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$50k bond for woman accused of leaving kids, dog in car
Posted: 07.15.2011 at 10:25 AM
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CHARLESTON (WCIV) -- A Charleston County Magistrate has set bond at $50,000 for an 81-year-old great-grandmother, who police say left two children and a dog locked in a hot car.

Police were called to Walmart in West Ashley on Wednesday evening on a report that two children and a dog were left in a hot car.

Geneva Johnson was arrested and charged with two counts of unlawful neglect of a child.  Johnson posted bail Thursday evening.

Charles Francis, spokesman with the Charleston Police Department, said the call came in just before 6:30 p.m. Francis said witnesses reported the kids and dog were left in the car for at least 30 minutes.  The windows were up and the keys were left in the ignition.  However, the car was not on.

Witnesses reportedly notified Walmart employees. Francis said the store employees then coaxed the kids to unlock the car and come into the store.  A Walmart employee told police he saw the girl inside wet, crying uncontrollably and believed she was having a seizure.

"She's not a criminal. She's a very good person. She's a church member. She's a leader," said Patricia Matthews, a friend of Johnson.

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Francis said the kids, an 8-year-old girl and 9-year-old boy were out of the car before officers arrived.

"It didn't hurt the kids. It didn't hurt the dog. Everything came out fine," said McArthur Matthews, Johnson's minister.

Matthews says Johnson is sorry for her lapse in judgment.

"Just from looking at her on that TV camera. I can see tears in her eyes. I'm sure she felt bad," said Matthews.

Johnson reportedly told officers she left her great-grandchildren in the car to go shopping for laundry detergent and medication. She told police they were only in the car for a few minutes while she "ran inside."

Francis said officers later confirmed the kids and dog were actually in the car for nearly an hour.

The children were taken to a local hospital for examination, and then placed in the care of a family friend.

The dog is in the custody of another family friend. The incident is still under investigation.  Johnson's great-grandchildren were visiting her from Texas.

(This story courtesy WCIV and ABCNews4.com)

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