Overview
- Officers responded around 12:25 a.m. after a resident reported a 3-year-old alone in the Extended Stay America parking lot at 5650 Emerald Court.
- The child wore only a sweater in roughly 8-degree weather with about 10 mph winds, and officers moved her into a warm patrol car.
- During contact at the family’s room, the mother realized her 8-year-old was also missing, and the older child was soon found outside the nearby Hampton Inn at 5675 Emerald Court in a T-shirt and sneakers.
- Both girls were transported by Mentor Fire Department medics to TriPoint Medical Center for evaluation and were released shortly after with no reported injuries.
- Police identified the mother as 36-year-old Laura Beitler and booked her on a child endangering charge, while the father later arrived and took custody after being away due to a family emergency.