Mom charged by cops for letting toddler son, 3, pump gas into family car

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By Jessica Chasmar

The Washington Times

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

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A service station attendant pumps gas in Portland, Ore., in February 2012. ... more >

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A Pennsylvania mom was charged Tuesday with child endangerment after she allegedly let her 3-year-old son pump gas into the family car.

Manheim Township police responded last month to a Giant To-Go gas station “for a report of a toddler using the gas pump,” The Smoking Gun reports.

Eyewitness Gregory McCarter reported that he had observed “a female instructing a very young child on how to pump gas into the vehicle.”

“The boy must have pulled the pump out before releasing the handle, because he ended up spraying gasoline onto himself,” Mr. McCarter told police.

Surveillance video “confirmed that the female driver had allowed her toddler child to pump gas by himself” into a black Toyota Rav4, according to a probable cause affidavit.

“The surveillance video showed the toddler spraying himself with gasoline as he removed the pump,” the report states.

The mother, Theresa Moran Camara, 46, and the boy left the gas station before police arrived, but witnesses provided them with the license plate number.

When questioned by police, the mother admitted to letting her son pump gas. She has been charged of “endangering welfare of children,” the report states.

About the Author

Jessica Chasmar is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.