A Howard County grand jury Wednesday refused to indict the mother of an Ellicott City toddler who died after being left unattended in a car in front of her home for nine hours in late June.

Howard County State’s Attorney Dario Broccolino declined to release the woman’s name but said that prosecutors had sought an indictment of involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment against the woman. The grand jury declined to indict her, Broccolino said.

Police said the woman inadvertently left the 23-month-old girl unattended in her car seat June 25 between about 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The mother eventually saw the child was still in the car and a neighbor called 911, a police spokeswoman said. Paramedics pronounced the girl dead at the scene. The mother was "very distraught" when the child was discovered in the car, police said. 

—Mike Santa Rita

user comments (2)

user belovedcartoonmouse says...

How long does the child have to be left in a hot summer car before it becomes a crime? Evidently more than 9 hours. Terrible decision.

Posted 10:21 PM, 11.25.09 | Permalink

user equine says...

State's Attorney did not want to prosecute the parents. Grand Jury was nothing more than a show to fool the public!

Posted 8:41 PM, 11.26.09 | Permalink