Wisconsin Babysitter Escapes Jail After Leaving Three Kids Alone in Car to Get Her Nails Done

A Wisconsin woman who was convicted of leaving three toddlers in her care alone in a car while she got her nails done at a salon has now been sentenced.

The 24-year-old woman, identified as Hannah Sprang, will avoid jail time after being sentenced to probation by Bob Dewane on May 11. The sentence followed Sprang’s no-contest plea to the charges against her. She had faced three counts of child neglect, according to court documents.

Authorities said the toddlers were left alone in the car for nearly an hour and a half while their babysitter was inside the salon.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, two of the three charges were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors, while a judge agreed to defer prosecution on a third felony count for three years. If Sprang complies with all court-ordered conditions, including a permanent ban on offering babysitting or any daycare services, the felony charge will eventually be dismissed.

According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by Green Bay, Wisconsin, Fox affiliate WLUK, officers were dispatched to a local spa at approximately 12:17 in the afternoon after receiving reports of children being left in an unattended vehicle.

Upon arriving at the scene, the responding officers made contact with Sprang at her SUV, where she was caring for three children aged 1 to 2. The charging document suggests that Sprang initially made several excuses and tried to downplay how she treated the children.

“Hannah seemed unfazed by the reason for contact or that she left three children in an unattended and not running vehicle,” according to the probable cause affidavit the police wrote. “Hannah stated that she was at a nail salon to get her nails done and that they had made her wait. She said the people at the salon were not ready for her. Hannah stated that her appointment was at 11:000 in the morning, but she did not get inside the salon right away. Hannah stated that she then checked on the children several times during her appointment.”

However, the investigators obtained the surveillance footage from the salon that undercut Sprang’s story.

The officers also noted that while the ambient temperature outside was a mild 69 degrees, the interior of the vehicle, which was not running consistently, was measured at 81.1 degrees.

The complaint also highlights Sprang’s alleged lack of cooperation as police attempted to secure contact information for the victim’s families.

During the sentence hearing on May 11th, the prosecutors read a statement from the parents of one of the 2-year-old victims in which they said their son was still traumatized by being left in the car. “Even today, there are still moments when we pull into a parking spot, and he says, don't leave me in here,” the statement reportedly said.