Port St. Lucie parents charged with leaving 7-month-old baby in car
November 11th, 2009 by TCPalm.comMARTIN COUNTY — Two Port St. Lucie parents were charged with child neglect after shoppers noticed their 7-month-old girl had been left alone in an unlocked car for half an hour Monday, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said.
Monica Alastra, 33, and Walter Lugo, 32, were taken into custody after they had been shopping at a fabric store in the 3500 block of Southwest Federal Way, Jensen Beach. They each posted $5,000 bail Monday.
Someone called 911 shortly after 7 p.m. when they noticed the infant was in the Toyota minivan in the store parking lot, the Sheriff’s Office said. Deputy Lynn Martella said she found the parents inside the store with a 3-year-old child.
“They seemed relatively calm. They saw that I was holding their child and they were looking at me and they wanted to know, could they have their baby and I said no,” the deputy said. “I said, ‘You understand you’re both going to be placed under arrest,’ and that is when they became upset.”
The infant in the minivan was sweaty and agitated, but did not require medical attention, the deputy said. The Department of Children and Families gave both children to another family member, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Alastra and Lugo told the deputy they had used poor judgment, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
WPTV Channel 5 contributed to this report.
Lamaur Stancil, TCPalm.com
Tags: abuse, arrest, baby, hot car, temperature
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November 11th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
How stupid can you be as a parent! When will people learn. If you do not want to be bother with children, like taking them to the store or other places, leave them with someone or better yet dont have any kids. To have kids mean to be selfless, is no longer about you! Again, how stupid!
November 11th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Thank God that the police got the baby and not some sex offender. OMG what were they thinking?
November 11th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I really, really wish that some people just stop breeding.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
These parent clearly did not want to bother with there daughter anymore. I will be in the best interest of the child to be given to someone who will love her and not try to get rid of her.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
When I heard the beginning of this story on the news I got ill. Then I heard that the baby was found alive. Praise God. Now keep those children away from the ‘parents.’ Please don’t let them fall through the cracks of children’s services where so many children do.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
To think, we have to make another law. Wear your seatbelts, don’t talk on your cell phones, and don’t forget your children. Parents better get their priorities in order. Parent me Parent!
November 12th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I raised my son by myself when he was an infant..With all that I had to deal with I never ONCE FORGOT about him, or thought it was too much of a bother to take him with me. I struggled but I always put him first which is what parents are supposed to do. I hope these parents loose custody of both of their children. They don’t deserve to have them.