DeLand Woman Arrested for Leaving Child in Hot Car

A 3-year-old remained in critical condition Monday after a DeLand woman left the child unattended in a vehicle for approximately two hours Sunday afternoon.

DeLand Police received a 911 call at 4:32 p.m. Sunday reporting an unresponsive child in the 300 block of New York Avenue. A bystander had already started CPR when firefighters arrived. Paramedics transported the child by ground to a local hospital.

Police arrested Latana Williams, 27, and charged her with child neglect, a first-degree felony. Investigators determined Williams left the child in her vehicle while visiting a plasma donation center nearby. Williams denied wrongdoing.

Captain P. Dice, who responded to the scene, credited the bystander's quick action with potentially saving the child's life. "Please take this as a reminder to always check your back seats," Dice said. "Give yourself enough time when you're traveling so you're not in a rush when you arrive at your destination."

Sunday's temperature in DeLand reached 89 degrees. Inside a closed vehicle, temperatures can rise 20 degrees in 10 minutes, even with windows cracked. After 30 minutes, interior temperatures can exceed 120 degrees.

Conviction on a first-degree felony charge of child neglect in Florida carries up to 30 years in prison.

The DeLand Police Department urges anyone with information about the incident to call 386-626-7400.