A Florida woman has been charged with child neglect after police say her autistic, nonverbal daughter wandered nearly one-third of a mile from home unsupervised before concerned shoppers found the child alone in a shopping center parking lot.
Amy Brooke Evans, 40, was arrested earlier this month and charged with one count of child abuse by simple neglect, according to court records.
The incident occurred shortly before noon on July 9, when officers with the Leesburg Police Department responded to reports of a young child walking alone through a shopping center parking lot in Lake County. Witnesses told police the child was wearing only one shoe, had a heavily soiled diaper, and no parent or guardian could be found nearby.
One witness said she spotted the child wandering through the parking lot and escorted her inside a nearby department store to keep her safe. The witness told investigators the girl appeared to be nonverbal and seemed to have a severe developmental disability. She and other shoppers searched the area for a parent before ultimately calling 911.
Another shopper reported that the child approached her vehicle and knocked on the window. She also noticed feces smeared on a jacket the child was carrying and said no adult appeared to be supervising her.
When officers arrived, they found the child with fecal residue on her body and clothing. According to the arrest affidavit, the girl’s diaper was heavily soiled and appeared to have gone unchanged for an extended period. Police also observed bruises on her arms and legs, along with several wounds on her arms, hands, and legs.
Because the child is severely autistic and nonverbal, paramedics transported her to a local hospital for further medical evaluation.
While officers were still investigating at the shopping center, emergency dispatch received a 911 call from Evans reporting that her daughter was missing from their home, located about 0.3 miles away.
According to investigators, Evans said she had taken a shower for about an hour while her boyfriend slept on the couch. She claimed she discovered the child was missing after finishing her shower and getting dressed.
Police said Evans declined to provide a written statement and gave inconsistent information regarding her residence during questioning. Officers also noted that she appeared nervous, fidgety and frequently “zoned out,” leading investigators to suspect she may have been under the influence of narcotics.
Investigators also reported that when they requested a recent photograph of the child, Evans only provided a picture that was more than a year old. She also reportedly claimed that her daughter had become autistic and nonverbal “out of the blue.”
According to the affidavit, some of Evans’ statements conflicted with information provided by her boyfriend.
A roommate also spoke with investigators and reportedly said Evans did not seem particularly concerned after realizing her daughter was missing. Instead, the roommate claimed Evans appeared more focused on taking a shower and making herself presentable before contacting police.
The roommate further stated that although the child usually wore a clean diaper, she frequently appeared dirty and unkempt and expressed concerns that Evans was not capable of properly caring for her.
At the hospital, medical staff reportedly discovered what appeared to be a cigarette burn on the child’s left arm. Doctors also documented multiple bruises and scars, although they noted that many of those injuries could have been self-inflicted. Medical personnel additionally reported that the child’s diaper appeared not to have been changed for several hours.
Following the investigation, detectives concluded that Evans failed to provide the supervision and care required for a severely autistic, nonverbal child. Police alleged the girl remained unsupervised for approximately one hour, wandered roughly one-third of a mile from home, and was found in an unsafe and unsanitary condition.
Evans was booked into the Lake County Jail on a $10,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court for her arraignment on Aug. 3.
