A Wisconsin mom was allegedly caught drunk driving while her 8-year-old son sat on her lap steering the wheel

Wisconsin mother Carrie Bernard, 37, was allegedly caught drunk driving for the third time last week, this time with her 8-year-old son in her lap. A Milwaukee County sheriff’s deputy entering the on-ramp of a highway spotted Bernard with the child sitting in her lap steering the vehicle before pulling her over.

Bernard reportedly refused to comply with the deputy until his supervisor arrived. Then, she failed multiple field sobriety tests and was arrested and charged with driving under the influence with a minor under 16 years of age, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, operating while intoxicated and violating terms of her interlock ignition device.

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According to Deputy Whitney Hendon, the child was sitting in Bernard’s lap, with neither of them wearing seat belts when she first spotted the vehicle. However, by the time she pulled the mother over, the boy was sitting in the passenger seat with his seat belt buckled.

“She stated there was no one who operated the car other than her. That’s when the small child began to cry,” Hendon said. “He said, ‘I don’t want to go to jail.'”

Once in the back of the police car, Bernard indicated that she was already thinking about her next drink.

“I think I might have a drink after this,” she said, according to footage from inside the car.

Since the incident, Bernard’s son is now in protective services.

“It was concerning to me [that] the mom would risk her 8-year-old child so she could operate a vehicle,” Hendon continued. “You’re risking your child and the public. It’s scary to think about.”

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