Florida Mom Arrested After Leaving Kid In Car To Go Get Drunk: Police

A Florida woman is facing charges for allegedly leaving her 7-year-old daughter in a vehicle for hours to go get drunk, according to local authorities.

The DeLand Police Department said an officer got a call around 3 a.m. Sunday (October 29) about a child looking for her mother, 35-year-old Veronica Elliott, outside The Perfect Spot Bar. Investigators learned the girl was left inside an unlocked car in a "dark parking lot with no lights," a news release reads.

While an officer stayed with the 7-year-old, other cops started looking for the parent along with a K-9 unit. Around 6:30 a.m., Elliot reportedly walked up to officers at the scene and asked what time it was, police wrote. Officers described the woman as "covered in dirt," missing her shoes, and swaying back and forth. They also noted that she was slurring speech and movements indicated she was under the influence.

Elliot told police she was surprised at the time and claimed she only meant to be away for 10 minutes.

She was arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm. The 35-year-old mother was booked into Volusia County Branch Jail and released the following day, according to online jail records. Police said the Department of Child & Families took custody of her daughter.

Just last month, another Florida woman was arrested after leaving her toddler and baby inside a running car while she visited a bar with a friend.