Deputies: Woman Left Toddler in Hot Car

A New Port Richey woman stands accused of leaving a 2 1/2-year-old girl unattended in a locked car in a Walmart parking lot with the windows up and no air conditioning.

Sarah Lacy left her child in the car for 24 minutes in the afternoon on Sunday, April 7, according to an arrest report from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The report says it was 81 degrees outside the car.

The report says Lacy went to her car to get a debit car at one point during this incident and then went back into the store.

Someone saw the girl in the car and informed store employees.

There were at least five announcements made on the store overhead speakers as both the sheriff’s office and fire rescue responded to the scene.

Fire rescue broke out a window to retrieve the girl, the report said.

Paramedics say toddler was hot to the touch, red in color and wet with sweat. She was taken to a hospital. 

When questioned by authorities, Lacy gave several stories, the report said. One was that call from her boyfriend jogged her memory about the girl in the car.

Her cell phone revealed five calls between Lacy and her boyfriend while she was in the store. One lasted 10 minutes.

Lacy was arrested and charged with child neglect. She was booked into the Land O’ Lakes jail and remained there Monday in lieu of $5,000 bail.