Two Arrested in Titusville After Infant Found Alone in Hot Car Outside Pet Store

Two people have been arrested in Titusville, Florida, after police say an infant was left alone in a parked car while both adults were inside a PETCO store. The Titusville Police Department identified them as Zoey Connor, 26, and Ethan Humes, 28.

According to the arrest report, a witness called 911 on Oct. 29 after finding a baby girl alone in the backseat of a car. The child had been covered with a blanket, was crying, and appeared sweaty and red, the report said. The witness told dispatchers the car was not running and said the baby had been there for at least 5 minutes before the call.

Police and paramedics went to the PETCO parking lot, near Columbia Blvd. and Windover Trail. They removed the child from the vehicle and moved her to an air-conditioned patrol car. Paramedics examined the infant and determined she was not seriously hurt.

Officers then entered the store and found Connor and Humes, who were the child's caretakers. Surveillance video showed the pair had been inside for roughly 20 minutes, according to the report. Both were arrested Thursday on charges of child neglect. The infant was later released to a parent.

The report does not specify how Connor and Humes are connected to the baby, though it indicates they were babysitting her and had another child with them.

Humes told investigators the two do not usually go out with the infant, which is why it "completely slipped his mind" once they reached the store. He also admitted he "did not think to look in the back seat," because the other child was able to climb in and out of the vehicle on his own, the report said.

The report added that Humes said he would never intentionally harm the infant and feels extreme guilt, as nothing like this had happened to him before. He estimated they were inside for 5 to 10 minutes but said he was not keeping track of the time.

Connor was charged with child neglect, and a judge granted her a $50,000 bond on Friday. Humes faces a child neglect charge as well as a charge of leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle, because he admitted he was the driver.

Police Chief Tyler Wright thanked the person who called for help. "We are incredibly grateful for the concerned citizen who recognized a potentially dangerous situation and took immediate action," he said in a statement. "This incident serves as an important reminder that protecting our most vulnerable community members is a shared responsibility. A single decision to speak up can prevent a tragedy and potentially save a life."