So her car was stolen but no kids were inside - she just wanted a faster responsein getting her car back? If people can kill their kids by leaving them in the car on a hot day - and claim they just forgot, and walk away with no charges - then why can't you claim you thought the kids were with you, but you forgot they weren't, and walk away with no charges?

Three more kids heading to CPS.

My wife (soon to be ex) makes false claims about me all the time - I'm calling 911 right now, teach that old.....

The story didn't tell me where they found the kids later that night. Lousy reporting.

@Mary Jones

That's what I was thinking. Where did she stash the kids, and what was the reason for the bogus kidnapping? The article needs more research.

myspellcheckerisbroken, They rarely put many details in a news story because too much information can cause a case to be dropped in the legal system.

Unless the laws have changed over time I believe that leaving your keys in the ignition is still illegal and its called an "open ignition" on the ticket you could get.

I always take my keys with me, even in the middle of the winter when its super cold outside, why give someone a reason or temp them when you don't have to and I say again, its illegal to do!

I live in Minnesota but I think the law applies all over the US.

muddiemike, actually it isn't illegal everywhere. Each state, and sometimes city, has its own version of this law. Or now law at all. Some just make it illegal to leave your car running while unattended, while others are more strict.

This puts a symbolic black mark on those who do have legitimate claims their children have been kidnapped. As well as others claims things are taken.l What a terrible example this mother has set for such cases. People already have issues when they read about abductions, with looking at parents as the most probable suspects. I have no doubt this woman has set up a precedent for any future claims she may make.

People who cry wolf often end up regretting it later. I also wonder, exactly what other cases of importance did the police have to drop, just to look for this woman's car.Such a self-centered woman, in my humble opinion doesn't strike me as the best role model for a mother. Let's hope she doesn't set a bad example for her children.

The children were found safe at another crack house later that night.

good luck with that fred BTW did you know sex went mentaly handicapped people can be illegal? but then again if that's all you can manage your probably in different wings of the same nuthouse.

In her defense she stated she was pumping gas, So she was standing right next to the vehicle when she claims the thief jumped in and stole it.

There is no defense for lieing about the kids being in it.

Maybe her defense attorney will have her say that there were pictures of her 3 kids in the car and that she was just misunderstood.

Your telling me you take the keys out when your pumping the gas. Your one of a very few then.

Mary, I always take my keys, I dont want to give some POS scum bag my truck any easier. At least they will have to work for it.

Yes I always remove my keys. Not because I'm smart, just because I'm afraid I'll lock myself out. Got in that habit over 45 years ago because I always knew I'd be stupid until the day I die. I still don't understand this story.

lock her up, then she cannot breed, or leave the keys in her car anymore.

Mary Jones - I'm in the group that has locked keys in the car so I did have that habit. Now I've got an ignition that cranks if I've just got them close enough to the sensor. I keep the key fob in my purse and I'm assuming most guys with the same kind of ignition probably just keep them in their pocket.

There's a whole nother world out there. But please don't try and find it. You might buy the land next to me. I don't say that to be mean, but I can leave my keys in the car and pump my gas and walk in and pay for it without any worry. I do know that the more people that come here, the more things will change. I hate change.

@Mary - don't forget that location makes a big difference. This woman is in Washington, DC! There are politicians and other dangerous criminals living in that town ready to rob us all blind faster than a Texas Twister!

Mary Jones - you're living in a make believe world. I also live in an area with no crime, but my neighbor's truck was stolen and found in Detroit, 2 people arrested for that crime, and I live 150 miles from Detroit. It is not the people around you in your area, it is the outsiders that know those areas that come in and steal what they want.

I also believe that the majority of people take the key out of the ignition when tanking gas, especially if the want to go inside the station. It is only good practice to do so.

Mary Jones, Unless I am in New Jersey, where there is no self service, I NEVER leave my keys in the ignition when I am buying gas. I have a locking gas cap, so guess where the key is? Even in NJ, I have to give the attendant a key or open it myself. So yes, there are some of us out here who do not stupidly invite a thief to drive off with our vehicles...

I always take the keys out of my ignition. I also lock my car while I am pumping gas, because I usually leave my purse in my car and take out only the card or cash that I need for the gas purchase. That way, neither my car nor my purse will be easy for anyone to steal.

I don't understand anyone leaving keys in a car, much less the car turned on unless you are in your own home/driveway and right by the car. Talk about an open invitation for crooks to come steal your car! If I pump I wouldn't ever leave my keys...that's like leaving your front door open with a sign stating everything is theirs for the taking. I keep mine on me so I won't lock myself out anyway, but if you have to turn off your ignition to pump gas, why would you leave keys dangling there for anyone to see? I don't live in a high crime area, but still wouldn't do that.

i'd rather leave the keys in the car while im pumping gas.

look, if some asshat is tempted to steal my car, and my keys are in my pocket...im guessing that asshat is going to do something to me to get them, hold a gun to my head, maybe even shoot me...or at least clock me out cold and just take my keys.

at the end of the day, a car is nothing more than a THING...and things arent worth risking our lives for.

i can get another car...I cant get another shot at life if some lowlife loser shoots me in an attempt to steal my car. just doesnt seem worth it.

and no, im not going to carry a gun...I dont want to spend the rest of my life thinking about how I shot some lost teenager, just to "save my car"...doesnt sound worth it, in the least.

I guess, i value my life and even a criminals life, more than my car.

im not a christian, but i like to think "what would jesus do"...and honestly, he'd probably hand the keys to a thief, trusting they must need it more than him. it's just a car folks...just a car.

She obviously knows how things get done in and around Washington, DC ....... manufacture a crisis and then throw a bunch of unneeded resources at it.

Don't you mean "dads"?

My daily disclaimer; no that's not a racist comment - I know plenty of men of all colors who have multiple kids with multiple women. Just the facts Mame.

Wanna bet each kid has a different "dad"?

logan: "Wanna bet each kid has a different "dad"?

Want to bet you're one of them?

Or none of you have a clue and are making things up in your mind...where does it say she has kids by several men?

More than likely she is black, hence lets play who be the daddy.

Having CPS take her kids only overburdens an agency that is already trying to help too many kids in unfortunate circumstances. There isn't anything in this article saying she's an unfit mother, maybe somewhat irresponsible, perhaps absent minded, but definitely some poor decision making skills. The financial penalty/donation is a good thought, but put it towards the group she abused, which in this case is the police, the amber alert system, and any other resources taken away from the storm preparedness efforts.

Also, I don't see how she likes her car more than she likes her kids. Claiming the kids were in the car doesn't devalue them in any way, it just raises the priority for the police. What would be interesting is to have the police impound her car as evidence for a couple weeks. At least that would sting a little more than the slap on the wrist that she gets for filing a false police report...

I remember a day, long ago when you didn't have to worry about things like this. THE WORLD SURE HAS CHANGED, AND NOT FOR THE BETTER EITHER.

That's why I'm packin heat 24/7, done took out one POS scum bag and won't hesitate for a split sec on the next one that comes along.

I am sorry you have to live that way MLS. I have almost always lived in the country, or small town. Peaceful, quiet and very low crime. Lived in Modesto CA for a year but luckily there were 5 cops living on our circle....peaceful and quiet!

@Linda (Must be a lot of Petersons in CA), wasn't there some little case out in Modesto around 2003 where a pregnant woman named Lacy Peterson was abducted and murdered by one Scott Peterson, who is now on death row for the murder of his wife and unborn child? Nice peaceful, quiet, Modesto CA...

LiveLaxLove - there will always be sociopaths who will kill their spouses - when people are talking about relative safety of neighborhoods they are talking about random acts of crime - not the baseline that you would expect for any place.

Their everywhere, their everywhere!

Unless you live in Podunk USA where there is no crime, YES!!!! There are criminals lurking behind every gas pump just waiting for some unsuspecting person to fill ua their car!!!

I guess that's why I don't live there. If you call that living.

Yes, not everyone is lucky enough to be living in an area with no worry of criminal activity.

SouthGent: "And they want me to let them move into MY neighborhood and their ways with them? Not going to happen!"

Who died and made you god? You own the whole neighborhood and can control who can and cannot move in there? Besides how do you know "they want you to let them" do anything?" Maybe no one wants to live next door to you.

And who are "THEY" anyway??? Or don't you have the guts to say it out loud? (or type it)?

Well, when there were a few big cities and the rest was country with few people you probably could leave your keys in the car with lots less worries. Now you can't...lots of people in smaller areas. I don't think there are criminals lurking all around, but besides not wanting to lock myself out of the car I don't want the keys to be sitting there in plain view. Why is that odd to anyone? I don't care if anyone else wants to leave them in, but it doesn't make someone odd who does take them out. Look what happened to her car?

Don't you folks find it extremely ironic that in the areas of the nation that have the strictest of anti gun laws extant the crime rate is also astronomical? Funny how that works out, huh?

Midnightidr - It's not surprising at all that a area with high crime would respond with legislation trying to curb the crime.

Whether it does or not can be argued (though at least with laws enforcing registration of lost or stolen guns does make a big difference for the black market availability - something simple that the NRA opposes that could save lives) but it that fact itself proves nothing.

If her $40,000 investment" were worth that much to her, she would have taken the leys out of the car. Since she didn't do that, it got stolen. Then, suddenly, because she probably didn't want to be inconvenienced later by not having a car, her car is worth so much to her that she manufactured a story that her kids were inside it when it was stolen, during a time when th elocal law enforcement agencies had their hands full preparing for a hurricane.

She is a selfish twit, and represents all that is wrong with this country. Act like a dolt, and then when it blows up on you, cry for help.

I have an excellent anti car jacking insurance policy, it is underwritten by Smith & Wesson. I've only had to use it once so far and when I did it stopped the POS scum dead in his tracks, so to speak. Maybe you and a lot of other folks should try it if you don't like being victimized.

Wow, Midnight...cool bragging there. Feel really proud of yourself? What happens happens, but do you have to brag?

Although it is poorly written we can only assume, from little hints sprinkled through the article, that the car was actually stolen and she concocted the story of the children being in it in order to get the police to respond faster and more aggressively. Having fabricated the story about the children I would doubt her account of the car being stolen in the first place. Having your car stolen while you are standing right next to it is possible but a bit far fetched.

BTW, I take my keys out of the ignition when I gas up, why risk it?

Are you being serious?