One mom’s worst nightmare turned reality last weekend, when the car carrying her 4-month baby was stolen during a 30-second stop at a cigar store. To boot, the mom was arrested and is due back in court next month.
Isis Roberson, 22, from Jacksonville, Florida, was out with her daughter. She stopped by a store and, though she usually takes the child with her, she thought she could leave her inside the car while she popped inside. She was watching the car this whole time, she tells News4Jax.
However, she made one huge mistake: she left the car unlocked and with the engine running. Roberson was inside the store for just 30 seconds, but it was more than enough for 2 men to steal the vehicle.
Police found the car abandoned in a dead end, with the baby locked inside. Roberson says she was told one officer had to break the window to get inside, and that the child was sweating “pretty bad.”
Roberson was charged with child neglect and booked into jail. She was released the next day on a $35,000 bond and is due back in court to be arraigned next month.
“I beat myself up first because I take her into the store every time with me. And the one time that I didn’t and I walked out (of) the store and my baby was gone,” Roberson says. “It's my first baby and I love her so much and I don’t want anyone to treat me like a criminal because I’m not. I just made a dumb mistake.”
When she’s due in court, Roberson plans to prove to the judge that she made an honest mistake and, more importantly, that she learned from it.
“If you think you can leave your baby in the car for just a second, just don’t do it because then you get pinned with child neglect charges when you love your baby,” the woman adds.
However, she made one huge mistake: she left the car unlocked and with the engine running. Roberson was inside the store for just 30 seconds, but it was more than enough for 2 men to steal the vehicle.
Police found the car abandoned in a dead end, with the baby locked inside. Roberson says she was told one officer had to break the window to get inside, and that the child was sweating “pretty bad.”
Roberson was charged with child neglect and booked into jail. She was released the next day on a $35,000 bond and is due back in court to be arraigned next month.
“I beat myself up first because I take her into the store every time with me. And the one time that I didn’t and I walked out (of) the store and my baby was gone,” Roberson says. “It's my first baby and I love her so much and I don’t want anyone to treat me like a criminal because I’m not. I just made a dumb mistake.”
When she’s due in court, Roberson plans to prove to the judge that she made an honest mistake and, more importantly, that she learned from it.
“If you think you can leave your baby in the car for just a second, just don’t do it because then you get pinned with child neglect charges when you love your baby,” the woman adds.