People throw around the term “nanny state” a lot these days, but we’re going to assume they don’t mean the nanny who was arrested after police found two children locked inside a sealed-up hot car while their supposed caretaker was busy bronzing her skin at the tanning salon.

KOIN-TV reports that the 23-year-old nanny from Portland (the one on the left side of the country) left her charges — a 3-year-old boy and a 2-month-old girl — inside her car in a parking lot on a 90-degree day.

Police say an officer arrived at the tanning salon parking lot one sultry afternoon and someone there pointed him toward the Dodge Caravan with the pair of children inside.

The officer opened the door to get the “soaked in sweat” children out, and stated that he “felt the heat radiating from (the child) through his bullet proof vest.”

While he was freeing the kids from their oven-on-wheels, the nanny exited the tanning salon and identified herself as the youngsters’ caretaker, but initially claimed that she’d left the children in the minivan with their mom.

But that was not true, as a Department of Human Services worker later confirmed that the mother was at work all day.

The nanny entered a not guilty plea to charges of first-degree criminal mistreatment, recklessly endangering another, first-degree child neglect and driving while suspended.

[via NY Daily News]

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