Mom admits to strapping son to minivan's roof to hold pool

Complaint says she 'had no way to strap it down'

OZAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. – A Wisconsin mother is charged with a felony after investigators say she had her son ride on top of her minivan to hold down a plastic pool, WITI TV reports.

Amber Schmunk, 28, of Fredonia, could face up to 10 years in prison for the Sept. 9 incident, according to a WISN TV report.

According to the criminal complaint, officers were dispatched to the area of Hillcrest and Claremont roads in Saukville for reports of a child riding on top of a minivan, holding down a plastic pool. The reporting caller followed the minivan and watched the driver pull over, put the pool and the boy inside the van, and drive off.

Police pulled Schmunk over and said, "She believed it was OK as her father let her do things like that when she was that age," the complaint said. She also told police her son was on the roof for a short time, "maybe 20 to 30 seconds," WISN reports.

Schmunk stated in the complaint that she, "Had no way to strap it down so she had her (son) climb on the roof to hold it down while she drove." WITI reports that Schmunk later told police she did strap the boy down inside the pool.

Schmunk is charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety. She's due in court on Nov. 14.