A woman is behind bars after her 5-year-old girl was found screaming for help inside a car early Monday in Ives Estates in Miami-Dade County, according to authorities.
A woman is behind bars after her 5-year-old girl was found screaming for help inside a car early Monday in Ives Estates in Miami-Dade County, according to authorities.
According to an arrest report, a witness called 911 at around 2 a.m. when she heard the little girl yelling, “Somebody help me!” from inside a car parked at 1601 Northeast 191st Street.
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The witness said the girl was alone, unattended and strapped in her car seat.
After the witness got her out, police showed up and the child showed them the apartment where she lived.
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That’s where police found the suspect, 33-year-old Valerie Victoria Vincente, “who appeared to be in a sound sleep, was not dressed, disoriented and seemed to be intoxicated," the report said.
Vincente became uncooperative, requested her attorney and was then arrested, police said.
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According to authorities, after Vincente's arrest, the 5-year-old explained to police that she went to a bonfire with her mother and fell asleep on the way home. When she woke up, she was alone in their car and tried to unbuckle herself from her car seat but was not able to.
The child started screaming for help because she was scared and hungry, the arrest report said.
“She explained the nice lady got her out of the car because she showed her how to open the door,” the report said.
The girl told police which car was theirs, pointing to a blue BMW that was “improperly parked” and that had “an empty bottle of wine” on the floorboard in the backseat, authorities said.
Police said the window on the passenger side closest to the car seat was also partially lowered. It's unclear how long the child was alone in the car.
Vincente was charged with child neglect without great bodily harm.
In court, a judge initially issued a stay away order from the child but the judge then reversed course and allowed supervised visits for Vincente.
“You cannot have any unsupervised contact with her, ok? And you cannot be physically threatening or violent with her. But you’re not responsible. I don't know what’s going on with you with alcohol or drinking or what not. Or you are just too tired but you left a child locked in the car," Judge Mindy Glazer said.
Vincente was released from jail. She didn't answer her door on Tuesday.
