Bail reduced for mom who left baby in car
Saturday, October 13, 2007
By RUSS FLANAGAN
The Express-Times
EASTON | Bail was lowered Friday for an illegal Mexican immigrant arrested earlier this week on child endangerment charges.

Aleida Ester Garcia, 24, was arrested Monday after city police said they found her son alone in a car parked at Scott Park on Larry Holmes Drive. The 18-month-old boy was sweating heavily and had red marks on his chin and right cheek when police spotted him at 6:49 p.m., court records say. Temperatures in the city reached the upper 80s that day, according to weather reports.

The officer found Garcia and her boyfriend sitting on a nearby bench and questioned them about why the child was left alone, records say. The baby was taken to Easton Hospital in Wilson Borough and later released to his maternal grandmother, records say.

Garcia, who had been living in the 400 block of South Main Street, Phillipsburg, is charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. She was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.

"Ms. Garcia, you understand you can't leave children in the car by themselves?" Northampton County Judge F.P. Kimberly asked Garcia at her bail hearing.

"Yes," Garcia replied.

"Good, then don't do it again," McFadden told her.

The judge lowered Garcia's bail to 10 percent of $10,000. Garcia's family posted the money and she was released Friday.

Nina Reynard of Northampton County Pre-Trial Services said Garcia has been in the United States for the past seven years but is not a citizen, although she is working toward becoming naturalized.

As part of her bail conditions, Garcia must check in with pre-trial services twice a week, McFadden said.

Reporter Russ Flanagan can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at rflanagan@express-times.com.



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