Police: Woman left 7-year-old, 5-month-old in car while she went shopping

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SURPRISE, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- A Valley mother is in trouble with the law, as she is accused of leaving her seven-year-old and five-month-old in the car, while she went shopping.

It was two days ago when an apparent shopping trip turned into a dangerous situation for the kids, after police in Surprise said their mother, Morgan Dowse, left them unattended for nearly an hour. Dowse went into A Rue 21 store on Grand Avenue in Surprise, but left behind the children. Some concerned people in the parking lot called police, because they were worried about the children's safety.

When police arrived, they found the five-month-old baby in the car, upside down in the car seat. Police officials said they then brought the child inside the store to confront Dowse. As for the seven-year-old, that child had left the car to join Dowse in the store before police got there.

According to police, Dowse told them she got caught up talking to a teacher of one of the children inside the store, and that there was a good deal on underwear. The car itself was running with the AC on, but police officials said the children were able to move freely in the busy parking lot. and were endangered. Dowse is facing two counts of child abuse.