Woman charged for allegedly leaving children in vehicle, drinking in Coraopolis bar

A McKees Rocks woman is facing charges for allegedly leaving her two children in a vehicle while she went inside a bar to drink.

Jaclyn Movitch, 32, is charged with leaving an unattended child in a motor vehicle and endangering the welfare of children.

Just before 5 p.m. on Sunday, officers were called to the Montour Hotel in Coraopolis for a report of a child left alone in a running vehicle.

Taylor McArdle told Channel 11 she called police when she noticed the car with the children inside.

“I was shaking, like oh my goodness. I tried to open the door and it was locked,” she said. “I don’t know, something just told me to check the car, to check it out. I don’t know if it’s mom’s intuition or what, so I looked in the backseat...there was an infant back there. I saw the little feet.”

As officers were about to break in, Movitch came out of the bar and said it was her vehicle, according to the criminal complaint.

Inside was a six-year-old boy and a 22-month-old boy.

“When they opened the car, there was a second child, that I didn’t even see. He must’ve been laying on the seat on the floor or something,” McArdle said.

Movitch told officers she had run into the bar to quickly use the restroom and said, “I left the air on.”

The officers viewed surveillance from inside the bar, which showed Movitch consuming two shots within two minutes of each other, according to the complaint. The footage showed that she was in the bar for 18 minutes, according to police.

A family member was called to come and get the children and Movitch was taken into custody.

“It’s a shame, too. It’s tearing the family apart. I feel horrible, but I wouldn’t do anything differently,” McArdle said.

Movitch was released on non-monetary bond. She is back in court later this month.

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