A Florida babysitter is facing child neglect charges after police say she left a child home alone overnight and the child later ingested her THC gummies, authorities said.
Background
Maribel Plaza, 29, was supposed to be watching the child while the child's family traveled out of state to Georgia for several days, according to an arrest affidavit. Instead, investigators allege that Plaza abandoned her post to spend the night at her boyfriend's house, leaving a young child entirely alone in the residence.
Leesburg Police Department officers responded to UF Health Hospital in Leesburg around 1:30 a.m. on June 19 after medical staff reported a child who had been brought in by a neighbor. The neighbor told police that the child knocked on their door around 1 a.m., "begging" to be taken to the hospital after falling off a bed.
Investigation
According to the affidavit, the child appeared "weak, sick, and lethargic." Medical personnel administered a drug test, which came back positive for THC, the psychoactive compound found in marijuana. Officers were unable to speak with the child immediately as they slept most of the time at the hospital.
Police contacted the child's family via video call. A family member confirmed that Plaza had been the sole adult left in charge of the child during their absence. When investigators spoke with the child while awake, they said Plaza had departed around 10 p.m. the previous evening and no other adults ever arrived at the residence.
Officers tracked down Plaza by phone. She initially claimed she believed the family would be returning later that night. Investigators say she eventually admitted she left so she could spend the night at her boyfriend's house.
When questioned about how the child could have THC in their system, Plaza acknowledged keeping both a bottle of CBD oil in the bathroom medicine cabinet and THC gummies in the freezer — locations accessible to the child. She denied providing any substances to the minor and claimed "the child should not know what they are."
Plaza was arrested on June 19 and booked into the Lake County Jail before posting $5,000 bond later that same day.
Key Takeaways
- Maribel Plaza, 29, has been charged with one count of child neglect in Lake County, Florida
- The child tested positive for THC after allegedly gaining access to gummies stored in the freezer
- Police say Plaza left the child alone around 10 p.m. and did not return until the following morning
- Plaza told investigators she departed so she could spend the night at her boyfriend's residence
- The child's family was out of state in Georgia when the incident occurred
What's Next
Plaza is due to appear in court on July 13 for arraignment on the child neglect charge. The Lake County State Attorney's Office will determine whether additional charges are warranted as the investigation continues.