A 41-year-old teacher from Harris County, Texas has been arrested after allegedly locking her COVID-positive son in a car boot to protect herself from exposure to the virus as she drove to a testing site.
According to BBC News, Sarah Beam is being charged with endangering a child’s life after one of the officials called the police after hearing someone in the vehicle’s boot on January 3, at the COVID testing site.
Upon her enquiry at the site to have her son tested, the official, identified as Director of Health Services Bevin Gordon, told Beam that she would need to take her son out of the boot in order for him to be tested, however, Beam refused and left the site, reports NDTV.
Gordon contacted the local police and his accusations were verified thanks to the CCTV footage that showed Beam opening the boot of her car where the son was seen.
A warrant of arrest was issued by the Harris County District Coury on Wednesday, January 4.
Beam worked as a teacher at Cypress Falls High School since 2011, but is now on administrative leave, BBC News adds.
Cypress Fairbanks ISD Police Department said: “CFPD was alerted that a child was in the trunk of a car at a drive-thru Covid-19 testing site earlier this week. Law enforcement conducted a full investigation, resulting in a warrant for arrest. Thankfully, the child was not harmed.”
Sgt Richard Standifer of the Texas Department of Public Safety further mentioned that if the vehicle had been in an accident, the boy would have been seriously hurt.
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