Philadelphia

2 Infants, 3 Kids Left in Car, Woman Facing Charges

Emergency crews rushed to a grocery store parking lot to rescue five children who were left inside an SUV in Philadelphia’s Port Richmond neighborhood on one of the hottest days of the summer.

Witnesses told police that the woman driving the car left it running with the children inside while she went in to buy groceries at the ShopRite in the 3700 block of Aramingo Avenue. That was around 11 a.m.

One of those witnesses called police, who quickly responded. They pulled the children out of the car, which was unlocked and had the air conditioning on, according to an officer at the scene. The youngest children were 6 months and one year old. The three other kids were ages 6, 8 and 9. Medics checked them all out at the scene and said they were in good shape.

The woman is identified as an in-home daycare operator named Karin Thompson. A check of records from from the State Department of Public Welfare show that no violations and no complaints. 

"She is a very trustworthy individual," said Shannon Black, mother of the six-month-old child "And I'm proud to trust my kids in her hands." 

Thompson is charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child and five counts of recklessly endangering another person.

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