Crime

Wis. Mom Allegedly Strapped 9-Year-Old Son to Her Minivan's Roof to Hold Down a Plastic Pool

Amber Schmunk faces up to 10 years in prison for the felony charge

Published on November 2, 2017 07:56 PM

A Wisconsin mom is accused of putting her 9-year-old son on her minivan’s roof last month while she was driving so the boy could weigh down a plastic wading pool, PEOPLE confirms.

Amber Schmunk, 29, was trying to take the pool to her sister’s house on Sept. 9, according to police. But when it didn’t fit into her minivan, she put it on the roof — and authorities allege she strapped her son on the roof as well to help hold the pool in place.

An onlooker dialed 911 and reported the incident to Saukville, Wisconsin, police.

By the time two patrol cars stopped Schmunk, she had allegedly taken the boy and the pool off of the roof after driving less than two blocks. She then managed to fit the pool into the minivan.

The arrest report, obtained by PEOPLE, states that Schmunk allegedly told police “she believed it was OK as her father let her do things like that when she was that age.” She was stopped by police soon after she dropped the pool off with her sister, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The complaint claims that Schmunk admitted she “had no way to strap it [the pool] down so she had her son climb on the roof to hold it down while she drove.” However, she later allegedly told police she did strap the boy down inside the pool.

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The ride lasted 20-30 seconds, according to the complaint.

Officers arrested Schmunk on the scene. According to records obtained by PEOPLE, she has been charged with a felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.

If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and up to a $25,000 fine.

Schmunk has been released on her own recognizance. She has not yet entered a plea, and court records show no attorney who could comment on her behalf. PEOPLE’s calls to her were not returned.

She will make her initial court appearance in Wisconsin’s Ozaukee County Circuit Court court on Nov. 14.