Pit bull left to "babysit" 10-month-old child, Fla. man arrested

(CBS) PALM COAST, Fla. - A 41-year-old northeast Florida man, James Irvine, faces child neglect charges after he allegedly left an infant in the care of a pit bull while he went out to drink Friday night. 

The mother of the 10-month-old child left the baby in Irvine's care when she left for work on Nov. 30, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. However, Irvine soon abandoned the child to go out to a bar.

The child's mother reportedly became alarmed after she tried contacting Irvine several times Friday night. When Irvine finally picked up the mother's phone calls he reportedly told her "I'm watching the game," before hanging up, the newspaper reports.

When the mother arrived home, she discovered Irvine trying to get back into the house through the garage door.

According to the News-Journal, citing a Flagler County sheriff's report, Irvine told her that he had not "left the baby alone," because the "pit bull was watching the baby."

The dog was sitting outside the room where the child was left. The door was shut, and the child was allegedly crying, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.

Irvine was arrested and brought to the Flagler County Inmate Facility. He was later released on $1,500 bail, the newspaper reports.