LAKE CITY, Fla. – An 18-year-old Lake City mom is facing a felony child neglect charge after police said she left her 2-year-old daughter in a hot car at a local movie theater, and the child had to be rescued by officers.
Police said they received multiple reports about a child being locked in a car at the Regal Cinema 90 on U.S. Highway 90 in Lake City.
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The girl was visibly distressed, and officers immediately broke the window to help the child, who was flushed, sweating and crying. It was 94 degrees at the time with a heat index of 107, police said.
The toddler was taken by paramedics to the Lake City Medical Center for treatment.
Investigators learned that the girl’s mother had taken the child, along with the mom’s younger siblings, to watch a movie, but after the toddler acted up several times in the theater, the mom took her outside, locked her in the car and went back to finish the movie.
The mom was arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, which is a third-degree felony.
“Our officers acted swiftly to ensure the safety of this young child,” Chief of Police Gerald Butler said in a news release. “Leaving a child unattended in a vehicle under these conditions is unacceptable. We are thankful the child is safe and urge all parents to prioritize the well-being of their children at all times.”
