Overview
- DeLand officers arrested 27-year-old Latana Williams after police say her 3-year-old was left unattended in a vehicle on the 300 block of East New York Avenue and later found unresponsive.
- A bystander began CPR at the scene before DeLand Fire Department and Volusia County Fire Rescue arrived and the child was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
- Police say the child had been alone for about two hours while the woman visited a nearby plasma donation center, and Williams is facing a child neglect charge.
- Williams denies wrongdoing, the investigation is active, and the DeLand Police Department is asking anyone with information to call 386-626-7400.
- Capt. Prurince Dice urged drivers to check back seats and allow extra travel time to avoid similar incidents, a reminder that unlocked cars and hot conditions can quickly become life threatening for young children.