For second time this month, mothers accused of leaving kids alone in Lego store
Victoria E. FreileTwo women who are sisters are accused of leaving their children unattended for hours at the Lego store in Eastview Mall.
The incident comes just weeks after a Pittsford mother was accused of leaving her 10-year-old son alone in the same store for about two hours.
Francisca Lopez, 48, of Henrietta and her sister Yaquelina Francisca Rosario De Hernandez, 54, of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, allegedly left their children, a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, in the store Sunday afternoon, according to Ontario County sheriff's deputies.
Earlier in July:Pittsford mom arrested for leaving child alone in Lego Store at mall
Columnist:When can you leave your child at the mall without getting arrested?
New Working Mom:When we were kids we roamed for hours without concern. Would we today?
Deputies allege that Rosario De Hernandez and Lopez shopped at other stores inside Eastview Mall for about two hours while their children were at the Lego store.
"Neither child had any means of contacting their parents in case of an emergency and they did not know where their parents were shopping in the mall," according to a news release from the Ontario County Sheriff's Office.
The women were charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, when they returned to the Lego store, about 5 p.m.
Deputies said that the store employees alerted mall security after noticing the children were unsupervised for 20 to 30 minutes. Several broadcasts were made over the mall's loud speaker system, but the parents did not respond, deputies said.
Chief Deputy John Storer said while deputies were called to the Lego store twice this month, it's not common for children to be left unattended within a store at Eastview for an extended period of time.
"You're not leaving a child home alone with a locked door and access to neighbors and relatives by phone," Storer said. "Here, you're in a public place. People come and go."
The children were allegedly left for hours, not minutes.
"What happens if 30 people do that?" Storer asked. "And people expect a store to care for their children? That's really not what (store employees) are there for."
A sign is posted at the Lego store, asking parents not to leave children under age 12 at the store unsupervised, Storer said.
But when is it OK? Storer said deputies consider numerous factors including the child's age, maturity level and understanding of how to reach a parent or guardian in case of an emergency.
"Most times we're called to check on a child, who for example is alone in a parked car, the child is OK, has a phone to call a parent and the wherewithal and understanding to know not to let a stranger into the car," Storer said. He noted that he's glad concerned citizens alert authorities, because there are times that a child needs assistance.
The two women were issued appearance tickets for Victor Town Court.