Britons who left baby in car vow to clear name

A British couple arrested while on holiday in New York for leaving their four-month-old daughter locked in a car have vowed not to return home until they have cleared their names.

The couple, who have two other daughters aged two and three, deny child endangerment, for which they face a maximum one-year jail term if found guilty. The Singers, from Stamford-Hill, north London, are believed to have rented a friend's apartment in Brooklyn for an extended break.

Last Tuesday they borrowed his estate car to do some shopping at Green Acres Mall in Long Island. They left baby Bloomer-Rose in the car where she was spotted by other shoppers who raised the alarm.

Detectives paged Moche Zatz, who owns the vehicle, and 10 minutes later Mr Singer returned to the car. He was joined by his wife and other children a few minutes later. The couple were arrested.

Det Sgt Tony Repalone told a Nassau court the Singers were gone for at least 15 minutes.

The Britons say they were dealing with a "medical emergency" - one of their other daughters urgently needed to use a lavatory following a recent bladder infection.

Det Repalone told the court: "A four-month-old child left alone under any circumstances is endangering the welfare of a child. She's a baby."

The Singers were granted bail. Speaking outside court Mr Singer, a self-employed salesman and a teacher in a Jewish community centre, said: "Not going home gives us all sorts of problems, but it is far more important to clear our names.

"This is obviously an American mentality and that is what we are dealing with - the cultural differences. There must be more fear out here.

"In Britain people don't think someone is going to take their kid if they leave them in the car for a short time."

The couple will remain in the US at least until 9 January for their next court hearing.