A woman from Florida has been taken into custody and accused of a disturbing incident in which her car caught fire while her children were left unattended inside. The incident occurred at a mall in Oviedo, and local authorities have since pressed charges against the woman.
The woman, identified as 24-year-old Alicia Moore, reportedly parked her vehicle in a Dillard’s parking lot at around noon on May 26. Shockingly, she left her two children inside the car and proceeded to enter the store. According to the arrest report issued by the Oviedo Police Department, while Moore was inside the store, the loss prevention staff observed her and an unidentified man engaging in shoplifting activities for approximately an hour. As Moore was leaving the store, she noticed that her car was completely engulfed in flames. In a panicked response, she dropped the stolen merchandise and hastily exited the store, as per police statements.
Eyewitnesses at the scene observed the fire and immediately came to the rescue of the children trapped inside the burning vehicle, as stated in the report. Both children were swiftly transported to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital for medical attention. Regrettably, one of the children sustained first-degree burns on their face and ears, highlighting the severity of the incident.
Following the incident, Moore was questioned by the authorities but requested legal representation, and subsequently, she was arrested by the Orlando Police Department due to existing warrants in unrelated cases from other counties, according to the report. While in custody at the Orange County Jail, she now faces charges of aggravated child neglect and arson related to the car fire.
Authorities have emphasized that it remains unclear what caused the fire, but they suggest that had Moore not been negligent, it is unlikely that the child would have suffered injuries. Additionally, Moore is facing four additional charges stemming from previous incidents, including petty theft, battery, and assault. Jail records indicate that she is being held on a $48,000 bond.
Moore appeared in court on Friday and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges associated with the incident involving her children, as documented by Seminole County court records.
