MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A Miami Beach woman was arrested Sunday after she left her 5-year-old son alone in a park because he was misbehaving, authorities said.
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Alize Angel Rodriguez, 20, faces multiple charges, including child neglect without great bodily harm, possession of a controlled substance (Xanax pills), and possession of cannabis.
According to her arrest report, officers were dispatched to a park located at 1245 Meridian Ave. in reference to a child who was left alone.
Police said a witness told officers that the child’s mother had left the area with a man in a gray Toyota.
Officers then made contact with the boy who told them that he didn’t know where his mother was and that she leaves him in the park by himself when he misbehaves, the report stated.
According to the report, three witnesses in all had seen the boy in the playground area of the park, by himself, for about 20 minutes before they called police.
Police said the witnesses also claimed that the mother seemed to be incoherent and possibly under the influence of something before she left the area.
One witness later spotted Rodriguez walking south on Meridian Avenue after she had called police and told officers that she saw Rodriguez throwing her purse into a nearby bush, authorities said.
According to the arrest report, marijuana was found inside of the bag, along with multiple pills, including Xanax.
Police said Rodriguez denied being under the influence of any substance.
According to the report, she did make some kind of admission to police, however her full statement was redacted from the publicly released report.
Rodriguez was arrested and her son was handed over to his maternal grandmother, according to authorities.
As of Monday afternoon, Rodriguez was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center where her bond had yet to be set.