Early in the morning on July 25, a 21-year-old mother was driving in Clermont with her baby as a backseat passenger. According to reports, the woman had been drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Around 4:00 AM, she was making a U-turn when something caused the vehicle to tip over onto its side and land in a ditch on the side of the road. The woman exited the Jeep, but she reportedly intentionally left the baby inside.
A bystander noticed the Jeep in the ditch and wanted to call 911, and the woman reportedly asked them not to call the authorities, but to help her retrieve the baby instead. They called for help despite her request, and officers from the Clermont Police Department went to the location.
The woman was reportedly seen pacing on the sidewalk and talking on her cell phone. When the police talked to her about the situation, she assured them she had not been drinking. She said the accident occurred when she tried to make a U-turn. They became suspicious when they reportedly smelled alcohol on her breath.
The mother and baby were taken to a local hospital, and she reportedly informed the police that she had nowhere to go. She then asked them to find the baby a foster home. The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified, and they took custody of the child.
After she was released from the hospital, the woman was taken into custody and booked into the Lake County Detention Center. She is facing preliminary charges of third-degree felony aggravated abuse and neglect of a child, and first-degree misdemeanor DUI with damage to property or person, in addition to a traffic citation for driving without a license. According to jail records, she is currently being held in lieu of a $7,000 bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a DUI or domestic violence offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.