Mom Allegedly Left Toddler Alone In SUV While She Was Drinking In Bar

A Connecticut woman wound up in police custody after allegedly leaving her 22-month-old son alone in a vehicle while she was out drinking.

The incident occurred in Norwalk, Connecticut, late Saturday evening.

Fortunately a passerby noticed that the boy was all by himself: “According to a police report, a witness told officers he was walking along Washington Street around 11:45 p.m., when he noticed a young child sleeping in the passenger seat of a locked Mazda SUV. Frightened for the child, the witness said he waited by the car for 30 minutes hoping the parents would return. However, when no one showed up, he decided to call the police to get assistance.”

Officers were able to open up the door and remove the child, who appeared healthy. About 10 minutes later, the mom showed up “and had a smell of alcoholic beverages on her. Police say she said she had only been away from the car for a couple minutes and didn’t understand what the ‘commotion was about,'” the Weston Forum reported. According to a witness, the woman was seen having drinks at a local bar earlier that night.

Officers charged the suspect, who is identified in multiple media reports as Christina Failla, 32, with risk of injury to a minor, according to NBC Connecticut.

After being brought to the Norwalk Police Department, the suspect allegedly became combative with officers. She was then transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

Originally held on a $5,000 bond, the suspect was released on a promise to appear and is due back in court on August 27. The toddler’s grandfather, who lives with the father, took custody of the child.

Elsewhere in Connecticut, a dad who allegedly left his baby daughter in a 130-degree car for about a half hour last month is facing a charge of risk of injury to a minor.

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