Mom allegedly left 1-year-old in car during Florida heat wave when she went to a bar
06/30/2022 12:53 pm PDT
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (TCD) -- A 27-year-old woman was taken into custody after she allegedly left her young daughter in a hot car while she drank at a local sports bar.
According to WEAR-TV, on Saturday, June 25, Madison Hart reportedly went to Tickets Sports Bar on North Davis Highway and stayed for approximately 20 minutes. Tickets employees and other patrons tried to prevent her from leaving because she appeared intoxicated.
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons told WEAR deputies took Hart into custody on a Myers Act, which, according to the Florida Attorney General’s Office, is what occurs when a law enforcement officer "detains a person who he believes is intoxicated and in need of emergency service." It does not count as an arrest, but "such detention constitutes taking the person into protective custody for the protection of the individual’s health and safety."
Hart allegedly told deputies she got a ride to the bar and did not mention her 1-year-old daughter, who was still in the car.
A deputy reportedly called one of Hart’s family members, and they said Hart had her daughter with her. WKRG-TV reports Escambia County deputies reportedly went back to Tickets and found the little girl. They reportedly broke the windows in order to get her out. She was reportedly suffering from "heat-related illness."
According to WKRG, the 1-year-old girl was left in the midst of a heat wave, but she is expected to make a full recovery.
After locating the girl, deputies arrested Hart on a charge of neglect of a child with great bodily harm.
Escambia County Jail records show she is being held on $15,000 bond.
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