It’s important for moms to find time to relax, but not when it can be dangerous for their kids. Police arrested mother in Florida and charged her with multiple felony counts after she allegedly left her kids in a car to dance at a bar. The kids, ranging in age from 8 years to 10 months, reportedly sat in the idling car while their mother had a good time.
People were concerned for the children’s well-being, which prompted someone to call the police. Now the children are in the care of family while the mother deals with the consequences of her actions.
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The bar staff called the police.
Around 9:20 p.m. on December 16, 2024, someone from the Apple Lounge & Grill called 911 to report that a woman tried to bring a child into a bar, the Miami Herald reported. Investigators say they find four children alone in the car when they arrived.
The mother had been at the bar for approximately an hour when the police showed up.
According to a news release by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the mother is 36-year-old Tiffany Shanta Simmons.
“An employee of the lounge told a PCSO detective that Simmons arrived sometime in the eight o’clock hour with a young boy. Simmons was told that nobody under 21-years of age was permitted in the lounge, so she said she would take the boy outside to wait with his father,” the news release read.
The mother returned to the bar fairly quickly.
After about 15 minutes, the mother returned to the bar, ordering a drink and food. While she was drinking vodka and dancing, bar staff were suspicious about what happened to the child. So they began searching cars in the parking lot and found Simmons’ car. They said four children were inside: a 10-month old girl, 3-year old boy, 5-year old girl, and an 8-year old boy. The car was reportedly idling with the children inside.
According to the police, detectives contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families, and created a “safety plan” for the kids. They are all now in the care of other family members. In a Facebook post, PCSO announced that staff from the bar will buy the kids Christmas presents.
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The police released a statement about the incident.
“Tiffany Simmons has a history of bad decisions, and this one is the latest. She left these four beautiful children, alone…in an idling vehicle, parked in a dimly lit parking lot, and outside of a lounge. All the while, she’s inside drinking vodka. The oldest child had a cell phone with no phone service, and he didn’t know how to call 911 in an emergency. Simmons’ actions are infuriating and reprehensible,” Sheriff Grady Judd said in the news release.
Now, she's facing multiple charges.
“Throughout the investigation, she appeared intoxicated, was belligerent, uncooperative, and physically defiant. While being taken into custody, Simmons kicked a deputy,” police said.
The mother faces multiple counts, including four counts of felony negligent child abuse, felony battery on a law enforcement officer, and three counts of leaving children unattended in a motor vehicle for more than 15 minutes. Officials stated that she was also cited with leaving an unattended vehicle idling with the keys in the ignition.
