Police have charged Tra'Mya Latrena Sherrice Allen with child endangerment after officers say they found a 3-year-old alone in a running SUV outside a Kohl's on Harrison Avenue. According to court records, the child was in the locked vehicle for at least 25 minutes before Allen came back. The child was reported unharmed, and Allen was scheduled for arraignment in Hamilton County Municipal Court.
Officers were called to the Harrison Avenue Kohl's yesterday after a witness reported seeing a young child alone in an SUV. An affidavit reviewed by WKRC Local 12 states the SUV was left running with the air conditioning on for about 25 minutes. The affidavit also notes that Allen told officers she went into the store to shop for clothes and believed she had only been gone around 15 minutes. Police allege her decision created a substantial risk to the child's safety.
Charges And Ohio Law
Allen faces a child endangerment charge, which the Ohio Revised Code defines as creating a "substantial risk" to a child's health or safety. Depending on the details of the case, that offense can be treated as a misdemeanor or elevated to a felony. State law outlines when penalties increase, including when a violation causes serious physical harm, see Ohio Revised Code §2919.22. Prosecutors will decide whether the information in the affidavit supports any additional filings.
Why Even A Short Wait Can Be Dangerous
Federal safety officials warn that the inside of a vehicle can heat up by about 20°F in roughly 10 minutes and that children's bodies warm three to five times faster than adults, creating a life-threatening risk even when it does not feel especially hot outside, according to NHTSA. Government prevention materials report that 31 children died from vehicular heatstroke in 2025 and urge caregivers to use a "Stop. Look. Lock." routine and to call 911 if they see a child left alone in a vehicle, more resources are available at TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.
No bond information was immediately available, according to WKRC Local 12. Police and court officials did not release additional details. The Hamilton County municipal system will handle Allen's arraignment and any follow-up filings.
