Tuesday, July 12, 2005; Posted: 7:18 a.m. EDT (11:18 GMT)

McLEAN, Virginia (AP) -- A mother has been charged with felony child abuse and child cruelty after she allegedly forced two of her children to take turns riding in the trunk of a car on an eight-hour drive from Alabama to Virginia.

Cheryl Ann Schoonmaker, 38, forced the two girls, ages 8 and 10, to take turns in the trunk July 1 because there wasn't enough room in the car, according to Curtis Schoonmaker, her ex-husband.

The woman was driving five children, including an infant, to her ex-husband's home outside Washington, D.C. None of the children was injured during the trip. The girls told their father what happened the next day and he called police.

"They asked to be let out. ... It was a hot day," Curtis Schoonmaker said.

Efforts to reach Cheryl Schoonmaker were unsuccessful Monday.

Three of the five girls in the car were the Schoonmakers' children. One of the other children was a family friend and the infant was Cheryl Schoonmaker's.

Cheryl Schoonmaker is scheduled for arraignment July 22. The charges each carry a maximum of five years in prison.

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What the hell is wrong with these mother's? How could you have the heart to do this sort of thing to your children. If there isn't enough room for the children then I guess you just shouldn't be driving anywhere then. I vote for a new law; DO UNTO YOU AS YOU DO UNTO OTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And take her ass down a dry, bumpy Tennessee backroad.

This is pretty disgusting, what if someone crashed into the back of the women? The kids would not stand a chance, how stupid can people be ?????

Saying that though I remember I travelled in the back of my friends boot for about an hour because there was not enough room, I was given a few beers for the journey which shut me up, but after being in there for a while I started getting a little scared and realised how stupid it was, because I then thought what if someone rear ends us ill be a gonna!!! oh well the things you do when your a drunk teenager, but doing it to your kids there is no excuse for.

All the best
Faeden

This is the forth story I've read in a month concerning parents putting their kids in the trunk! What the heck is wrong with these people.

Nothing can justify this behaviour. She doesn't deserve children. Poor little babes. Never in a million years would I dream of hurting my kids, and it disgusts me to think about it.

^I agree, she has just proved she doesnt have the right or capability to be a mother or even to be around children, this is trully disgusting!

So are people just getting prgresivly dumber these days or is it just me?

They say stupidity will end the world.....

Yes.. and haven't you notice .... the world is WELL on it's way to destruction!