HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The Hollywood mother accused of leaving her 4-year-old child in a hot car is no longer facing charges.
According to the Broward County Clerk of Courts website, the third degree felony child neglect charge against Anastasiya Motalva has been disposed.
Body camera footage shows Hollywood police officers responding to the hot car incident on Sunday outside the Walmart off State Road 7.
Police said the 34-year-old mother left her child in the vehicle as she shopped inside the store for more than 30 minutes.
A window of the vehicle was said by police to have been slightly cracked, but the car was not running.
Police said the child had red, flushed skin and was sweating when first responders arrived.
According to the State Attorney Office, “The child was left unsupervised napping in the rear passenger seat of the defendant’s SUV with the window down, at some point the child began crying out for the defendant and law enforcement was contacted.”
The temperature last week was in the 90s with a heat advisory issued.
The State Attorney’s Office said there is “insufficient evidence to establish that the defendant’s failure to provide her child with proper supervision rises to the egregious level of culpable negligence required for felony charge of Child Neglect.”
They also refuted the timeline, saying they believe Motalva was in the store for between 10 and 15 minutes, and that the window may have been halfway down, but ultimately concluded Motalva’s conduct was irresponsible.
A judge initially issued a $10,000 bond for Motalva, who will receive services and child safety education while the child protective services investigation continues.
Read the SAO’s full memo below: