La’Tana Williams, Florida woman insists she isn’t a bad mother after leaving 3-year-old daughter in hot car for 2 hours unattended at Deland parking lot as parent now faces felony child neglect charges. Child was observed in critical distressed state by passerby who called 911.
A Florida mom faces child neglect charges for leaving her 3-year-old daughter in a hot car unattended for 2 hours over the weekend at a DeLand parking lot.
La’Tana Williams, 27, was arrested on Sunday afternoon, May 31, after DeLand Police officers found the three-year-old girl left alone in a hot car for two hours, the department said.
Notice of the calamity came after a witness noticed the ‘distressed’ unattended child in the vehicle and called police, requesting an ambulance.
Passerby calls 911 after noticing distressed child in hot car
‘We need an ambulance here right now. Please hurry,’ the caller said. The caller said he didn’t know if the girl was breathing, reporting she was having a seizure and turning blue, according to the 911 call the department released, FOX35 reported.
When first responders arrived around 4:30 p.m., the girl, 3, was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The girl’s outlook appeared positive, police reported. She was treated for heat exhaustion, including elevated body temperature and lethargy, an arrest affidavit stated.
Williams has since contested having left the girl for no more than 30 minutes while visiting a local plasma donation center.
‘It couldn’t have been over 30 minutes, and the car was on. “I was on FaceTime with her the entire time,’ the parent is alleged to have said at the time of her arrest according to WFTV9.
Adding, ‘I would never hurt my child.’
DeLand, Florida mom insists she isn’t a bad mom as more charges to follow
The temperature in DeLand around three Sunday afternoon was approximately 88 degrees. At that temperature, the inside of a car that was shut off would’ve climbed to at least 124 degrees within a half hour, and approximately 130 degrees within an hour, according to data compiled by advocacy group NoHeatStroke.org.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research shows a child’s body begins to shut down when its internal temperature reaches 104 degrees, with death occurring at 107 degrees.
Investigators said Williams did not have the car running and was not inside for just 30 minutes. They said Williams discovered her daughter unresponsive. Bystanders called 911 and administered CPR.
‘I would never hurt my child, ever,’ Williams reiterated. ‘I’m not a bad mother… This was a medical emergency, and y’all turned it into a crime scene.’
Williams has been charged with felony child neglect. Investigators said more charges could be forthcoming.
