Gainesville mom accused of leaving child in hot car

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A mother who left her 2-year-old child in a hot car while shopping at Walmart has been arrested, Florida authorities said.

Marsha Ouwigho, 20, was charged with child neglect, The Gainesville Sun reported.

Witnesses called authorities Saturday afternoon after they saw the girl strapped in the backseat. The temperature outside was about 85 degrees, but it was nearly 113 degrees when the child was inside, according to the incident report.

Authorities were able to get the girl out of the car in about 17 minutes. They said she was sweating but otherwise unharmed.

The mother had been inside the store for about 25 minutes before she was called over the store’s public address system to come outside. She told police she had only been in the store for a few minutes, and that the girl was sleeping in her seat when she arrived.