Denver Judge Regretful She Allegedly Left Child In Hot Car

August 3, 2011 6:35 PM

Denver County Court Judge Mary Celeste (credit: CBS)

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DENVER (CBS4) – No state charges will be filed against a Denver county judge who left her granddaughter in a parked car while she went shopping.

The decision was made by the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office, but the matter is not over. Denver County Court Judge Mary Celeste still could face charges from the city of Denver.

Last Wednesday afternoon in the midst of the string of 90-plus degree days Sam’s Club store employees were alerted by a customer there was a child alone in a locked car. Seven minutes after Celeste went into the store to buy some olive oil, she was back at her car where she left her 7-year-old granddaughter. By then the Denver Fire Department and police had been rushed to the scene.

The child was alright.

State law says a person commits child abuse if they “permit a child to be unreasonably placed in a situation that poses a threat of injury to the child’s life or health.”

David Lamb is a former Denver chief senior deputy prosecutor for the unit that handled such cases.

“A lot of times it comes down to trying to determine how poor was this poor judgment, and was this poor judgment that really shocks the conscience of an ordinary person,” Lamb said.

The attorney for Celeste said the judge’s father had just passed away the day before, she had left the car fan running with water inside, and that she is “very regretful” for what she had done. The attorney said they are very happy that no state charges will be filed. He called it a mistake and not a crime.

The city attorney’s office would decide if municipal charges should be filed, but because it deals with Denver County Court, the case may have to be forwarded for an outside opinion.

ReBakah

There’s something suspicious here, and it deals with treatment of the privileged versus the unwashed. Was this a stupid mistake? Obviously. But the judge put her own hurried schedule ahead of the child’s life. At least dole out community service.
Jesse Jackson

She looks like an angry old D y k e !
john

You know our law enforcemant and legal system TOTALLY DISGUST me and they should you as well.
I have no doubt this was not a big deal but you can BE SURE if someone else had done the same thing they would crucify them on the 6;00 O’Clock news and charge them wiith child abuse.
I am utterly disgusted at our law enforecment and legal systems buddy system where they are forgiven for everything they crucify you or I for.
Unbelievable.
This lady is a judge?????????????
Doesn’t her job title require her to make good decisions?
Maybe it was a good decision as I for one get sick of our wimpy society that worries about every little thing.
I just wish they treated John Q Public the same way they treat themselves.
You know perfectly well this lady would throw the book at you if you did that, You see it everyday.
You also see law enforcement, judges and politicians getting away with garbage like this and worse everday.
Your honor I hope to hell you remember what you just got away with the next time some poor person is in front of your bench.
We all make mistakes, how about if our legal system recognizes that and applies the same rules and judgement for everyone, not just each other like always.

Disgusted
bb

Seriously? She was gone for under 10 min, left the air on, and there was water in the car. It’s not “suspicious” in the least – the whole article seems like a huge overreaction to me.