Phoenix mom Shanesha Taylor awarded custody of 2 sons
Aug 28, 2014, 11:55 AM | Updated: 11:55 am
PHOENIX — A Phoenix woman who left her two children in a hot car while she
attended a job interview was given custody of her two sons Thursday.
Shanesha Taylor’s attorney, Benjamin Taylor, said she could be reunited with her children as soon as Thursday. The children are currently with Child Protective Services and she sees them on weekends.
“This (ruling) allows her to have her children in-house with her,” the attorney said, adding there still is a few details to work out in the case.
She faced a judge Wednesday in criminal proceedings related to the incident. She faced two counts of child abuse before the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office suspended prosecution so long as she met certain stipulations.
The 35-year-old single mother must meet certain conditions in order to have the
charges against her dismissed.
Taylor told the judge that she’s completed five of the 26 parenting classes required of her.
She also is establishing trust funds for the future education and child care
needs of her 2-year-old and 8-month-old sons.
Taylor was arrested March 20 after bystanders reported seeing her children
alone in her car in Scottsdale. Authorities say the temperature inside the car
was above 100 degrees. Firefighters on the scene said both children were sweating and the baby was swaddled in a blanket.
Taylor told investigators that she didn’t have anyone to watch her children while she was at a job interview. Her case attracted national attention with people rallying to her defense online to raise money for her case.
Taylor is still looking for work, according to her attorney.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
