Mum arrested after leaving toddler in car to go 'meet sharks'

14 September 2023 , 23:16

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A witness statement says Allison Daugherty was swimming in the water where citizens were fishing and yelling at her that hooks and sharks were in the water (Image: Lee County Sheriff's Office)

A mother has been charged with child neglect after allegedly leaving her toddler son in a car to go swimming and meet sharks.

Allison Daugherty, 41, was arrested after witnesses informed police she had parked her SUV at the Bokeelia Fishing Pier in Florida before turning the radio up and jumping into the ocean for a swim, police say. They added Daugherty had left her toddler son in a running vehicle while swimming in the ocean to "meet sharks" on Monday morning.

The case came to light after a witness noticed the boy crawling around inside the car about 20 minutes after he had been left alone. The witness called police while informing them his mother appeared to be swimming further away from the pier.

Lee County Fire and emergency medical services responded after a detective first to the scene had initially checked the child over. A report says the child did not seem to be in distress. The detective then walked down the pier as Daugherty continued to swim further away.

The detective kept an eye on Daugherty with binoculars and the assistance of EMS for about 20 minutes before the Boca Grande Marine Unit arrived, made contact with her and brought her aboard their vessel.

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Daugherty being led down the pier by police after being pulled from the water (Lee County Sheriff's Office)

After being brought to shore, Daugherty was detained. A witness statement says Daugherty was swimming in the water where citizens were fishing and yelling at her that hooks and sharks were in the water. Daugherty allegedly yelled back that "she wanted to get hooked" and "would want to meet sharks."

In total, police say Daugherty apparently left the toddler alone in the car for about 44 minutes. Daugherty remained in custody on one charge of child neglect or leaving an unattended child in a motor vehicle for an excess of 15 minutes as of Wednesday morning, according to The New York Post. Her bond has reportedly been set at $250, and she is due in court Oct. 2, reports FOX.

The incident comes after another Florida mum was arrested after taking her 11-year-old son to ahotel room where she enaged in a threesome with two older men. Amy Kemper, 32, checked into the Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Palm Coast, Florida, on Saturday night, taking her son to the $300-a-night room where he reportedly remained when Kemper had sex, cops say. Police were notified when one of the men had a medical episode in the room and 911 responded to the scene.

Witnesses said fishermen were shouting at her to get out of the water where sharks swim (Lee County Sheriff's Office)

The man had stopped breathing and was later pronounced dead while the boy, 11, was nearby. Horrifying details released by police claim the man had passed out, before being left in the room with Kemper and the child as she went out with the other male for hours.

After allegedly abandoning her son in the room, she returned to find the 60-year-old man deceased and her child in the same spot she left him. Kemper was charged with Child Neglect Without Great Bodily Harm and taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. She is being held on a $15,000 bond.

Abigail O'Leary