MN woman accused of making nephew ride in trunk to protect her Lexus' seats

[aGameOfThrones]

We all know that water and leather don't mix, but we also know (or at least we should) that kids in trunks don't mix, either. A woman in Minnesota is in hot water after allegedly making her 11-year-old nephew ride home in the trunk of her Lexus after riding a water ride at a local amusement park.

On August 23, witnesses in the parking lot of Valleyfair Amusement Park reported seeing the child climb into the trunk of the car before the car drove off. By the time police had caught up with Susan Marie McCarty, 38, and her Lexus, she had already dropped her nephew off, but she had admitted to police that she put him back there because she didn't want him to get water on her car's leather. She justified her actions by telling police that she left the center pass-through open allowing air conditioning to get into the trunk.

The boy's grandmother, 14-year-old sister and another child passenger were also in the vehicle, and while the grandmother was "uneasy" about him riding in the trunk, she didn't want to question the aunt's decision.

According to reports, McCarty was charged with gross-misdemeanor child endangerment, and, if convicted, could face up to a year in prison and as much as $3,000 in fines.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/21/mn-woman-puts-nephew-in-trunk-to-avoid-water-on-her-lexus-leath/

Should not have incriminated yourself, lady.

[presence]

Was anybody hurt?

I remember being left in the car with the windows cracked in the grocery parking lot... sitting in the back of the pickup on the highway... standing on the front seat while grandpa drove... Seatbelts were laughed at... 6 kids in the back seat, 3 in the front...

I'm fine.

[tod evans]

Geezus,

500+ mile road trips in the back of a pick-up....Sleeping bags for warmth in the winter.

Damn busybodies!

[better-dead-than-fed]

I didn't witness the alleged confession. If I did witness the police claiming she confessed, I'd ask to see a videotape of the confession. From the moment I was taken into government custody, government personnel started reporting that I was making all sorts of statements and confessions, but I wasn't really.

[AFPVet]

She couldn't lay a towel down? Really?

[acptulsa]

She couldn't lay a towel down? Really?

Wrap a towel around him and let him shinny out of his bathing suit and wear only the towel, if she's worried about the water in the suit soaking through the towel? Take his parents' childproof car, and loan them her leathered Lex? Grab a trash bag on the way out the door to use as a seat cover later? Think ahead? Grow a brain?

How has 'more money than brains' become such an epidemic condition in this country?

Well, living as I do in a city containing one of the nation's last drive-in theaters, I guess we had better keep this stuff in mind. Riding in trunks is a tradition of over half a century standing around here.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

She couldn't lay a towel down? Really?

Agree. In fact, I don't even think getting leather wet would hurt it.

I think knowing how the kid felt about this would make a big difference regarding how appropriate it was. (in my mind) If he agreed to it as a condition to getting the ride, it is one thing. If she forced him in there scared and crying, I'd feel completely different about it.

I have leather seats and just expect they're going to get screwed up. In fact, I think having kids walk around on leather seats is probably better than having them walk around on cloth seats. If she's an aunt with no kids, she may just not understand that kids are going to put some wear and tear on things.

[opal]

*spent a lot of child hood road trips beneath the back window in a sedan behind the back seat*
not in the trunk.. but baking in the sun up on that space up there.. can't recall what we called that spot though

or.. the *way back* of a station wagon - no seatbelts

I lived

official 10 passenger station wagons could hold a whole lot more if they were kids

MOM! HE'S TOUCHING ME!
ARE WE THERE YET!?
SHE BREATHED ON ME!!!!

[CaptainAmerica]

She had the center piece down so that the trunk was open to the main cab, this was probably safer than what happens when people ride in the back of a pickup truck bed, but hey....w/e. It was stupid but then again Im not the parent,and not the grandmother or family member. Back in the 1920s when my grandmother tried to learn how to drive in a model T my uncle was a baby sitting in the front seat and she accidentally hit a hill side out in the desert and he flew out of the seat (but no injury). Anyhow...americans have become completely stupid by letting the government nanny everything including this situation.

[Working Poor]

she is an idiot.

[better-dead-than-fed]

... I think knowing how the kid felt about this would make a big difference regarding how appropriate it was. (in my mind) If he agreed to it as a condition to getting the ride, it is one thing. If she forced him in there scared and crying, I'd feel completely different about it.

"The boy told police he would rather have sat in the backseat... The girl said her brother seemed excited about riding in the trunk." (source (http://www.shakopeenews.com/news/public_safety/woman-accused-of-making-wet-child-ride-home-in-trunk/article_5cf2e484-68de-5c96-9ab6-6379e05cb96c.html))

What do people posting in this thread get out of judging this woman on the basis of police reports? If that's anyone's idea of a good time, I'm sure the district attorney's office is hiring.

[AGRP]

The trunk of a Lexus is probably safer than a lot of cars or trucks.

[Keith and stuff]

she is an idiot.

Are you talking about one of the witnesses who called the or one of the arresting cops? You didn't make it clear.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

"The boy told police he would rather have sat in the backseat... The girl said her brother seemed excited about riding in the trunk." (source (http://www.shakopeenews.com/news/public_safety/woman-accused-of-making-wet-child-ride-home-in-trunk/article_5cf2e484-68de-5c96-9ab6-6379e05cb96c.html))

What do people posting in this thread get out of judging this woman on the basis of police reports? If that's anyone's idea of a good time, I'm sure the district attorney's office is hiring.


Yeah, so maybe he kind of asked for it then. Sounds like she said we "need to leave, dry off or ride in the trunk" and he picked choice number two.


His 14-year-old sister told police that McCarty warned the boy inside the park that if he continued to go on water slides, he would have to ride in the trunk. The girl said her brother seemed excited about riding in the trunk.

[Anti Federalist]

See something, say something.

Now this woman will have a child abuse record.

There goes any chance of having children of her own or holding a job.

[Anti Federalist]

Oh yeah, never talk to cops.

[Keith and stuff]

Yeah, so maybe he kind of asked for it then. Sounds like she said we "need to leave, dry off or ride in the trunk" and he picked choice number two.

Every member of the family should file a police complaint. Clearly, the police acted with gross misconduct.

[CaptainAmerica]

See something, say something.

Now this woman will have a child abuse record.

There goes any chance of having children of her own or holding a job.
can't be anymore dangerous than swimming in a lake or river. People are irrational about this kinda stuff, it clearly says that the middle seat was down so that the trunk was open. When I was a kid I use to lay on the floor of my parents van while we took road trips lol, it didnt bother me

[Anti Federalist]

can't be anymore dangerous than swimming in a lake or river. People are irrational about this kinda stuff, it clearly says that the middle seat was down so that the trunk was open. When I was a kid I use to lay on the floor of my parents van while we took road trips lol, it didnt bother me

Of course they are irrational when it comes to this.

Now, just imagine what is going to happen after the next "terror" attack.

One that kills 30,000 people this time.

Or 3 million.

[WarNoMore]

Such a waste of time. Why's the government get to decide whether charged are filed against this woman? Shouldn't the parent and the child's opinions supersede the states? I doubt either of them want to see their family member have to deal with the threat of imprisonment and acriminal record over something like this.

[oyarde]

LOL

[AFPVet]

Such a waste of time. Why's the government get to decide whether charged are filed against this woman? Shouldn't the parent and the child's opinions supersede the states? I doubt either of them want to see their family member have to deal with the threat of imprisonment and a criminal record over something like this.

In a perfect world, yes. The parents should have discretion whether or not to press charges since it was their child.

[Professor8000]

She's an idiot, it was a stupid and selfish thing to do. The only person who really has a right to go after her about it is the kid's parent though. I would have little patience for my brother or sister making my daughter ride in the trunk when there's plenty of room for her in the passenger compartment. Only when there is not enough room is it justifiable for someone to be riding in the trunk.

[Keith and stuff]

She's an idiot, it was a stupid and selfish thing to do. Stupid? Are you saying it's stupid because it is illegal? It sounds like a reasonable and logical thing to do. It is great that the kid wanted to do it. She seemed to not want him to do it but he wanted to do it. I guess she could have called the cops on him but thankfully, she did not do that.

[MelissaWV]

Wrap a towel around him and let him shinny out of his bathing suit and wear only the towel, if she's worried about the water in the suit soaking through the towel? Take his parents' childproof car, and loan them her leathered Lex? Grab a trash bag on the way out the door to use as a seat cover later? Think ahead? Grow a brain?

How has 'more money than brains' become such an epidemic condition in this country?

Well, living as I do in a city containing one of the nation's last drive-in theaters, I guess we had better keep this stuff in mind. Riding in trunks is a tradition of over half a century standing around here.

Then she would be a sex offender.

[better-dead-than-fed]

Only idiots trust police reports.

[Professor8000]

Stupid? Are you saying it's stupid because it is illegal? It sounds like a reasonable and logical thing to do. It is great that the kid wanted to do it. She seemed to not want him to do it but he wanted to do it. I guess she could have called the cops on him but thankfully, she did not do that.

I'm saying it's stupid because of the fact that there is a safer alternative for the child. It was selfish of her to put the safety of her leather seats above the safety of her nephew. I'm not a safety freak parent, but considering the number of people who die while traveling in motor vehicles each year, I consider making sure children are buckled up while in a vehicle just a very basic act of responsibility. I think that if you are responsible for someone else's well being, you should at least try and minimize the risks of major bodily harm for them. This is just my opinion though. In this case the only opinion that I feel really matters is the opinion of the child's parent.

[DerailingDaTrain]

She's an idiot and I don't care if the kid wanted to do it.

[JK/SEA]

58 buick special, its 1962, 90mph through Montana, 2 lane hiway, mom driving, dad napping, mom with a beer between her legs, and chain smoking, me with 2 sisters in the back, outside temp a modest 95, no air...yeah, get me in the trunk please?..i'm only 12....geez...a Lexus?...non story as far as i'm concerned.

[Keith and stuff]

Reading the comments in this thread is so annoying. It also makes me understand why 49 states have adult seat belt laws. If it is perfectly fine to have a child ride in the back of a truck, how it is wrong to have a child ride in a trunk? If there was a poll in this thread, would most people call for many additional laws? Some of the comments make it seem that way to me.

[Keith and stuff]

58 buick special, its 1962, 90mph through Montana, 2 lane hiway, mom driving, dad napping, mom with a beer between her legs, and chain smoking, me with 2 sisters in the back, outside temp a modest 95, no air...yeah, get me in the trunk please?..i'm only 12....geez...a Lexus?...non story as far as i'm concerned.

The only story is how incredibly statist some of the comments are, on this forum.

[Professor8000]

Reading the comments in this thread is so annoying. It also makes me understand why 49 states have adult seat belt laws. If it is perfectly fine to have a child ride in the back of a truck, how it is wrong to have a child ride in a trunk? If there was a poll in this thread, would most people call for many additional laws? Some of the comments make it seem that way to me.

My, how collectivist of you. Some of us are just expressing our personal opinions of that woman and as far as I can tell not one single person has been applauding the police intervention in this matter. I really hate it when people say, "If you don't just let your kids run wild and do as they please you MUST be a statist!" It's like saying, "If you're not smoking weed with your 12 year old, you MUST be supporting the Drug War!"

[Keith and stuff]

Run wild and do as they please? Being safely in a very nice car isn't running wild. There was nothing wrong with what the woman did. It was a normal, common act deserving no special attention, as far as I can tell.

[aGameOfThrones]

http://www.foundshit.com/pictures/cars/police-carpool.jpg

[Professor8000]

Run wild and do as they please? Being safely in a very nice car isn't running wild. There was nothing wrong with what the woman did. It was a normal, common act deserving no special attention, as far as I can tell.

Which is your personal opinion. I have mine, which I have stated. I fail to see how it makes me a statist.

[Keith and stuff]

Which is your personal opinion. I have mine, which I have stated. I fail to see how it makes me a statist.

Do you agree that the government shouldn't have done a single thing to punish her in anyway? Do you agree that what she did should be legal in all ways?

[Professor8000]

Do you agree that the government shouldn't have done a single thing to punish her in anyway? Do you agree that what she did should be legal in all ways?

I say that it is ultimately up to the Parents of the child what/if anything should happen to the woman. The state really has no place in this matter.

[Origanalist]

All this over a woman putting a kid in the trunk, really?

:rolleyes:

[DerailingDaTrain]

Reading the comments in this thread is so annoying. It also makes me understand why 49 states have adult seat belt laws. If it is perfectly fine to have a child ride in the back of a truck, how it is wrong to have a child ride in a trunk? If there was a poll in this thread, would most people call for many additional laws? Some of the comments make it seem that way to me.

Can you honestly not see the difference between riding in the trunk of a car and riding in the back of a truck? If someone wants to put their kid in the trunk of their car and drive around town like that then I don't really care but I can still point out that they're behaving like an idiot.

"Hey kids! Since I care less about you than the upholstery in my car and I forgot to bring towels to a water park I'm going to let you sit in the trunk of the car. Isn't that exciting? It'll be like your own little fort but...really dark....and kinda cramped.....it's also pretty hot in there. I should also mention I've got a spare tire in there and don't forget to watch out for those golf clubs!"

*slams trunk*


I'd like to point out that I've ridden in the trunk of a car (none of my relatives were involved) and in the back of a truck. I'd pick the truck any damn day of the week. You really can't compare the two to be honest.

[Keith and stuff]

Can you honestly not see the difference between riding in the trunk of a car and riding in the back of a truck?

Yes, I could understand someone arguing it is unsafe to put someone in the bed of a truck. I don't think it is wrong by any means, though. However, I couldn't understand an argument that it is unsafe to put someone in a large trunk. Remember, it happened in MN and their was AC going back there. The teenager could still talk to family and so on.

I've been in trunks. It was no big deal. I've been in cars where we were double stacked in the back seat as a child. It wasn't a big deal. I've been in a truck bed with 2 other people traveling down the interstate, it wasn't a big deal. I've been God forbid, holding on to my dad on a motorcycle going 75 mph on the interstate for 80 minutes when I was younger than this kid. I would agree that the motorcycle thing was unsafe. However, I don't think it should be illegal. Nor do I think what my dad did was stupid.

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/lexus-es-trunk.jpg

[aGameOfThrones]

Lexus IS trunk:

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/09q3/294349/2008-lexus-is-f-trunk-photo-295078-s-520x318.jpg

Kid looks at the trunk and says, "hell yeah I'm going in the trunk bit**s."

[better-dead-than-fed]

nice

[PaulConventionWV]

Yeah, so maybe he kind of asked for it then. Sounds like she said we "need to leave, dry off or ride in the trunk" and he picked choice number two.

Yeah, that sounds like something I would be excited about at that age, too.

In fact, we used to do that in college. One guy got in the trunk of my friend's Accord and we made sure to drive over the speed bumps extra fast. It was pretty funny.