MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - A mother was arrested for leaving three small children unattended in her car, where she kept a loaded gun, while she was getting a manicure.
Memphis Police responded to a call around 2:15pm on February 3, 2012 at Beautiful Nails Salon on the 4200-block of Summer Avenue. When officers arrived, they found three small children alone in a black Chevy Impala with the car still running. The police affidavit states that the car windows were fogged up and the children were jumping back and forth between the front and back seats.
23-year-old Erica Rooks walked out of the salon and approached the car, telling police the car was hers and she was the children's mother. She told them she had just run inside to use the bathroom, but an officer went inside and saw hew name on the salon's list for a full nail service. An employee verified she had given Rooks a manicure.
While she said she looking for her driver's license, the affidavit states she pulled a bag of marijuana out of her coat pocket and hid it in her center car console. She told officers she couldn't find her license, and an officer found the bag in her car.
During the incident, police saw one of the children pointing what looked like a silver handgun at them. An officer took the gun and saw it was real and loaded with three rounds.
A family member was called to the scene to take custody of the children, ages 4, 2 1/2 and 9 months.
Erica Rooks was arrested and charged with marijuana possession, unlawful possession of a weapon and three counts of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. She has since been released from the Shelby County Jail on $5,000 bond.
