KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
A mother was charged with child cruelty Tuesday after she allegedly was driving with a toddler on her lap and a 5-year-old in the backseat while over three times the legal limit for blood-alcohol content, officials said.
At around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, deputies were flagged down on Stillmore Street near Whites Canyon Road by a citizen who witnessed an individual driving with a toddler on her lap and possibly under the influence, said Shirley Miller, spokesperson for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
“The suspect was driving with a toddler on her lap and a 5-year-old in the backseat,” Miller said.
When deputies made contact with the suspect, a field sobriety test was conducted and they determined she had a preliminary blood alcohol content of .30, more than triple the legal limit of .08, Miller said.
Paramedics were called to the scene to check for the well-being of the children, however no one was injured, according to Miller.
Melissa Mendoza, 30, from Canyon Country was arrested and charged with felony child cruelty, and a misdemeanor DUI, according to Miller.
The two children were released to the custody of a family relative and the case is still under active investigation, Miller said.
Mendoza was arrested and transported to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station’s jail with bail set at $200,000, according to arrest records.
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How could MENDOZA do that to hers kids & decent society!?!?
White trash, you’re not taking your pending extinction very well are you? Is this how you want us to remember you? Even the dinosaurs showed more class than this.
White trash, you’re not taking your pending extinction very well are you? Is this how you want us to remember you? Even the dinosaurs showed more class than this.
I’ll take the drunks and you take the paedophiles. Deal.
She’s going to have a hard time making that bail.
Now this seems like something to get fired up about. I would hope she doesn’t get her kids back. She certainly doesn’t deserve them
How is a DUI with 3x over legal limit a misdemeanor first of all? And with kids in the car still a misdemeanor? She should have been charged with 3 felonies. One for DUI. One for Child Endangerment for each kid. This makes me so angry and sad.
This just breaks my heart. For the mom, the kids, the family. This is such a hard time. Life just got so much harder for her and her kids.
Maureen, thank you. You are the only person who is sympathetic. You didn’t judge this mom. I’m sorry for her & the kids. I’m also happy no one was hurt. BUT… none of us know what her situation is. She’s 30, two kids, maybe lost her job, maybe is running from abuse. Judge slowly people!
Trish: You played the “judge card” just like the “race card” used to excuse & lighten bad/horrible behavior!! That’s very Naive & Pollyannaish—you certainly aren’t “Woke” in the proper way! That’s enabling/condoning!!