Mother who left twins in car released from jail

Monday, April 26, 2004 | 9:40 a.m.

A mother charged with two felony counts of child endangerment after her 8-month-old twins were left in the car while she shopped was released from jail on her own recognizance Friday.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Karen Bennett-Haron released Kathy Lizanne Lawson, 28, after setting a preliminary hearing for June 25. Bennett-Haron also referred the case to Clark County Child Protective Services.

Metro Police arrested Lawson April 20 after finding the twins in an unattended black Volkswagen Jetta outside a Burlington Coat Factory at Eastern and Tropicana avenues.

Customers said the infants had been in the car for at least 30 minutes, police said. The infants were warm but not harmed.

Lawson's case was the third incident of children being left in vehicles in a week.

Charges have not been filed against Angelo Rosa, who left his 1-year-old inside his Jeep Grand Cherokee April 16 while he ran into the Terrible Herbst convenience store on Decatur Boulevard at U.S. 95, police said. The vehicle was stolen while Rosa was in the store.

The thief abandoned the vehicle about a block away in the parking lot of Fasolini's Pizza Cafe at 222 S. Decatur Blvd., police said. The baby was still in the vehicle and was not harmed.

Maria Guadalupe Avila has a hearing in Henderson Justice Court May 6. She is accused of leaving her 2-year-old daughter alone in a parked car April 15 at Costco on Marks Street near the Galleria at Sunset mall.