Houston, TX – A home-based day care owner is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly leaving five young children in a parked car for more than 40 minutes while she shopped inside a grocery store during 91-degree heat.
Allegations Against the Day Care Owner
According to Harris County court records, Domonique L. Wilson, 32, was arrested last week and charged with five counts of felony child endangerment. State records show Wilson runs “My Little Angels” day care out of her home in the 8100 block of Stone Street, licensed to serve infants, toddlers, and kindergarteners with a maximum capacity of three children.
Despite two prior inspections — the latest in April 2025 — showing no deficiencies or complaints, prosecutors allege Wilson endangered the lives of the children under her care.
Incident at Kroger Parking Lot
Authorities say Wilson drove to the Kroger in the 6300 block of Telephone Road around 12 p.m. on Friday, August 1 with five children in her care, as well as her own two children. Once there, she reportedly took her children inside but left the five clients’ children in the vehicle:
- A 10-month-old
- A 1-year-old
- A 2-year-old
- A 6-year-old
- An 8-year-old
The children were allegedly left with windows barely cracked, the engine off, and no air conditioning in sweltering heat.
Witnesses Describe Distress
A witness told KHOU she saw the store’s manager running with two children, one in her arms and another in a carrier, while calling for police. The witness recalled the manager shouting that she had just found two children in a hot car with no AC running.
Court documents state the children were “red-faced, crying, and in distress” when discovered.
Inside the store, Wilson allegedly told the manager and authorities that the children were hers and that the air conditioning had been on — a claim contradicted by both the manager and surveillance footage.
40 Minutes in the Heat
KTRK reported that the store manager reviewed surveillance video and found the children had been left in the car for just over 40 minutes while Wilson shopped. The temperature outside was 91 degrees, creating life-threatening conditions inside the closed vehicle.
During Wilson’s court appearance, the presiding judge called it “a very dangerous situation,” noting the extreme risk of bodily injury or death in such conditions.
Legal Consequences
Wilson is currently being held in Harris County Jail on a $10,000 bond. Her next court date is scheduled for October 15. If convicted, she faces significant prison time for knowingly placing the children in imminent danger.
What do you think should be the punishment for leaving children in a hot car? Share your thoughts in the comments.
