SAGINAW, MI -- With their 3-year-old daughter in the back seat, two parents "huffed" canned air to the point that they passed out, authorities allege.

Ryan J. Rittmaier and Nancy E. Shoopman now face up to 10 years in prison in connection with the incident on the afternoon of Saturday, March 14, in the parking lot of the Walmart in Saginaw County's Kochville Township.

Rittmaier, 29, of Carrollton Township and Shoopman, 27, of Montrose are charged with second-degree child abuse, a felony that deals with, among other things, cruelty to a child.

The charge applies even when the cruelty does not result in harm, which was the case with their daughter, who was found awake and strapped in her car seat.

'Hunched over and passed out'

Police reports show Saginaw County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Walmart, 5650 Bay, about 4:20 p.m. after a customer approached a Walmart manager and told him a male and female were passed out in a vehicle with the car running.

Deputy Steven Fausnaugh wrote in his report that he already was at Walmart investigating a shoplifting report when Walmart personnel approached him about the situation. He wrote he approached a black, older-model Chevrolet Monte Carlo that was still running and saw both front-seat individuals "hunched over and passed out."

Fausnaugh wrote he noticed a can of what was later determined to be Ultra Duster in between the male's legs as well as an unlit cigarette in his hand. Because some people who are awakened from a passed-out state from "huffing" sometimes become erratic, Fausnaugh waited until a Saginaw Valley State University Police officer arrived on scene, he wrote.

Together, the deputy and the officer opened the door of the vehicle to shut off the car, Fausnaugh wrote. Doing so woke up the male driver, who the officers learned was Rittmaier, and took him into custody, Fausnaugh wrote.

'Not a smart thing to do'

Deputy Margo Anderson wrote in her report that when she arrived, she tended to the woman in the vehicle, who she learned was Shoopman. When Anderson first attempted to open the door, Shoopman almost fell out, Anderson wrote. After Anderson closed the door, Shoopman "woke up and looked at me with a very confused look," Anderson wrote.

After searching Shoopman, Anderson had her sit back in the car "because she wasn't feeling good," Anderson wrote. The deputy then asked Shoopman what she and Rittmaier were doing, and she replied, "Nothing," Anderson wrote.

Anderson wrote that she again spoke with Shoopman, and Rittmaier as well, as medical personnel treated them in an ambulance. They "stated they were huffing because of the 'rough day' they had," Anderson wrote. They said they "huffed" on four, 12-ounce cans of Ultra Duster but did not finish any of those cans.

"Mr. Rittmaier and Ms. Shoopman both stated it was not a smart thing to do especially with their child in the car," Anderson wrote.

Anderson wrote that in addition to seizing the four Ultra Duster cans, she also seized an 8-ounce can of Blow Off from the glove compartment of the vehicle.

Anderson wrote she contacted Children's Protective Services regarding the child, who "seemed happy and healthy."

Free on bond

After Rittmaier and Shoopman were transported to the hospital, sheriff's deputies about 8 p.m. lodged them at the Saginaw County Jail.

Michigan law states a person is guilty of second-degree child abuse if: their "omission causes serious physical harm or serious mental harm to a child or if the person's reckless act causes serious physical harm or serious mental harm to a child;" "the person knowingly or intentionally commits an act likely to cause serious physical or mental harm to a child regardless of whether harm results;" or "the person knowingly or intentionally commits an act that is cruel to a child regardless of whether harm results."

In arraigning Rittmaier and Shoopman on Monday, March 16, Saginaw County District Judge M.T. Thompson entered not guilty pleas on their behalf and ordered them held on $7,500 or 10 percent bonds.

They were scheduled for an April 1 preliminary hearing before Presiding District Judge Terry L. Clark, but they appeared before Clark on Wednesday, March 25, and waived their right to the hearing. That led Clark to bind their cases over to Circuit Court for trial.

Now that their cases are in Circuit Court, they either can proceed to trial, plead as charged, or accept any possible plea agreements.

Following Wednesday's proceedings, Clark reduced Shoopman's bond to $3,500 or 10 percent, and she later posted that and was released from jail. Rittmaier already had posted his original bond and remains free.

-- Andy Hoag covers courts for MLive/The Saginaw News. Email him at ahoag@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter @awhoag