in a car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most of these cases are tragic mistakes that happen when a parent forgets the child is in the car. However, some caregivers intentionally leave young kids in vehicles while unattended despite the safety risks and legal repercussions.
A New Jersey man and woman now face state prison time, if convicted, after they allegedly left two toddlers in a car. The kicker? These parents allegedly sampled wine while their young children were left alone in the vehicle. Let's take a closer look at the case.
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John O'Mahoney and Radhika Vyas allegedly left their toddlers in the car in February.
On February 25, John O'Mahoney, 43, and Radhika Vyas, 37, allegedly drove to Four Sisters Winery in White Township, New Jersey, according to the Warren County Prosecutor's Office.
They had two toddlers, a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old, in the vehicle with them. They allegedly opted to leave the young children in the car unattended while they sampled wine.
Winery staff noticed the toddlers and called the police.
O'Mahoney and Vyas allegedly left the toddlers alone in the vehicle for 20 minutes, per the Warren County Prosecutor's Office news release. At some point, staff members at the winery noticed the children. They promptly called the police.
According to prosecutors, the adults went into the winery for a wine tasting and left the toddlers in the vehicle for 20 minutes.
Allegedly, the parents drove away when the police were on their way.
As state police were en route to the winery, the parents allegedly returned to their car and drove away, according to the news release. Officers located them later that day in the township of Harmony, New Jersey. The two toddlers were not harmed during the incident.
O'Mahoney and Vyas were charged with cruelty and neglect of children.
On April 25, O'Mahoney and Vyas appeared in court as a result of the incident, New Jersey 101.5 reported. Both were charged with fourth-degree cruelty and neglect of children. If convicted, they could face a maximum of 18 months in state prison.
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The prosecutor's office issued a reminder to parents.
Following the incident, Brenton Warne, acting chief of detectives for the Warren County Prosecutor's Office, issued an important reminder to caregivers.
"We would like to remind everyone that it is not acceptable to leave young children unattended in a vehicle," Warne said in a statement, reported New Jersey 101.5. "Doing so for even a short period of time can result in tragic consequences."
