by Sunrise, Florida — A 32-year-old mother was arrested after authorities say she left her two young children — ages 3 and 4 — inside an Uber vehicle for more than two hours while she went to a nearby shopping plaza.
According to the Sunrise Police Department, officers responded to a 911 call on Feb. 13 from the Uber driver, who reported the children had been left in his care for an extended period.
The woman, identified as Emily Sabogal, was charged with one count of child neglect and two counts of desertion of a child, according to local reports.
Driver Waited More Than Two Hours
In newly released body camera footage, an officer is heard asking the driver how long he had been waiting with the children.
“More than two hours,” the driver responded.
Police said the children were thirsty and hungry but remained in “good spirits” when officers arrived.
The driver told investigators he believed Sabogal may have been under the influence of alcohol when she entered the vehicle. He claimed she was carrying a cup that smelled like rum and asked him to deviate from the GPS route.
According to officers recounting the footage, Sabogal allegedly asked the driver to cancel the ride and offered him extra cash.
Police said she gave the driver $10, exited the vehicle in a parking lot and told him she would return in three minutes.
When she did not return after an hour, the driver contacted authorities.
Confrontation Captured on Body Cam
When officers later confronted Sabogal, they told her she had left her children alone for over two hours.
“Your number one priority should be your kids,” an officer told her in the footage.
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Sabogal allegedly responded that her situation was “a little bit complicated” and claimed her phone had died.
“I have not done anything wrong,” she said in the video. “I’m not a criminal. I don’t know what is going on right now.”
Officers countered that the Uber driver had been waiting with her children for hours.
Investigation Findings
Police later determined that Sabogal had visited a local restaurant she frequents with her children and had consumed several alcoholic beverages before the incident, according to reports citing investigators.
She was taken into custody and later appeared in court on Feb. 15. Sabogal was released after posting a $1,500 bond.
The case remains under review as it moves through the court system.
What are your thoughts on rideshare safety and parental responsibility in situations like this? Share respectfully in the comments below.
