TITUSVILLE, Fla. - A Florida man and woman were arrested after allegedly leaving an infant alone in a car while both were inside a PETCO store, according to the Titusville Police Department.
Affidavit: Infant found crying and hot in a car while caregivers shopped
What we know:
Zoey Connor, 26, and Ethan Humes, 28, were arrested Thursday on charges of child neglect after allegedly leaving an infant in the backseat of a car for nearly 20 minutes, while the two walked around a PETCO store, according to the arrest report.
On Oct. 29, a witness called 911 to report that she had found a baby girl alone in the backseat of a car that had been covered with a blanket, was crying, and appeared to be sweaty and red, the report said. The witness added that the car was not on.
She told police that the child had been in the car for at least 5 minutes before she called 911.
Police and paramedics responded to the PETCO parking lot, near Columbia Blvd. and Windover Trail, and pulled the child out of the car and moved her to an air-conditioned patrol vehicle. Paramedics checked the infant out and determined she was not seriously hurt.
Officers went inside the PETCO, where they found Connor and Humes, the child's caretakers. Surveillance videos showed that the two had been inside the store for roughly 20 minutes, according to the report.
Both Connor and Humes were arrested. The infant was later released to a parent, the official said.
What we don't know:
The report does not specify the relationship between Connor and Humes regarding the baby.
Caretakers: The trip was only supposed to take 5 to 10 minutes
The other side:
According to the arrest report, it appears Connor and Humes were babysitting the child, and had another child with them.
Humes said they usually do not leave the house with the infant, which is why it "completely slipped his mind" once they arrived at the store. He admitted that he also "did not think to look in the back seat," as the other child was able to get himself in and out of the vehicle, the report said.
"He [Humes] said he would never intentionally cause any harm to (the infant) and feels extreme guilt about what occurred, as something like this has never happened to him before," the report said. He estimated they were in the store for 5-10 minutes, but was not actively keeping track of time, the report said.
Connor was arrested for child neglect. On Friday, a judge granted her a $50,000 bond.
Humes was arrested for child neglect and leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle because he admitted to being the driver.
What they're saying:
"We are incredibly grateful for the concerned citizen who recognized a potentially dangerous situation and took immediate action," said Police Chief Tyler Wright in a statement. "This incident serves as an important reminder that protecting our most vulnerable community members is a shared responsibility. A single decision to speak up can prevent a tragedy and potentially save a life."
The Source: This article was written with information gathered by a news release and arrest reports by the Titusville Police Department.