Polk County woman left child in hot car, drove off without car seat, police say

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Polk County woman was arrested after police said she left a 3-year-old child in a hot car during an appointment after telling staff that a family member would pick up the child, according to the Lake Wales Police Department.

Jykerria Allen, 29, of Lake Wales, was at a health clinic Thursday morning when the staff said she couldn’t take the child into the back office during her appointment, police said.

Allen allegedly told the staff members that she would have a family member pick up the child, but instead put the child back in the car for an hour.

A witness heard the child crying and notified the staff at the clinic. Police said the temperature in the car when the child was removed was 93 degrees.

After being informed that the police were called, Allen left with the child, police said.

Officers saw Allen driving her car after leaving. A traffic stop revealed that the child was in the car unrestrained and there was no car seat in the vehicle, according to police.

The child was not injured and was given to another adult family member.

Allen was charged with child neglect, leaving a child in an unattended vehicle for over 15 minutes, and was also given a traffic citation for having an unrestrained child.

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