Mother arrested after leaving kids in cold car

BELOIT, Wis. — A Beloit mother is facing two counts of misdemeanor child neglect after leaving her two young children alone in a Walmart parking lot.

Beloit police spokesman Capt. Dan Risse told WISC-TV 23-year-old Codi Davis was arrested after officers found an 18-month-old and 5-year-old in her car alone around 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Risse said an unidentified man flagged an officer down patrolling the store’s parking lot, saying two children were in a vehicle alone and the vehicle was not running. The officer tried to get the two children, ages 18 months and 5 years old to open the door, but they wouldn’t. Both children were wearing coats, hats and gloves.

Risse said the officer requested a door opening kit, but before it arrived Davis came out and opened the door. EMTs checked the children who were in good condition.

Child Protective Services was notified after the incident, and Risse said the children have been released to their grandmother and Davis will not be allowed to have contact while an investigation begins.

Davis will appear in court on the charges on Feb. 11 at 10 a.m.