South Miami mother charged with child neglect after daughter found wandering twice

A South Miami mother was charged with child neglect after police found her 5-year-old daughter wandering unattended at a Family Dollar store on two occasions within a week, WSVN reported.

The child, who is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum, was found wearing a soiled diaper and unable to communicate with officers during both incidents, according to WSVN. The girl had a cellphone that rang while officers were assisting her, and the mother was the caller attempting to locate her.

The mother told police she was cleaning her apartment when she realized her daughter was missing and that she knew the child had a history of wandering off, WSVN said. Surveillance footage from the apartment complex leasing office was reviewed in an attempt to find the child’s whereabouts.

Four days after the first incident, the child was again found alone at the same Family Dollar, wearing only a T-shirt and a soiled diaper, and was seen running in the parking lot behind the store, according to WSVN. The mother was located and taken into custody at her apartment complex.

CBS News Miami also reported on the arrest, noting the mother was accused of repeated child neglect incidents by South Miami police.