A Florida father thought his two children were safe with his former partner, but a call from police reportedly unearthed some bizarre behavior. The Sunrise Police Department responded to a call from an Uber driver around 11 p.m. on February 13, 2026. The driver claimed Emily Sabogal, 32, appeared intoxicated when she abandoned her two kids in the Uber. Sunrise Police officers ultimately caught up with Sabogal at an area McDonald’s and arrested her. The children’s father just wants Sabogal to get help and to work toward a brighter future for herself and their children.
WPLG reported Sunrise Police responded to a call on Northwest 50th Street regarding Sabogal’s children. The driver said Sabogal called for a ride at a nearby shopping center where she was with her two young kids, who are 3 and 4 years old. The driver alleged that when he picked her up, she had a cup in her hand that he believed had alcohol in it. Just after the ride began, the driver said Sabogal grabbed his phone and canceled the ride. She reportedly gave him $10 and asked him to stop the car. She said she’d be back in three minutes.
Sabogal went missing for more than an hour. The driver said he called her and she said she’d be back in 12 minutes. This time, the Uber driver wasted no time and called the police. They caught up with her at a nearby McDonald’s, and according to a police report, she couldn’t explain why she left her kids or how she got to the restaurant.
Police spoke with staff at Bob G’s Wings N’ Things on Commercial Boulevard, who confirmed Sabogal dines at the restaurant regularly and had come in with her kids that night. They also claimed she had consumed a significant amount of alcohol.
WPLG spoke with the father of Sabogal’s children, who declined to share his identity. He said he learned of the alleged incident from his mother.
“The sergeant called my mom, explaining that my children’s mom was arrested and that she had left the children inside an Uber driver’s car while she was drunk or getting drunk,” he said.
The father added that he is deeply concerned about his children and wants Sabogal to get help. Sadly, he claims this isn’t the first time alcohol has caused an issue for Sabogal.
“Moving forward, she needs help. I don’t understand how someone in their right mind would do something like this,” he said. “She’s obviously not OK, and this needs to end.”
No clear-thinking mother would leave her kids in an Uber with a stranger for $10. We agree with her ex. She needs help, and hopefully, it can spark a big change for the young mom.
Prosecutors charged Sabogal with child neglect and abandonment. She posted a $3,000 bond and was released from jail.
