EAST GARDEN CITY (PIX11) — A mother has been arrested after allegedly leaving her 7-year-old son alone at a popular children’s toy store while she shopped elsewhere, police said.
Patricia Juarez, 44, of Hempstead, faces charge of endangering the welfare of a child after her son was found wandering alone in the Lego Store at Roosevelt Field Mall, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
Juarez is accused of leaving her son behind while she went shopping at other stores in the mall.
When she returned to pick up her child an hour and 20 minutes later, she was arrested by police.
The store’s manager was concerned about the unsupervised child and called mall security which then called 911.
The child was released to a family member.
Juarez is also wanted for an unrelated warrant related to petty larceny.
She is expected to be arraigned Wednesday.
