Mother left 5-month-old baby alone in car while stealing cheese

A central Florida woman almost got off scott-free after being accused of shoplifting, that is, until officers found out who she left behind in her car. Altamonte police said 31-year-old Anna Alvarez was caught putting food into her purse in a Publix grocery store on Friday. Store loss prevention said they witnessed Alvarez pay for two tomatoes but not the three packages of cheese she put into her purse.

"Officers got on the scene and were very compassionate to the situation. (They) started talking to the suspect she advised she stole the three packages of cheese for her 3-year-old son, who was hungry," said Altamonte Springs police spokesman Robert Pelton. Alvarez's 3-year-old was with his grandmother, according to police.

Publix decided not to prosecute her for shoplifting and were in the process of banning her from the store when she mentioned her other child, a 5-month-old who had been in the car the whole time. "Officers were escorting her out of the store, at that time she announced that for the last couple of hours she had left her 5-month-old unattended in the car," said Pelton.

The report said her 5-month-old was found screaming and crying in the back seat of Alvarez's car. "It was Friday night and it had gotten a little cool. There wasn't a blanket on the child, he had kicked it off and the child was cold to the touch as well," said Pelton. Police said the windows in Alvarez's car were up and the doors were locked. Alvarez was arrested on charges of child neglect. The 5-month-old was turned over to his father.

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