Crest Hill Grandma Leaves Boy in Car to Shop at Walmart

JOLIET, IL — A Crest Hill grandmother left her 5-year-old grandson in a car while she shopped in Walmart.

Jurine A. Wickersham, 77, of the 700 block of Elsie Ave., was given a $300 citation Friday evening when a passerby flagged down a police officer after noticing the boy alone in the car in the 2400 block of W. Jefferson, according to Joliet Deputy Police Chief Ed Gregory.

“When the officer arrived, he saw a 5-year-old child buckled in the backseat. According to the officer’s report, the child did not seem to be in distress or scared,” Gregory said. “A short time later the child’s grandmother arrived.”

Wickersham received a citation for leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle. Gregory did not have information on how long the child was left in the vehicle or if it was running, adding that it doesn't matter if it's two minutes or five minutes.

"We take that seriously," Gregory said.

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