How Could You? Hall of Shame-Monique Williams case UPDATED
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Apopka, Florida,foster mother Monique Williams,53, “was arrested on child abuse charges and may have her license revoked by state agencies as the investigation continues.”
“Foster children were removed from a woman’s home after she left a 15-month-old boy alone in a hot car, according to Apopka police.
Police said the boy was in the vehicle, which had its windows up and the engine turned off, for at least 20 minutes outside the Publix on the 1500 block of Rock Springs Road.”
“A Publix employee spotted the boy in the car, and a customer contacted authorities.
“You never leave a child in the vehicle at all,” said the Publix customer to a 911 dispatcher after she found the child in the unattended vehicle. “There’s a baby in the Jeep, the windows are rolled up and there’s nobody in the Jeep. Gosh, I’m just so nervous. Yes, it’s child abuse.”
Police said Williams has no criminal record, and foster agency Community Based Care of Central Florida said she spent the past year and a half as an otherwise caring mother to three children.
“I ran in and out to get his milk. That’s all,” Williams told Local 6 cameras.
When asked if the windows were rolled up, she replied, “Yeah, the air conditioning was just turned off.”
Police said it was 90 degrees outside at the time and they arrived to find the toddler sweating.
When asked about leaving her foster child in a hot car, she told Local 6, “It was pouring, raining.”
Williams said the boy was sick with pink eye, but police said that’s no excuse.
“Initially, she wasn’t very remorseful about leaving the child in there,” said Apopka police Cpt. Randy Fernandez. “Clearly, I wouldn’t leave my child who was sick alone in a car. Even healthy, I wouldn’t leave them alone in a car.”
As police took her to jail, officials said she admitted her mistake and said she regretted what she did. She went on to say she mentors foster parents and knows children can die when left alone in cars. Williams said she had never left a child alone in a car before and would never do it again.
The foster agency said she cleared a background check and has not been in any previous trouble since she became a foster parent a year and a half ago.
The boy has been returned to Department of Children and Families custody, police said.
Williams posted bond and was released from jail early Friday. While being questioned by Local 6 reporter Amaka Ubaka, Williams said she didn’t think the boy was in the car for 20 minutes. Apopka police, however, said surveillance video proves otherwise.”
Foster parent arrested after boy left in car in Publix parking lot, Apopka police say[Click Orlando 7/10/14 by Shaun Chaiyabhat]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update: “A foster care parent bonded out of the Orange County Jail Friday morning after police said she left a young child in a car at a Publix grocery store on Thursday.
Apopka police said Monique Williams, 53, left the 15-month-old boy unattended in her vehicle for approximately 20 minutes in the parking lot of the Publix on Rock Springs Road.
“A passerby noticed the child in the car,” said Capt. RandyFernandez with Apopka police.
Investigators said the car was not running and the windows were up.
Williams was taken to the Orange County Jail after being questioned at Apopak police headquarters.
“Why did you leave a child in the car?” Channel 9 reporter Julie Salomone asked.
“It was a mistake,” Williams said as she was being taken to a waiting patrol car. “He was very sick and just a mistake was made that’s all.”
The foster mother told police the child had an eye infection.Investigators believe it was about 90 degrees inside the car.
“The kid was wet from sweat and the medics were called to check on the child,” said Fernandez.
Williams was charged with child neglect and fulfilled a $1,000 bond Friday morning. Officials said the boy has been returned to the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families”
Foster mom bonds out of jail after child left in car at Publix[WFTV 7/11/14]
Update 2:” Prosecutors have dropped the charges against a foster mother who was recently charged with child neglect after leaving a toddler inside of a car in Orlando.
Police say Monique Williams left a toddler in a car for around 20 minutes in July, with the windows up and the doors closed. Officers say the child was wet with sweat when they arrived.
Police also said the Florida Department of Children and Families was at Williams’ home the day of the incident, and were conducting visitations for her other foster children when she took the boy to the store with her.
According to the police report, Williams told officers she left the boy in the car because the last time she took him into the store he came down with an eye infection.
The mother made bail after being arrested, and prosecutors announced several weeks later there was insufficient evidence to pursue the charges.“[?]
Charges dropped against foster mom accused of neglect[My News 13 8/7/14]
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