(WHDH) — A mother is facing criminal charges after police say she fired a gunshot at her front door and left her infant child home alone in a crib while she drank at a bar on Thanksgiving night.
Victoria Hidalgo, 37, of Port Charlotte, Florida, was arrested last week on charges including child neglect with great bodily harm, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responding to a report of a woman who had gone to check on Hidalgo found a bullet lodged in the front door, the sheriff’s office said. The woman then claimed that Hidalgo “sounded as though she was under the influence of alcohol” when she contacted her and admitted to firing a gun inside her home.
When the woman noticed a vehicle that she shared with Hidalgo was missing, she granted deputies access to the residence, where they discovered a child left in a crib unsupervised.
During an investigation, detectives learned that the vehicle in question had been stopped near the intersection of Port Charlotte Boulevard and Tamiami Trail. Hidalgo was found in the passenger’s seat with bloodshot eyes and her breath smelled of alcohol, the sheriff’s office said. She was also said to be slurring her words.
A man driving the vehicle allegedly told police that he had met Hidalgo at the Paddy Wagon Irish Pub. He also said that he didn’t know Hidalgo, but was concerned that she was “going to drive in a very intoxicated condition and was helping her get home safe.”
In a statement, Sheriff Bill Prummell said, “It’s clear that this woman’s priorities are way out of order, and I hope this experience serves as a wakeup call for her. I pray that things change and the child is properly cared for moving forward.”
Hidalgo later posted $3,500 bond and was released from custody.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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