Two Arizona mothers allegedly left their four children in a car at a parking lot for more than 45 minutes while they went drinking at a nearby bar. Police have charged the unnamed mothers with child abuse with criminal negligence.
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According to the Glendale Police Department (GPD), the incident took place at around 11 p.m. on March 8, 2025. The GPD released bodycam footage of the incident on social media on May 15.
As shown in the video, police officers arrived at a parking lot located in the Westgate Entertainment District. They had received a call about a small child running through the parking lot by herself. No adults were in sight.
Several concerned witnesses were accompanying the kids at the time, with one woman flagging down the officers.
“We found her going up and down here. She took us to the car,” the woman said.
Upon inspecting the vehicle, the officers found that there were four kids in total. One of them, a baby, began crying, and bodycam footage shows an officer feeding the baby with a bottle found in the vehicle.
Upon inspecting the glove box for an ID, one of the officers found a bag of marijuana, which could have been easily accessed by the children.
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Eventually, both mothers finally appeared. Bodycam footage shows both women arguing that they were only gone for 10 to 15 minutes. However, an officer disputed her claim.
“That’s a lie,” the officer answered. “We’ve been standing with these kids for over 45 minutes by themselves.”
As per the GPD, both women “smelled like alcohol, had slurred speech.” One of them initially claimed that they only went away to use the restroom. However, when confronted by the police officer, she admitted to drinking at a bar with the other mother.
Faced with her inevitable arrest and authorities taking away her children, one of the mothers broke down in tears.
“Please don’t take my kids away from me,” the woman said. “Like seriously, they’re the only things I’ve got. I know this is super, super bad, I promise. Can I please just walk over to my baby? My heart’s about to explode.”
The police officer didn’t hear her pleas. Both women, as per 12News, were charged with child abuse with criminal negligence. All four kids were placed in the custody of the Department of Child Safety. Prosecution for the case, as per the outlet, was suspended after the women agreed to participate in a parenting skills felony diversion program.
“We’re thankful to the Good Samaritans who stepped in and did the right thing,” the GPD wrote. “It’s a strong reminder: leaving kids alone—especially while under the influence—is not only irresponsible, it’s illegal.”