Leimome Cheeks. Photo courtesy of ABC 13.
Summary: A Tennessee woman was caught driving her grandchildren in pet kennels this weekend.
On Saturday, a Tennessee grandmother was caught driving two children in the back of a SUV in dog kennels. Authorities were notified after a neighbor videotaped the woman helping one of the kids exit the back.
Leimome Cheeks, 62, was charged with child endangerment on Sunday. The grandmother allegedly transported her grandkids for miles in hot weather while they were inside pet carriers, according to USA Today.
“Leimome Cheeks was interviewed and admitted to riding from Whitehaven (a Memphis neighborhood) to Collierville with the children in the kennel,” a police affidavit said. “Cheeks further advised they also drove downtown, however she checked on the children periodically and later removed them from the kennel and put them in the rear seats of her vehicle.”
The police report said that Cheeks felt that there was no room inside of her Ford Explorer so she put the children inside the kennels. The temperature inside of the vehicle reached 95 degrees and the kids were trapped inside the carriers in the back of the SUV, which had no rear vents.
The children were 7 and 8, and a neighbor said that she believed Cheeks did not know what she was doing was wrong.
“I think she needs some help. Something is going on with her. If she did that, then that’s out of character for her,” Eugene Richmond told Fox 13.
Another neighbor Camillia Cowan told Fox 13 that she had seen Cheeks with her grandchildren in the past and that the grandma appeared to love them.
“I don’t think she knew [putting them in kennels was wrong] because she loves her grandkids,” Cowan said. “They’re always outside playing with the dogs and stuff.”
Cheeks was released on bond on Sunday, according to Fox 13.
The neighbor’s video was uploaded online, where it went viral. Memphis Police responded to the footage, noting that she had been promptly arrested.
“Many have inquired about a viral video from Saturday that shows two children being transported in pet kennels in the 3700 block of Elvis Presley Blvd,” Memphis PD said on Facebook. “Leimome Cheeks 62, was arrested and charged with two counts of Child Endangerment.”
The Daily Star stated that child endangerment convictions could sometimes mean one to 10 years in prison. Children Services is also launching an investigation into the grandma’s behavior.
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