Police say a quick trip into a Toledo internet cafe ended with a mother in custody and seven kids sitting alone in a parked car, ranging in age from teenagers down to an 11-month-old baby.
According to officers, the children were left unattended for roughly 40 minutes while the driver, who authorities say was behind the wheel on a suspended license, went inside the business. The incident, which happened this week, has drawn local attention because of both the number of children involved and the traffic status of the driver, according to police.
As reported by MyFox28, police identified the woman as 37-year-old Racqual Hicks and said she pleaded not guilty to seven counts of child endangerment. Officers told the station Hicks brought children ages 15, 13, 10, 6, 2, 1 and 11 months to Luna’s Internet Cafe and left them in the vehicle for about 40 minutes.
The MyFox28 report also says Hicks was driving on a suspended license, that some of the children were not restrained in car seats, and that she was released on her own recognizance with a court-ordered GPS monitor. A future court date was not immediately available.
What the Law Says About Child Endangerment
Ohio law on endangering children is laid out in Ohio Revised Code Section 2919.22, which covers conduct that creates a substantial risk to a child's health or safety. Depending on the circumstances, a violation can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony.
Convictions under the statute can bring fines, jail time and other penalties, including suspension of driving privileges. That structure is one reason prosecutors often file a separate count for each child they say was put at risk, which is what is alleged in this case.
How It Fits Into Toledo’s Ongoing Concerns
The case lands in a community already wrestling with questions about supervision and safety for kids. Earlier this year, parents in a separate incident said they discovered children left alone at a daycare and called the experience a “betrayal,” according to 13abc.
Reports like these have fueled local conversations about how families juggle childcare, whether social and health supports are reaching those in crisis, and what role the courts should play. Advocates and neighbors say criminal cases can address immediate safety concerns but often do not resolve bigger questions about prevention and support for families under strain.
For now, court filings are expected to be the main source of new information as Hicks’ case moves forward. Officials have declined to release additional investigative materials while the matter is pending before the courts.
