Parents Talk: Leaving Kids in Cars

It's something most parents - when pressed - would admit they've done at one time or another probably for the sake of convenience. 

Leaving a child in a car for a few minutes while you run into the store to pay for your gas or drop a letter into the mailbox seems harmless enough but in Iowa, it's grounds for child endangerment charges.

Last week in Waterloo, there were two separate incidents of children being left alone while their parents went shopping.

The first incident occurred around 6 p.m. Tuesday night when officers found a 3 year-old girl alone in a parked car outside a Walgreens. Police say the child had been left alone for 15-20 minutes. 

In the second incident, officers were called to Wal-Mart around 10:45 p.m. and found a 6-month-old boy and a 6-year-old girl alone inside a van. Authorities say the children had been alone for about 30 minutes with the windows rolled down.

In both instances, the parents were located and charged with child endangerment. Their children were turned over to family members.

What do you think? Is child endangerment too harsh a charge for someone leaving their child alone in a car? At what age do you think it's OK to let a child stay behind in a vehicle while you run an errand? Tell us in the comments below.