Woman Allegedly Made Wet Nephew Ride In Trunk Of Lexus

EDINA, Minn. (WCCO) -- An Edina woman is accused of making her 11-year-old nephew ride in the trunk of her Lexus so he wouldn't get her car's leather seats wet.

The boy had just been on a water ride at Valleyfair, according to the criminal complaint.

Thirty-eight-year-old Susan McCarty has been charged with child endangerment.

Witnesses called police who pulled her over.

Police say she admitted putting her nephew in the trunk because he was soaking wet and she didn't want him on her leather seats. According to the complaint, the boy was warned inside Valleyfair that if he continued to go on water rides, he would have to ride in the trunk.

The boy's sister told police he seemed excited about riding in the trunk and confirmed that she was the one who closed the trunk, once he was inside.

She also told them the back seat console had been folded down, leaving a hole approximately the size of a piece of paper, so the boy could get some air.

She said when he told her he was getting warm in the trunk, the air vents were adjusted to aim directly at the console hole.

The girl said she and her grandma, who was also riding in the car, had a somewhat uneasy feeling about her brother riding in the trunk but did not question the decision made by her aunt.

McCarty faces up to a year in prison and a $3,000 fine if convicted.