Personal Injury Law

Beer in hand, mother searches for father while leaving 3 children home alone in Iowa City

By Barbara Tubridy Lombardi

Another disturbing news item of children being left home alone. It's being reported that Shannon Lynette Mather, age 27, was arrested Tuesday, June 2, on drunken driving charges, driving on a suspended license and three counts of child endangerment. The woman was arrested around 9:30 p.m., at almost the exact same time the father, Eric Mather, was being arrested for public intoxication. Ms. Mather was driving the wrong way on a one way street.

Shannon left her children at home to search for the father of her children, ages 3, 7, and 10. University police later learned that these children had not eaten since breakfast that day and there was no phone in case of an emergency.

According to Iowa Courts Online, this doesn't appear to be the first go-round with the law. Previously in 2007 Ms. Mather was stopped for OWI first offense and speeding which was later dismissed on October 14, 2007.

As previously stated on this site, 'if you don't want the responsibility of raising children, or if they are in the way of your good time at least allow them to be adopted by people who would provide good homes, people who wouldn't think about leaving a baby home alone.' Think of the child. Ms. Mather's children will now become part of the Foster care system, at least temporarily.

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on June 16, 2009 (boomark / email).