My question involves child abuse or neglect in the State of: California
Hello,
I left my 4 year old deep asleep child in the car seat to do a 'quick checkout' at the grocery store. Windows were cracked open and the weather was probably high 70s. Needless to say, the quick checkout became a 10 minute one. They announced my car description over the public system in the store. I ran outside to find 4-5 people surrounding my car and they started to all talk with me at once. My child was safe and still fast asleep in the car but with some ice-cream leftover stains around the lips. The observers mistook this for 'vomit'. I then woke up my child and took inside with me to finish the checkout.
After about 5 minutes, few cops showed up because one or more of the people around the car had called 911. They asked me some questions and I think they also saw the surveillance video of the store and talked (without my presence) to few of the people who were around the car. They called the paramedics who checked the child and confirmed that there was no harm whatsoever. They kept me there for 2 hours and wouldn't let me take my child in my own car until my Husband showed up with my elder child. To make things worse, the car registration had expired but luckily my husband had mailed it in last week and we are awaiting the sticker.
I apologized at least 10-15 times to the cops and so did my husband. The cop was pretty agitated and said I was lucky not to be handcuffed and sitting in the back of his car.
He said he will notify CPS and we will get 'something' in the mail.
My husband has been reading stuff online and wants to contact a Lawyer on Monday, which we will.
However, I am going nuts over the weekend want to know what will CPS do? I have read a range of things from jail time to CPS taking the kids away. Also that CPS will come home to interview us and the kids or possibly go directly to our elder child's school to interview? I have spanked the kids one or two times in the past few years and they have been late to school few times. Will CPS be asking all and every kind of 'bad parent' question to the kids or just related to leaving them in the car alone?
Also, where would we find a good lawyer in San Francisco Bay area?
Finally, I feel horrible for each and every one of the above things. This has been a wake-up call for both of us to be better parents.
Thanks.

