News footage of the St. Petersburg, Fla., neighborhood where Ly Thien Pham allegedly left her baby in her car (WFLA).
A Florida mother is out on bond after police said she left her 1-year-old in a hot car alone for about half an hour while she picked up a food order for Uber Eats.
Ly Thien Pham, 40, was charged with child abuse after she allegedly left her 1-year-old son in her car by himself while working as a food delivery driver for Uber Eats. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local NBC affiliate WFLA, Pham brought her son with her to pick up an order at a restaurant in St. Petersburg, Florida, at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Police said Pham parked her car and left the little boy in the backseat. Local CBS affiliate WTSP reported that she turned the engine off, leaving the boy without any air conditioning, and turned on the hazard lights.
When Pham left the restaurant, she claimed that she forgot where she parked.
The St. Petersburg Police Department said Pham got lost after picking up the food order and wandered the downtown neighborhood looking for her vehicle. Almost 30 minutes after she left her little boy alone, she found her car with the help of law enforcement.
Police said the boy was sweating profusely when they found him. He was brought to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital for treatment while his mother was brought to the Pinellas County Jail. The boy was later placed in the custody of his aunt.
According to online court records, Pham posted $10,000 bond on Monday and was released from jail. She was ordered not to have any contact with the boy’s aunt regarding the boy. Her next court date was not available.
