Pot-Smoking Teen Mom Drives Away With 5-Week-Old Son on the Roof of the Car: Accident or Crime?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/06/04 19:00:00

Related Topics: Teen, Mom, Son, Baby, Car, Roof, Catalina Clouser, Boyfriend, smoking, jail, Phoenix, Assault, Crime, State

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740 votes
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	Accident	102 votes	14%
	Crime	638 votes	86%

A pot-smoking teen mom accidentally drives off with her 5-month-old son strapped in his car seat on the roof of the vehicle. Even worse: The baby falls off the car in the middle of an intersection (he was still strapped in and unharmed). Nevertheless, sounds like a controversy to us!

Catalina Clouser, 19, was arrested on Saturday and booked into jail on child abuse and aggravated assault charges, Phoenix police spokesman James Holmes told Reuters. The infant is currently in the custody of state Child Protective Services, Reuters reports.

So what went wrong? "It appears the suspect put the baby on the roof of the car and drove off, forgetting he was still on the roof," Holmes said in a written statement.

And how could a new mom possibly leave her baby on the roof of a moving car? Police said Clouser and her boyfriend had been smoking marijuana in a park and left with the baby to buy beer late on Friday night. Officers stopped the car and the boyfriend was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, Reuters reports.

But here's where it gets really bad. Clouser was so upset about the arrest that she drove to a friend's home and "admittedly smoked one or two additional bowls of marijuana," Holmes said. She left at about midnight with the infant asleep in his car seat, placing the child on top of the car, he said, and didn't realize that the baby was missing until she got home.

What do you think? Did Clouser make a mistake? Or should smoking pot when you're on mommy duty (and forgetting your baby on top of a moving car) be considered child abuse or even assault?

+40

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Ryan Clarke 2012/06/04 20:09:38

Crime

+17
LOWLIFE!!! She could have killed her baby because she was stoned on pot. I have no problem with people smoking pot. I think people should be allowed to do it in the privacy of their homes. But when you have a baby in your custody and possession, YOU DON'T DO DRUGS AND ENDANGER YOUR CHILD!!!

Anyone who voted accident needs to have their head examined.
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Sayer S... to Drachen 2012/06/05 13:17:06 (edited)

+2
First of all, he obviously was not talking about people who meant to press "crime". And there is no logical excuse to drive with your baby on top of your car.

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Hamilton to Drachen 2012/06/06 01:34:26

If she were not smoking pot it would be an accident, as it is it is just plain old child endangerment.

What possible logical explanations are there?

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Drachen to Hamilton 2012/06/06 03:24:03

I think it was a crime, but that's irrelevant.

I don't know. I just don't like people saying that "anyone who says otherwise needs X done to them".

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Wilde~M... to Drachen 2012/06/06 15:24:19

AGREED!

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AngelEyes to Drachen 2012/06/12 12:11:55

Excuse me, who needs to be slapped where, I know you were not talking about me. I do not care if you are on drugs, or straighter than a ruler, you do not put your child on the trunk, roof or anywhere else and say "Oh, I forgot" that baby should be top priority. Oh in the heck can you forget your child, I just don't get it. And these people that leave the baby in a back seat in the middle of the summer, and say "I forgot" that is all capital "BS"

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JohnT 2012/06/04 20:07:02

Crime

+6
Dumb Pot Head, yes it is a crime endangering your child.

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Kuruptsoul 2012/06/04 20:06:26

Accident

oops

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Herb to Kuruptsoul 2012/06/04 21:26:34

+1
And how could a new mom possibly leave her baby on the roof of a moving car? Police said Clouser and her boyfriend had been smoking marijuana in a park and left with the baby to buy beer late on Friday night. Officers stopped the car and the boyfriend was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, Reuters reports.

A pot-smoking teen mom accidentally drives off with her 5-month-old son strapped in his car seat on the roof of the vehicle. Even worse: The baby falls off the car in the middle of an intersection (he was still strapped in and unharmed). Nevertheless, sounds like a controversy to us!
if a car hit this kid and killed it, what kind of intersection a busy one. or what if the kid was killed from the fall muder charges right.

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Kuruptsoul to Herb 2012/06/04 23:06:27

+2
It is just from her own stupidity, the only crime I have ever committed when stoned is eating the last of my moms apple pie

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Herb to Kuruptsoul 2012/06/05 06:09:04

like is said id she would have killed this kid she would be facing muder charges drunk or stoned.

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Kuruptsoul to Herb 2012/06/05 08:43:33

Like I said.. It was from her own stupidity... I have kids myself, my oldest is 9... and I have never in my life done anything stupid as such.. Just because she was "high" is just warfare to use for war against drugs. It has nothing to do with pot.

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N-RagedOwner 2012/06/04 20:04:52

Crime

+1
It's both actually. It's a crime that she's not here so I can have accidental sex with her. :D

Okay being serious, if she knowingly smokes pot, then anything stupid she does is because of her stupid decision to dope herself up. So she should have known better than to smoke the crap to begin with. She should still come here and let me do things to her though.

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Lauren Mulford 2012/06/04 20:02:02

Crime

+4
pot and driving mix as well as alcohol and driving. What will it take to get that baby some place safe? Are the grandparents in the picture? There are plenty of families willing and able to take good care of the obviously unwanted child.

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Superman 2012/06/04 20:01:07

Crime

+3
There is absolutely no way this is an accident. Hopefully the child will be put in the charge of a proper adult and this girl will spend a decent amount of time behind bars.

She got incredibly lucky, the child was incredibly lucky that nothing worse happened.

I used to bandy back and forth on the issue of pot legalization. I finally came down on the side against purely because we haven't shown as a society that we can use altering substances responsibly so there isn't cause to take currently illegal substances and make them legal. Unintended consequences are my rationale. There is no better personification of my opinion then this grossly self serving child abusing substance and getting angered over someone else being arrested over substance abuse to abuse more - all while in the charge of a helpless infant. I guarantee that with legalized pot this crap would happen at a higher percentage - when one instance is bad enough.

I have negative sympathy for this girl. None. Clearly shes an immature and self indulgent brat who has no business as a parent.

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Cocktails 2012/06/04 19:58:13

Crime

+3
She should be spayed so she can't have any more kids!!

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KB 2012/06/04 19:57:20

Crime

+4
She was a bad mother to begin with. Pot had nothing to do with it.

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Hamilton to KB 2012/06/06 01:36:13

Pot had everything to do with it.

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KB to Hamilton 2012/06/06 16:01:55
PokerFace 2012/06/04 19:57:01

Crime

+2
stupid people like that should not have children if they know they are not able to take care of them, there are millions of women out there who want children and cannot conceive, i feel so sorry for them when i hear sad stories like this one

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TKramar 2012/06/04 19:56:38

Accident

+1
Sure, blame it on the pot. She probably is a little unfocused even when she wasn't smoking pot.

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sundance 2012/06/04 19:55:55 (edited)

Accident

+4
The scenario. Going down local blvd, and I am passed by a white Prius. As usual I thought "hybrid POS". No sooner did that thought leave my head, and as the car passes, a car seat comes into view. I nearly wrecked into the car in front of me. I pull the bike up next to her ( at about 40 ), smile, and point, rather seriously, at the front tire. She (obviously puzzled) gives me an inquisitive, kind of worried look ( I am not friendly looking, and am on a bullet bike), and tentatively rolls down the window. I say, "good morning ma'am". She kind of smiles at me, and I follow with, "that front tire doesn't look good, you might want to pull over (in the friendliest, non-threatening voice I could manage). She (fortunately) did the predictable thing and slowed. When she slowed enough that I could communicate with her better, I said that I really thought she should have a look at that (not needing to feign a worried look). Well, she relented and slowed even more, and then turned onto a side street (as I nearly had a stroke). As she stopped to see what the problem was, I reminded her of the car seat on the roof, and then rode away. I could hear the "Oh, my God", and other inaudible, as I rode away. Now I really doubt that mid thirties, business dress, miss molly Mormon, in her neat litt...

The scenario. Going down local blvd, and I am passed by a white Prius. As usual I thought "hybrid POS". No sooner did that thought leave my head, and as the car passes, a car seat comes into view. I nearly wrecked into the car in front of me. I pull the bike up next to her ( at about 40 ), smile, and point, rather seriously, at the front tire. She (obviously puzzled) gives me an inquisitive, kind of worried look ( I am not friendly looking, and am on a bullet bike), and tentatively rolls down the window. I say, "good morning ma'am". She kind of smiles at me, and I follow with, "that front tire doesn't look good, you might want to pull over (in the friendliest, non-threatening voice I could manage). She (fortunately) did the predictable thing and slowed. When she slowed enough that I could communicate with her better, I said that I really thought she should have a look at that (not needing to feign a worried look). Well, she relented and slowed even more, and then turned onto a side street (as I nearly had a stroke). As she stopped to see what the problem was, I reminded her of the car seat on the roof, and then rode away. I could hear the "Oh, my God", and other inaudible, as I rode away. Now I really doubt that mid thirties, business dress, miss molly Mormon, in her neat little new Prius, was stoned. It sounds like the moron in this post, has it coming. However, I would caution you to remember my story, before freaking out on someone too badly. Oh yea, never yell "stop, stop" in a panicked voice. The car seat is after all, just sitting on the roof. Sudden breaking, is at this point, highly inappropriate....Just a thought...
(more)

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Wilde~MoonChild ™ 2012/06/04 19:55:04

Crime

+4
Damn it... hit the wrong one...

Smoking pot was the crime and smoking while you're driving around with your kid IS NOT very bright!! I'm sure smoking probably had something to do with forgetting the baby on the roof...

Side note, I have a 5 month old and I'm always afraid I will do this ... I NEVER put my baby on the roof or hood of my car at ANYTIME.
There has been several times as I'm driving, I will look behind me to make sure I didn't forget him! That's one of my biggest fears!!

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Sam Adams to Wilde~M... 2012/06/05 16:15:28

+1
Good idea, though I THINK you'd have a hard time overlooking a car seat on your hood--one would have to be REALLY stoned for that!

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Wilde~M... to Sam Adams 2012/06/05 21:23:01

lol Very true!!!

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TasselLady 2012/06/04 19:55:02

Crime

+2
And then people want to LEGALIZE weed. Duh, I guess it never occurred to them that pot clouds your judgment.

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sundance to TasselLady 2012/06/04 20:07:40

+1
And alcohol doesn't, Right? Duh!!!! Hey genius, smoking nutmeg or drinking cough syrup can cloud your judgement, and they are both legal...Just a thought...

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Wilde~M... to sundance 2012/06/05 21:24:34

lol

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sundance to Wilde~M... 2012/06/06 03:51:17

Good to know I'm entertaining. Thanks.....

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Wilde~M... to sundance 2012/06/06 15:28:14

You didn't know you were??

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sundance to Wilde~M... 2012/06/06 18:40:35 (edited)

+1
Actually no. To be honest, I seem to irritate more than I entertain. At least according to the mundane crowd. Anyhow, thanks again....

PS...Read your post, and Sam Adams that followed. Mr Adams is very wise. If you have to put the car seat somewhere, because of snow on the ground, water or other obstacle, then place the car seat in the drivers view, on the hood. I think we can agree that even the dumbest stoner, isn't going to miss that. Nothing else, they will get out to move the obstacle, right?...

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Wilde~M... to sundance 2012/06/06 19:57:34

Yes adams is very wise...

You are very entertaining... if you had a blog I'd read it!!

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sundance to Wilde~M... 2012/06/06 20:54:59

+1
Thank you for kind words. When my blog is finished I will let you know...Peace

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KarenInKenoshaWisconsin 2012/06/04 19:53:52

Crime

+4
I'm glad the baby is safe!

It'd be nice if being dumb as a rock were illegal but we'll have to settle for charges of child abuse, assault, and driving while under the influence.

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Tara-ABO-2012 2012/06/04 19:49:24

Crime

+4
Of course it's a crime and she better not get that child back until she gets help. Lots of help

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maybeimalion 2012/06/04 19:49:12

Accident

The crime was getting high... the baby on the roof was an accident as a result of that... people do stupid things when they're intoxicated.. okay maybe not THAT stupid but it does happen

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mmmholl... to maybeim... 2012/06/04 20:00:07

+6
Smoking pot should not be a crime but neglecting a child because you are high or drunk is and should be.

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maybeim... to mmmholl... 2012/06/04 20:07:25

so true :)

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sundance to maybeim... 2012/06/04 20:09:28

Oh yea, they do. The do things THAT stupid, sober as a nun, all the time....Just a thiought...

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maybeim... to sundance 2012/06/04 20:23:31

+1
maybe stupid people do... but its usually accidental with no criminal intent . for instance im using personal experience here.. when someone turns a corner without indicating, it endangers pedestrians, i was hit by a driver who did this a few months ago, it was a forgtetful accident.. the large majority of people wouldn't consider that sort of reckless endangerment a crime... i agree it was stupid of this woman to leave the baby on the roof and she probably should be locked up for it, but i see it more as an accidental misjudgement than a crime in much the same way that turning a corner without indicating causes endangerment and isnt considered a crime

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sundance to maybeim... 2012/06/05 02:09:13 (edited)

I am not sure you noticed, but I neither placed or removed the burden of responsibility. I simply shared an example of someone who, for all intents and purposes, did nothing more that become very distracted. Now do I feel she was guilty of a crime? Should we ever make stupidity a crime, then sure. We all have distractions. When we error in the face of those distractions, then we must further seek intent. No turn signal, and you hit someone, then your guilty of a crime. This is intent by tolerance. Honestly overlook, or become overwhelmed? This is not a crime. This, is an example of having too much on ones plate...Just a thought...

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