Mom charged with leaving toddler in car while shopping

An Ecorse mother was arraigned Monday on child abuse charges, accused of leaving her toddler unattended in her car while she went shopping in a Southgate Sam’s Club store.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Jamie Lyn Stefanko, 35, of Ecorse, in connection with leaving her child alone in her car in the store’s parking lot while she shopped. Another person allegedly saw the child in the car and reported it to authorities around 5 p.m. March 14 at the shopping center in the 15000 block of Northline Road in Southgate.

Stefanko was arrested at the scene. She was charged with two misdemeanors, fourth-degree child abuse and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. She was arraigned before 28th District Court Judge James Kandrevas. Her $5,000, 10-percent bond was continued and a not-guilty plea was entered on her behalf.

She is due back in court for a pretrial hearing March 23.

bwilliams@detroitnews.com

(313) 222-2027