LEESBURG, Fla. — A Leesburg woman was arrested after police said her 13-year-old daughter, who is nonverbal and severely autistic, was found wandering alone in a store parking lot wearing a heavily soiled diaper and one shoe.
Amy Brooke Evans, 34, faces a charge of child abuse by simple neglect, according to an arrest affidavit.
Leesburg police responded July 9 to Ollie’s on West North Boulevard after witnesses reported seeing the girl walking through the parking lot without a parent or guardian nearby.
A witness helped the girl inside the store and called 911 after people were unable to locate an adult responsible for her, according to the affidavit.
Police said the girl had feces smeared on a jacket she was carrying and residue on her body. Officers also reported seeing bruises and wounds on her arms, legs and hands.
Lake County Fire Rescue took the girl to a hospital for treatment. Hospital employees later reported seeing a burn on her arm that appeared consistent with a cigarette burn, along with other bruises and scars that could have been self-inflicted, the affidavit states.
Evans called 911 about 35 minutes after officers were dispatched to the store and reported that her daughter had been missing for about an hour, police said. The family’s residence was about 0.3 miles from the store.
Evans told officers she had taken a shower and later discovered her daughter was missing from a bedroom, according to the affidavit. Investigators said Evans gave inconsistent accounts about the timeline and where she lived.
Police said the child required supervision because she was unable to care for herself. Investigators accused Evans of failing to provide adequate care and supervision and leaving the girl unattended for about an hour.
Evans was taken to the Lake County Jail.
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