Arizona Mother Who Left Children In Hot Car Allowed To Visit Them

[May 23, 2014]  PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona woman accused of leaving her two young children in a hot car while she went to a job interview will be allowed to visit them while she awaits trial on child abuse charges, a judge ruled on Thursday, according to her lawyer.

Shanesha Taylor, 35, whose tearful jail mugshot attracted nationwide attention to her case and about $115,000 in Internet donations, will be allowed supervised visits with her two sons as she awaits trial on two felony child abuse charges, attorney Benjamin Taylor said.

"She is very happy that our request was granted," said Benjamin Taylor, no relation to his client. "She really misses her children and can't wait to see them."

Shanesha Taylor was arrested in March after police discovered her children, aged 6 months and 2 years, alone in a parked car. The temperature inside exceeded 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).

Police said the children were buckled in their seat belts in the backseat of the vehicle, sweating profusely and in apparent distress while the mother was interviewing for a job with an insurance company.

Taylor pleaded not guilty in April. Her trial was set for September 4 on Thursday.

Taylor's case attracted widespread media attention, focused on the mugshot that captured her with tears streaming down her face. A New Jersey woman was so moved that she started an online effort to raise money to help Taylor pay her bills.

(Reporting by David Schwartz; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Mohammad Zargham)

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