Tinley Park has been in the news lately! However, the actual event took place in Crestwood in a Wal-Mart parking lot. The Mom, 36 year old Treffly Coyne, was out to do a good deed this past December. She packed up her three daughters to head to the Salvation Army kettle so they could donate $8.29 in coins.
When they arrived, little 2 year old Phoebe had fallen asleep in her car seat. Knowing the donation drop-off would take mere minutes, Treffly parked at the curb, locked the door and put the hazard lights on. She took the other girls with her, leaving sleeping Phoebe alone. The car was about 30 feet away.
But on her way back to the car she was stopped by a Crestwood police community service officer who arrested her for child endangerment and obstructing a police officer (I don’t have any detail on that one). The child endangerment charge is a misdemeanor. I’m sure the only reason he noticed was because of where she parked the car and at most should have given her a ticket for parking in a non-parking zone. This probably wouldn’t have happened had she parked in the lot itself, but then the car would most likely have been farther away.
Because of this charge the Coynes have been visited by DCFS to make sure they’re running a safe household for their kids. They are now on “the list.” Can you imagine that? Have you ever left a child in your car for a very brief moment?
It’s easy when reading or listening to the news to have that holier than thou attitude but when you really think about it, I’m sure a lot of people have done the same thing. For instance, say you’re dropping off mail and your little one just fell asleep. Come on, it takes less than a minute and your child doesn’t even know. For inquiring minds, here is the law:
In Illinois, parents who leave a child unattended in a car for 10 minutes can be charged with misdemeanor child endangerment, which carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
It doesn’t sound like Phoebe was left alone for 10 minutes. Some have commented that it only takes a minute for a thief to steal a car. Is that true? Would it only take a minute to case the parking lot, see this family leave their car, go to the car and have enough time to break into it? Would this be done within 30 feet of the family? The car was locked so we’re not talking car jacking here, although that could have happened to them no matter where they parked if there was a car jacker in the midst.
But why take the risk? Because she felt she was close enough to her car and knew what she was doing was going to be quick. The odds were certainly in her favor that nothing would have happened. However, this wasn’t her day after all as Mr. Officer noticed.
And now Cook County prosecutors agree that this was not a criminal act as they are dropping the charges. Today was Treffly’s court date but prosecutors state that the evidence did not support the charges.
But at what cost is this victory? Her daughters witnessed their Mom being arrested. I don’t know how the arrest went down but I’m sure it was emotional. Being investigated by DCFS, being the center of a story regarding child welfare and now being on DCFS’s watch list. What a nightmare! I only wish she could receive some kind of restitution for what sounds like a false arrest. I wish the Coyne family the best and hope they can get their lives back now.
