Sure, the bar was less than a mile from her house, but using her seven-year-old as her designated driver was probably not the best idea that night.
Along with the father in Fresno, CA, who forcibly tattooed his son with a gang sign, I'd like to nominate Karen Koch of Fairbanks, AK, for the worst parent of the year award.
Last week, Koch was charged with reckless endangerment and permitting an unauthorized person to drive (both misdemeanors) after letting her seven-year-old drive her home, because she was too drunk to do it herself.
When the boy almost took out her parked car, a neighbor made the wise decision to call police and alert them of the situation.
From the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner:
Troopers were able to trace the plates to Koch’s nearby residence and arrived just as the boy was exiting the driver’s seat. Koch, who had leaned back in the front passenger’s seat, woke up a few minutes later and identified the child as her son.
She told the trooper that she let her son drive the car from a nearby stop sign and did not see what the problem was, according to a criminal complaint filed in court.
Trooper Sgt. Brian Wassmann said the child probably drove about a half-mile before reaching his destination. Troopers occasionally get reports of parents allowing teens to drive unlicensed, but it’s rare to get a report of an elementary school student behind the wheel.
Koch, who already has three drunken driving convictions under her belt, failed the officer's sobriety test and admitted to drinking two shots of alcohol before her arrest.
She posted bail (a whopping $250) and was released from jail Wednesday. No word yet on whether she still has custody of her little designated driver, but she's still got my vote for worst parent of the year.
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