Parents Put Son In Car Trunk To Cure Fear Of Dark

[Anthony]

A western Pennsylvania couple have been charged with locking their 5-year-old son in the trunk of their moving car to cure his fear of darkness.
26-year-olds Jeffrey and Danielle Lenhart, of Latrobe, were charged with felony child endangerment and reckless endangerment.
Police say the couple allegedly gave their son a flashlight and told him to look for candy in the
trunk during three visits to the Idlewild amusement park located about 10 miles from their home last July.
Authorities were alerted about the incident came to when one of the suspect's children was interviewed by child welfare officials for undisclosed reasons.
They will spend two years on probation in a program for first-time offenders, court officials said on Friday. According to Danielle Lenhart's lawyer, Deborah Jackson, the parents were accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, a deal approved by Westmoreland County Judge Richard McCormick Jr.
"She recognizes the serious nature of what has happened and I don't think we will see her in court again," Jackson said of her client.
Jackson said when the parents complete two years of probation, the charges against them will be dismissed and records expunged.
Defense attorney Brian Aston said, "Things aren't as they were described in the police report'' saying the unfortunate incident was "more of a game.'
The boy and another sibling, 4, have been staying with other family members following the charges. However they both will be allowed to go home, court officials said. A younger sibling, 1, has already been reunited with the parents.

 

[Muthoni]

It is unfortunate that there is no manual on how to bring up kids the right way. These parents wanted their son to overcome the fear of the dark; they were doing this in love the only way they know how. It is good that they are getting rehabilitated to give them a second chance to raise their children. Good luck to them.