Parents Plead Guilty to Leaving Toddlers in Locked Car During Wine Tasting

Parents in Washington D.C. charged with leaving their toddlers locked in a freezing car for an hour while they went to a wine tasting at a bar pleaded guilty Thursday.

Christophe Lucas and his wife, Jennie Chang, were both charged with two counts each of attempted second degree cruelty to children.

As a condition of their plea deal, both must take parenting classes and comply with other probation conditions.

Last month, a pedestrian called 911 after she heard a little girl crying hysterically as she walked by a vehicle in Foggy Bottom, according to police. Upon arrival, police found a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old strapped into their car seats in the locked car, with the windows all the way up.

The parents told police they left an iPhone in the car to monitor the children while they attended a wine tasting at Ris, located at L and 23rd streets. According to police, the restaurant manager said the couple was inside for more than an hour. 

If Lucas and Chang follow all the conditions of their probation over a nine-month period, the government will not oppose a defense motion to withdraw the plea and will move to dismiss the case. 

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