May 1, 2008 10:38 pm US/Eastern
Mom Accused Of Leaving Baby In Hot Car
Natalie Johnson Faces A Child Abuse Charge
AVENTURA (CBS4) ―
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29-year Natalie Johnson is accused of leaving her 6-week old son alone in a hot car for half an hour while she went shopping.
CBS
A South Florida mother accused of leaving her 6-week old baby inside a hot car was taken into custody and charged with child abuse on Thursday.
Aventura Police were called to a shopping center at 21165 Biscayne Boulevard around 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon after several people heard a baby crying inside a locked car; its windows cracked only about two inches.
Customers were trying to help, when his mother, 29-year Natalie Johnson, showed up.
"Guests were trying to help as much as they possibly could," said Courtney Ford, who works at Target.
But according to witnesses, Johnson put up a fight and wouldn't let anyone get in her way as she tried to leave the parking lot. They say she told people to mind their own business and tried to leave.
"The lady put her basket here and tried to make sure that she couldn't get out," said Ford. "She (Johnson) didn't care, so she backed up and hit the cart out of the way, and attempted to go forward; and when she went forward another lady jumped in front of her car, and that's when the police were coming down that way.
Rescue crew members checked the child and immediately transported him to Joe Dimaggio's Chilren's Hospital in Hollywood where he was treated dehydration and then released. Johnson reportedly left the baby alone in the car for half an hour while she went shopping at Target and Best Buy.
She was arrested and charged with a single count of child abuse; bond was set at $50-thousand.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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