A 41-year-old Texas woman was taken into custody on a child neglect charge after police said her 6-year-old son was discovered alone in a Sunny Isles Beach park in Florida, where the boy told a witness he was terrified and hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
Texas mom arrested for leaving 6-year-old at Florida park
Elena Sexton was detained on Saturday, August 15, according to a complaint and arrest affidavit.
Police were alerted to the park about 8:49 p.m. local time after a witness reported seeing a little boy there without a parent or caretaker.
According to the affidavit, the witness informed authorities that the boy approached him and said that he was alone because his mother had abandoned him. The youngster apparently stated that he was terrified and had not eaten since morning. The witness told authorities that he had been observing the toddler alone for about an hour.
According to the affidavit, the 6-year-old told authorities that his mother had left to go see a friend and get dinner. The boy also stated that he was terrified and did not want to leave with a stranger.
The affidavit states that officers canvassed the area but were unable to locate Sexton or another caretaker.
According to police, Sexton was later seen walking back toward the scene, when he was stopped and arrested.
Mother told officers she left to get toys, eat with a friend
According to the affidavit, Sexton told authorities she parked at a nearby shopping complex and then walked back to grab toys. She explained that when she arrived, she was greeted by a friend who encouraged her to sit down and eat.
Sexton informed investigators that she accepted the invitation while leaving her son at the park, according to police.
Authorities charged Sexton with knowingly failing to provide the youngster with the care and supervision required for his well-being. According to the affidavit, she was detained on a third-degree felony child negligence charge with no grave bodily harm and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Facility without incident.
The Florida Department of Children and Families was also notified about the event.
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