A Florida woman was arrested after allegedly leaving her young children alone in a hot car for nearly 30 minutes while she shopped at a Dollar Tree store. The incident, which occurred in Lehigh Acres, Fort Myers, led to charges of child neglect.
The Incident and Arrest
On Sunday, a witness called the Lee County Sheriff’s Office after seeing two children strapped into a turned-off car in the parking lot of a Dollar Tree. When deputies arrived, they found the children, who were sitting in the car with no air conditioning and no water.
The temperature outside was in the upper 90s, with the heat index reaching triple digits. Even after the doors were opened, the temperature inside the car was measured at 100 degrees.
Deputies asked the kids if they were okay, to which they confirmed it was hot inside the car. Shortly after, their mother, 42-year-old Marianne Isnar, came out of the store. Isnar claimed she had been inside the store for only about five minutes.
However, deputies pointed out that the car had been off for much longer, and there was no water in the bottles left inside the car.
Police Reaction and Mother’s Response
The deputies were surprised by Isnar’s apparent lack of concern, considering the extreme heat. They noted that the water bottles were “empty, empty, empty,” indicating the kids had no water to drink. Despite the dangerous conditions, Isnar didn’t seem remorseful, which shocked the officers.
“You’d think there’d almost be a little bit more remorse,” one deputy said, to which another officer responded, “Zero.”
Arrest and Charges
Marianne Isnar was arrested and charged with child neglect. She was taken to the Lee County Jail and later posted a $1,500 bond. The children were released to a family member after the incident.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno condemned the mother’s actions, saying, “This woman chose to leave her children in a car during one of the hottest days we have had in Southwest Florida this year.”
He also made it clear that such actions would not be tolerated: “Let this serve as a clear message, we will not hesitate to hold people accountable for putting a child’s life at risk.”
This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of leaving children unattended in hot cars, especially during the summer months. Fortunately, the children were unharmed, but the situation could have turned tragic. Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of keeping children safe in extreme heat.
