The Westlake Police Department is warning parents to not leave their young children or pets unattended in hot vehicles, because if they do, they will face criminal charges.

That’s just what happened when a 32-year-old Elyria woman left her two children, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, in a car at 11:40 a.m., May 21, according to a Westlake police blotter.

Now, the woman is facing a misdemeanor charge of child endangering, the blotter said.

The mother left the youngsters unattended in the vehicle while it was parked in the fire lane at a multi-story business on Columbia Road, the blotter said.

She was upset because concerned citizens were checking on the children in the vehicle, and she actually was watching through the windows of the business, according to the blotter.

Officers responded to investigate and learned from witnesses that the youngsters were left alone for 35-45 minutes, the blotter said.

The mom had left the keys in the running car for a time, but returned and shut off the vehicle before leaving her children for about 20 additional minutes, according to the blotter.

Although she was gone when an officer arrived, the mom did respond to a phone call from Westlake police investigators, the blotter said.

The children are fine, according to the blotter.

“Do not leave children or pets unattended in hot cars,” the blotter said. “With the start of the warm weather, WPD has already taken report of dangerous situations in hot vehicles.”