Pa. woman charged for letting toddler pump gas, report says

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Police say Theresa Camera, of Lancaster, Pa., is charged with endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly letting her 3-year-old son handle a gasoline pump on Jan. 19, 2013.

/ CBS Philly

(AP) LANCASTER, Pa. - Police say a Pennsylvania woman has been charged with a crime because she let her 3-year-old son handle a gasoline pump, and the child sprayed fuel on himself.

Manheim Township Police said Tuesday they filed a charge of endangering the welfare of a child against 46-year-old Theresa Moran Camera, of Lancaster.

Police say they were called to a supermarket on Jan. 19 and determined the boy removed the nozzle from the vehicle's gas tank without releasing the handle.

The vehicle had left by the time police arrived, but witnesses gave investigators a license plate number.

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by Pabsk67 February 13, 2013 5:24 PM EST: Someone obviously witnessed this take place and were concerned about the boy. I am a little shocked to see the two comments not seeing anyhthing wrong with what happened here. Seriously, what kind of parent would allow their child to do this? Gasoline is dangerous and no toddler belongs around a gas tank/pump. What if he sprayed it in his eyes? Sorry but I have to say only a moron of a parent would let a 3 year old do this. I dont' know, maybe I am odd but I didn't think gasoline was safe and I don' think any child should be pumping it either. I don't think he took it off the mechanism, he probably pulled it out of the gas tank when the gas was filling the tank, then it will spray you. A caring mother wouldn't allow a child to touch this.; Reply to this comment


by judymar14 February 13, 2013 11:47 AM EST: I find it hard to remove the nozzle from the from the pump - I'm a adult woman - or the car. I don't see how he pulled it up without her help help standing next to him. I always spill a few drops before getting it back into the pump.

If I got gas on on my clothes I would dilute it with the paper towels and water provided by every gas station in the country. On my hand, wash it off.

Unless the mother was smoking, why would this be endagering the little boy?

Better time could be spent tracking down real child abusers.; Reply to this comment


by VelvetN February 13, 2013 10:37 AM EST: Are you kidding me? That is the most ridiculous thing I've heard! I cannot believe the cops actually came to the gas station and then spent time and money to track this "horrible" mother down. Little man probably wanted to be big and pump the gas for his mama and she let him. I bet she went straight home after he got gas splashed on him and held a match to him. Give her the death penalty. What a waste of public resources. Whoever called the cops needs to get a life and mind their own business. They should be charged with a crime.; Reply to this comment