Authorities reported that two intoxicated mothers left four young children, including a baby, unattended in a vehicle containing a significant amount of marijuana.
An unnamed mother was apprehended after officers noticed a small child wandering in a Glendale, Arizona parking lot around 11 PM on March 8. Body cam footage later revealed their interaction.
“We found her running around here,” the woman told officers about the child. “She led us to the car.”
The officers discovered three distressed children inside the vehicle.
“They located a bag of marijuana in the glove compartment, which was out of the children’s reach,” police stated. One officer commented in disbelief, “Seriously?”
Authorities spent nearly 45 minutes searching for the children’s parents before the women approached and claimed to be their mothers.
Both women had the scent of alcohol on them and struggled to communicate clearly, according to police reports.
The video captured a moment where an officer confronted one of the women: “Your child has been here for hours.” The mother seemed confused and claimed their brief visit to Salt Tacos y Tequila Bar was just to use the restroom.
Officers stood with the children for more than 45 minutes before the women finally arrived.
During the exchange, one mother became emotional and pleaded, “Don’t take my child away from me. They’re everything I have. This is really bad, I promise… my heart is about to explode.”
Both mothers were arrested and charged with child neglect. The children were subsequently taken to a local hospital for evaluations.
The police have not disclosed the identity of a woman involved in a childcare program who interrupted the proceedings.
