Mother charged after 4-year-old found driving car, court documents say

CINCINNATI (WXIX/Gray News) - A Cincinnati mother is facing charges after police say they found her 4-year-old child driving a car with a 2-year-old inside.

Theresa Smith, 23, is at the Hamilton County jail on two counts of endangering children, according to court documents. She’s accused of not watching her kids, WXIX reports.

A report from the Cincinnati Police Department says it responded to a Winton Road parking lot on the report of a domestic incident around 10 p.m. Sunday.

Officers arrived to find Smith’s two children unattended inside a Honda Accord. The 4-year-old was sitting in the driver’s seat and driving the car, moving it back and forth in a parking spot. A 2-year-old was also inside the running car.

Officers said they stopped the vehicle and were able to put it in park before arresting Smith.

Smith’s bond was set at $10,000. If she’s released, she’s required to wear a GPS monitor.

She’s scheduled to appear back in court Thursday.

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