LAKE WALES, Fla — A mother was arrested after she allegedly left her child unattended in a hot car in Lake Wales.
Lake Wales police said Jykerria Allen, 29, went to Central Florida Health Care at 305 Central Avenue West around 10 a.m. Thursday. Staff told her she could not bring her child into the back office during her appointment, so Allen told staff she would have a family member pick up the child.
Allen did not have family pick up the child and instead allegedly took the child back to her car and left the child unsupervised, according to police.
The child was left alone in the car for about an hour until a witness saw the child in the car crying and alerted clinic staff.
Once Allen learned that the police had been notified, she left the clinic in her car with the child.
LWPD said that they located Allen and conducted a traffic stop. When they stopped the car, the child was unrestrained, and there was no car seat.
The child was removed from the car and was not suffering from any heat-related injuries, according to police. The child was then placed in the care of another family member.
Allen was placed under arrest for child neglect and was cited for operating a vehicle with an unrestrained child.
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