Holiday Woman Left Toddler in Vehicle, Police Say

A New Port Richey police officer learned Tuesday of a toddler left in a Land Rover at the Publix at 5127 U.S. 19, New Port Richey.

Someone called the police and said the 2.5 –year-old boy was in the car without an adult, the windows were up and the car was not running, according to an arrest report from the New Port Richey Police Department.

By the time the police officer got to the Rover, Brittany Nicely, 26, was there. She said she left a child in the vehicle while she went to the store. She said she did it “because he had just fallen asleep” and she did not want to wake him, according to the report.

It was 75 degrees outside and 95 to 100 degrees inside the Rover, according to the report. The boy had defecated himself.

 Nicely, of 4233 Oakfield Dr, Holiday, was arrested Tuesday and charged with child neglect. She was booked into the Land O’ Lakes jail but later released after posting $5,000 bond.