An Ohio woman has been charged with endangering children after police found her two young daughters outside in sub-freezing temperatures during the early morning hours in Mentor, Ohio.
According to a news release from the Mentor Police Department, officers responded to a call around 12:25 a.m. on Jan. 29 reporting that a small child was alone in the parking lot of an Extended Stay America. When officers arrived, they found a 3-year-old girl wearing only a sweater in 8-degree weather with 10 mph winds.
Police placed the toddler inside a warm patrol vehicle and, with help from hotel residents, determined that she had been staying at the hotel with her family. Officers then located the room and spoke with the child’s mother, Laura Beitler, 36, who told police she had been asleep and did not know her daughter had left the room.
During that conversation, Beitler realized her 8-year-old daughter was also missing.
Additional officers responded, and police coordinated a search with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake County drone team, and the Mentor-on-the-Lake Police Department.
A drone flies in the air at the Paterson police department headquarters, Jan 8, 2026, Paterson, NJ, USA.
Shortly afterward, a resident reported finding the older child outside a nearby Hampton Inn. Police said the 8-year-old was also inadequately dressed for the extreme cold, wearing only a T-shirt and sneakers. She, too, was placed in a warm patrol car.
Both girls were transported by the Mentor Fire Department to TriPoint Medical Center for evaluation. Authorities said no injuries were reported.
Beitler was taken into custody and charged with endangering children. The girls’ father arrived at the scene and took custody of them, police said, noting he had been away earlier due to a family emergency.
The Mentor Police Department thanked hotel residents who quickly contacted authorities, saying their actions helped prevent a tragedy in weather conditions that can become life-threatening within minutes.
Police also issued a reminder to parents and caregivers amid the extreme cold, urging close supervision of young children, securing doors and windows, and never leaving children unattended, even briefly.
