Child found alone at Miami Beach park; mom faces child neglect, drug charges
MIAMI - A Miami Beach mom is facing charges after police found her 5-year-old son alone Thursday at a park and then discovered drugs in her possession.
Alize Angel Rodriguez, 20, faces child neglect, possession of Xanax without a prescription and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, according to police.
Miami Beach Police officers were dispatched to 1200 block of Meridian Avenue after a caller reported a child left alone in a park.
Witnesses told police they saw a 5-year-old boy, alone in the playground area. One witness said he stayed with the child for up to an hour before calling police.
The child told officers his mom left him alone in the park when he misbehaved.
Officers located Rodriguez, who was seen walking south on Meridian Avenue and took her into custody.
Witnesses reported that Rodriguez appeared incoherent and possibly under the influence of drugs.
Police later recovered Rodriguez's bag, which a witness saw her throw away in nearby bushes.
During a search of the bag, officers found a food stamp card belonging to Rodriguez's grandmother, 11 small paper bags, six medium-sized paper bags, three multicolored mylar pouches, loose cannabis and Xanax pills.
Rodriguez denied being under the influence of drugs.
She was transported to the Miami Beach holding facility and later transferred to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK).
The child was taken to the Miami Beach Police Station and released to his grandmother.
