Woman Left Baby in Unattended Car at Mall; Frigid Temperatures

WRENTHAM, MA - An East Providence woman has been charged with child endangerment after allegedly leaving her 8-month-old baby inside a car while she ran into a store at the Wrentham Premium Outlets, according to police. It was bitterly cold outside at the time.

Deputy Police Chief Bill McGrath said police received a call shortly after 12:30 Tuesday afternoon from a woman who heard the unattended baby crying in the back seat of the car when she walked by the car. The car was parked in a handicapped space.

The mother returned to the car about the same time police arrived. She told officers that she had only been in the stores for about 10 minutes.

“The mother did not have a real good explanation,” Deputy Chief McGrath said. The woman told officers that she was unfamiliar with laws in Massachusetts.

Deputy Chief McGrath said that was not an adequate defense, especially in light of the frigid temperatures.

The baby girl was taken to Norwood Hospital, according to police, and the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families was notified. Deputy Chief McGrath said the case was transferred to Rhode Island authorities.

Yao Liu, 27, of East Providence, R.I., was charged with child endangerment. She was also issued a ticket for parking in a handicapped spot.

“She is not a bad mom,” Deputy Chief McGrath said. “Just terribly bad judgment.”