A mother in Pennsylvania was arrested after she allegedly left her 4-month-old baby alone inside a vehicle while she went shopping at a Walmart.
According to reports, the incident occurred on the afternoon of January 10 at a Walmart in Warrington, located just outside Philadelphia. Authorities said the woman parked her vehicle and went into the store, leaving the infant behind. Investigators later determined the baby was seated in the front seat and placed in what police described as an unauthorized restraint, facing forward.
While the mother was inside the store, a customer reportedly noticed the infant sleeping alone in the vehicle and became concerned. The witness contacted store personnel and later alerted the police. By the time officers were notified, the baby had reportedly been alone for more than 20 minutes.
When the mother returned to her vehicle, the witness allegedly asked her to remain in the parking lot until officers arrived. However, according to the police, the woman left the area before law enforcement got there.
Following the report, officers began investigating the incident. After reviewing the information provided by witnesses and other evidence, authorities obtained an arrest warrant.
Several days later, police located the woman at her home in Warminster, about five miles from the Walmart.
The woman was taken into custody and booked into the Bucks County Correctional Facility. She is facing preliminary charges of endangering the welfare of a child and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. The authorities learned that she had an active arrest warrant for an unrelated matter, and she is also being charged with perjury, tampering with a public record, and forgery.
At the time this was written, she was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. She was ordered not to be around her child and to work with the Bucks County Children and Youth Services during their investigation of the matter.
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