Florida Mom Accused Of Leaving Toddler In Hot Car While Shopping At Macy's

PALM BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) - A mother accused of leaving her toddler in a hot car while she shopped at the Wellington Green Mall has been charged with child neglect.

Palm Beach sheriff's deputies were called to the mall on Monday afternoon when someone spotted the child locked inside a car. The little girl was strapped into her car seat in the back seat, sweating and crying, according to an arrest report.

One deputy broke a window and removed the child. Paramedics found she had a temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit and was treated at the scene and expected to be okay.

According to the arrest report, 32-year-old Thamyres Ponce left her two-year-old daughter in the car for nearly 30 minutes while she shopped in Macy's.

Ponce was released on bond Monday night. According to court records she had no previous criminal history.

More than 39 children die in hot cars every year, according to safety organizations.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)