A woman in Sunrise, Florida, has been arrested after allegedly leaving her two young children in an Uber for hours. According to the police, the mother, who is also accused of having a few drinks at a local restaurant, left her kids to go to a shopping plaza. She is now facing charges that could lead to years in prison.
As reported by WPLG, the incident occurred on Friday, February 13. In newly released footage, Sunrise police officers are seen responding to Northwest 50th Street after receiving a 911 call about the children.
The Uber driver, who remained unnamed, was the one who called the authorities, alleging that their mother, then identified as 32-year-old Emily Sabogal, had left them in his vehicle. A report detailed that the driver told police that he had picked up Sabogal and her children, ages 3 and 4, from a nearby shopping plaza.
Reportedly, the family had been at Bob G’s Wings N’ Things on Commercial Boulevard. Employees told the cops that, while the kids were left unsupervised, she drank multiple alcoholic beverages at the restaurant’s bar.
Once inside the Uber, Sabogal was allegedly holding a container filled with liquor. At one point during the trip, the Florida woman reached over the center console and grabbed the Uber driver’s phone, investigators said. She then canceled the ride and gave him $10 cash, telling him to stop near Northwest 108th Avenue and 50th Street.
Mother Found, Arrested
According to police, Sabogal left the vehicle and told the driver she would return briefly, leaving her kids behind. An hour passed, and seeing that the mother was nowhere to be found, the Uber driver called her. She insisted she would be back in just a few minutes. She didn’t, and another hour passed. After the driver called her multiple times, to no avail, he finally contacted the cops.
Bodycam footage shows responding police officers interacting with the children, both of whom were unharmed and even in good spirits. Miles away, however, Sabogal was found walking outside a McDonald’s.
Police questioned the Florida mother, who claimed her phone had “died,” as per NBC6. She then added, “I have to make [expletive] happen for both of them. I know it sounds stupid right now, but I don’t have a car. My kids are everything to me.”
Users were furious, as was the children’s father, who is “very concerned” for their safety. He intends to seek full custody, as this is not the first time Sabogal has acted erratically, he said.
“What a loser. I hope the dad gets full custody,” one user said. Another one commented, “To leave your kids with a total stranger???? They’re so fortunate he was a good guy!” Another one added, “Nobody that do this is ok. God protects the kids.”
Sabogal was arrested and charged with child neglect and abandonment. She was subsequently released from jail after posting her $3,000 bond. If convicted, she could face up to 5 years in prison for the neglect charge alone, given that the children were not harmed.
