I think I have heard about everything now. Gives a new meaning to drinking and driving! What a baffoon!!!!!!
Article below republished from the Dayton Daily News.
Breastfeeding while driving gets woman a ticket
Comment: What would you say to this mom? Would you have alerted authorities?
By Kelli Wynn
Staff Writer
Friday, February 27, 2009
KETTERING — A Harrison Twp. woman faces child endangering charges after police said she admitted to breastfeeding her child and talking on a cell phone while driving, according to Kettering Police Officer Michael Burke.
The incident happened about 7:45 a.m. Thursday, Feb., 26, near the intersection of Far Hills Avenue and Dorothy Lane, Burke said.
A male motorist called the police department's non-emergency number to report that he had seen the woman breastfeeding and talking on a cell phone while driving, Burke said. The man reported that he also witnessed the woman driving a Honda minivan into the parking lot of a local school and saw some children get out of the van. The man then got the van's license plate number and called police.
"I'm following right behind her right now on Far Hills Avenue," the caller said as he spoke to a Kettering dispatcher in a recording of his non-emergency call that was released by police on Friday, Feb. 27.
"I tried to say something to her. She literally has the little girl on the steering wheel and I said, 'I can't believe you have that kid in your lap and she said, 'You want to pop your titty out and breastfeed this kid?' That's what she said to me. I'm like, 'You can feed your kid when you stop.' It's like wet out here. It's full of traffic. It's ridiculous. She's got like three other kids in the car."
The police came to the area and tried to locate the van, but could not find it. So they used the license plate number to track down her contact information, Burke said.
When a police officer spoke to her, she admitted she breastfed her child and also told police that she does not deprive her child when the child is hungry, Burke said.
The officer took the information and presented it to the city prosecutor's office. That's when Genine Compton, 39, of Elm Grove in Harrison Twp., was charged with a first-degree misdemeanor of child endangering and minor misdemeanor for unlawfully restraining her child, which Burke believes was under 2.
When police were unsuccessful with serving Compton her ticket and a court summons at her home on Friday, Feb. 27, an officer went to the school where the witness saw her drop off the children on Thursday morning. The officer used the descriptions the witness gave to locate Compton at the school and serve the tickets and summons, Burke said. Compton was not arrested.
When asked why the tickets and summons couldn't be mailed, Burke said, "It's legal documents. We have to personally serve them to the defendant."
If convicted of the child endangering charge, Compton could face up to 180 days in jail and fined between $1,500 and $1,800, Burke said. If convicted of the unlawful restraint charge, Compton could be fined up to $150.
"Our issue is not the fact that this woman was breastfeeding in public," Burke said. He added that Compton would have been charged even if the child was just sitting on her lap. "Our issue is that she created the condition that placed her child's health and safety at risk."
7 comments:
This is insane and as I was reading it I thought to myself, "Only in Ohio."
Who would do something like this? I mean I've fed my kids in the car (not breastfed mind you) but while driving and talking on a cell phone? Insanity!
Wow, I am not sure what to say, but I got pulled over one time with friends in the car, and the policewoman said that an office about ten miles back called in my car (no license) and said I was driving recklessly, and they gave me a ticket. I was stunned, and went to court, how can they just show up, and its your word against theirs or someone who was following you, unless she almost hit the person, and they were upset?
wow she could have serious hurt the child or someone else. What a piece of work, pull off the road. No one is saying deprive your child, but isn't your childs safety as important or even more important then food?
Wow, where the heck do you find this stuff ... LOL
Honey, that happened here locally. The woman was even stupid enough to do an interview on the local television station! Like Allie said, "Only in Ohio", which was hilarious because I had thought the exact same thing when I was posting it! Kettering borders Dayton's South side, whereas Huber Heights border Dayton on it's North side.
Hi, I'm hopping over from Janna Bee. And all I have to say for this mom is at least she's got good taste in minivans. I've heard the Honda Odysseys are GREAT. :) Very comfy and roomy.
When I read just the title of your blog post, my first thought was, "wow! her boobs are nice and long if she can throw them over her shoulder into the back seat and feed her kid." Then I read more and saw that she had the kid on the steering wheel. That's when I figured this could be dangerous. I mean if she had to turn sharply and that baby had a good suction going, when that nipple popped out of his mouth, it could snap back with quite the force. Remember, it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye!
OMG! When I lived in Springboro, OH (not far from you!) a few years back, I witnessed a woman doing the same thing and actually get hit by another car. The poor little infant was seriously injured and mama was hauled off to jail. It was the worst thing I have ever witnessed.
(and seeing Dorothy Lane in the article reminded me of the Dorothy Lane Market and it's Killer Brownies!!!!)
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