A woman is accused of dropping off her 5-year-old son at a park and leaving him alone for more than 40 minutes, Haines City police said.
Vanquesha Helms, 25, was arrested Wednesday.
A witness said she saw the boy being dropped off by himself at Eight-Acre Park about 10:35 a.m. The witness gave the boy a bottle of water and flagged down officers.
There was no one else in the park at the time, police said.
Police said the boy told them his mother might be at work at Burger King. Officers were waiting when Helms returned about 11:17 a.m.
She told them she had gone to the store to get some drinks and lost track of time. Officers said she said she saw nothing wrong with leaving the boy alone at the park.
She was charged with one count of child neglect. Bail was set at $2,500.
The Department of Children and Families has placed a no-contact order on Helms, and the boy is in his father's custody.
Helms was previously arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft of a firearm, battery, dealing in stolen property, burglary to an occupied dwelling and disorderly conduct.
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