Mother arrested after kids found screaming, sweat-drenched in...

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Shawnetta Wright, 25, of York, is charged with three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.

Rock Hill police said Wright left three children in a hot car while she went inside Walmart Friday afternoon. Other shoppers heard the children screaming and called police.

A witness told officers that no adult had been around for at least 45 minutes. Police spoke to several Walmart employees who said the same.

Some of Wright's neighbors told Channel 9 they're relieved that someone noticed and did the right thing.

"Someone had to do something. Kids were in the car screaming. You never know what will happen," said Carla Garvin, who lives next door to Wright in York.

Police said the back windows of the car were all the way up, the front ones were only slightly cracked and the engine was off when they found the car sitting in the parking lot of the Dave Lyle Boulevard Walmart Friday afternoon. It was about 85 degrees outside at the time.

Wright walked out of the store as police were arriving and told them she had only been in the store for a few minutes.

The police report describes the three children, as "drenched with sweat." A 7- and 4-year-old were Wright's children. Another 4-year-old was her niece.

Garvin said she sees Wright often with her children and was surprised to learn of her arrest.

"Basically she takes care of her kids. She doesn't let them outside by themselves," she said.

Another neighbor, Angel Tolbert, said she hurts for the children.

"It's sad, so sad. I have two boys, and I never leave them in the car," she said.

Wright was released Saturday on a $6,000 bond. The children were given to a relative to care for them.

Department of Social Services was also notified about the incident.

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Mother arrested after kids found screaming, sweat-drenched in her car