Mother goes to a bar with 1yr old, while 2yr old is left at home unattended

Anyone who has read this blog for any amount of time can tell you that I have a soft spot for children. From time to time I feature stories where children suffer neglect at the hands of the very adults who are supposed to love them. Believe you me, I've featured a host of stories like this and this tragic event, but this next story out of Reno Nevada has me wondering if parental licenses to have and raise children should be issued:

Reno, NV (RGJ.com) - A 41-year-old Reno, Nevada woman is behind bars after police said she was grossly intoxicated when she tried to bring her 1-year-old daughter - riding in a stroller wearing minimal clothes - into a bar.

Around midnight Wednesday, patrons and staff at Russo's Tavern on Clearacre Lane prevented Christine Yvette Lobe from coming into the bar, and called police. Officers later learned she had also left her 2-year-old daughter at home alone, walking to the bar after the toddler fell asleep on the couch.

"She never got inside our bar," said bar owner Jamie Russo. "She tried to get inside with the stroller and they wouldn't let her. The bartender asked what she needed and she was incoherent.

"We did the right thing and called police," he said. "She was never served a drink."
Russo said Lobe tried to leave, but that customers had held her until officers arrived.

Sgt. Chuck Lovitt said the child was wearing only a "Onesie," which is a one piece body suit for babies, and had to be taken into a neighboring business to warm up because of the frigid temperatures.

Officers said Lobe's blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

The baby and her sister were not harmed, and placed in the custody of their father, who was called while he was at work, police said.

Lobe remained in the Washoe County Jail on Thursday on two counts of suspicion of child neglect in lieu of $3,000 bail. She declined to comment through a jail official.

First of all, I have a hard time believing that the woman pictured above - the mother of these children - is actually 41yrs old. And no offense, but doesn't she look like she could be Carrot Top's meth addicted brother?

No seriously,  if I saw this woman walking the streets pushing a stroller I'd automatically think something wasn't right, and the authorities would be notified; yeah, I'm a snitch like that especially when kids are involved.

Thankfully neither of the children were hurt, but who's to say that they may not be endangered again? In this case I'm glad that there was a father available to take custody rather than have them end up as wards of the state. Now I have to wonder if the parents of these kids actually live together, and if so, how safe will they be.