A mother in Sunny Isles Beach was arrested on Thursday for allegedly leaving her 10-year-old daughter inside a hot car for six hours.
Pia Haynes, 40, is facing charges of child neglect without bodily harm, according to the arrest affidavit. According to court records, she is currently being held on a $1,000 bond.
At around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, authorities responded to a report of a child left unattended in a vehicle at a parking lot in Sunny Isles Beach, located in the northeast area of Miami-Dade County.
Upon the officers’ arrival, they discovered the presence of the girl in a white Toyota RAV4. She was crying and confused as to why her mother left her alone for so long, fearing that she would be kidnapped because she had been there for six hours, thirsty and hungry, the affidavit said.
When officers started questioning the girl, she explained that her mom, Haynes, had told her to stay in the vehicle and assured her that she would be back in a few hours.
Unfortunately, the woman never returned. After providing her home address, the girl cooperated with the police, who promptly proceeded to the nearby apartment.
As per the affidavit, when the officers reached Haynes’ apartment, she opened the door without any clothes on and seemed perplexed by their arrival. When questioned by the officers about her daughter’s location, Haynes informed the police that her child was “resting on the couch.”
After conducting a search of the apartment, it was discovered that no children were present. Haynes appeared taken aback by this revelation and inquired about the whereabouts of her daughter.
Following the discovery of her daughter inside a car, alone, scared, and hungry for several hours, Haynes attempted to provide an explanation.
However, she was ultimately apprehended and subsequently sent to county jail. Sunny Isles Beach removed her explanation from the affidavit and did not offer any additional information.
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