DeLand police said a 27-year-old woman left her 3-year-old daughter unattended in a hot car for several hours Sunday afternoon while she donated blood at a plasma center. The child was found unresponsive when the woman returned to the vehicle around 4:32 p.m., according to a Facebook post from the DeLand Police Department.
“I started to cry because I didn’t think I was going to be able to get her back,” Rosemary Roile said. She provided CPR to the child after emergency responders arrived, recalling becoming emotional when the girl regained consciousness.
The girl was rushed to a hospital in critical condition with symptoms consistent with heat exhaustion. DeLand police determined Latana Williams left the child unattended for approximately two hours on a day when temperatures reached 84 degrees. Police noted Williams claimed she had the air conditioning running and monitored her daughter via FaceTime, but they believed the car’s ignition was turned off.
Williams was arrested Sunday and charged with child neglect, a first-degree felony. She denied wrongdoing.
“Please take this as a reminder to always check your back seats,” said Captain Prurince Dice, one of the officers who responded. “Give yourself enough time when you’re traveling so you’re not in a rush when you arrive at your destination.”
Police stated the child would likely recover but did not specify her condition.
