NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman who left an 8-year-old child in a hot car with an open container of alcohol inside was sentenced to six months and 35 days behind bars.
Barbara Strickland
Barbara Strickland pleaded guilty to child neglect and driving while impaired.
Shortly before 2 p.m. on September 8, 2018, Newport News Police in a Food Lion parking lot were flagged down by a citizen in reference to a child who was sitting in a car alone.
Officers saw the 8-year-old boy sitting in the front seat of the vehicle, which was parked in the fire lane in front of the store. The car was running and the heat was on, and the child was described as sweating profusely.
Police also saw an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the drink holder in the front seat of the car.
During the investigation, Strickland arrived at the scene, saying she was looking for her car.
Strickland received five years with four years and six months suspended for the charge of child neglect, and one year with 330 days suspended for the DWI charge. Her license was suspended for three years, and she will serve one year of supervised probation upon release.
