Woman arrested after leaving baby in car

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - A woman is facing charges after deputies say she left her baby in an unattended vehicle.

On Wednesday afternoon, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 12:30, where a witness said they had removed the crying infant from an unlocked, running van, which had minimal cooling.

The child was reportedly strapped into a car seat in the back.

Deputies say the van was parked near the Goodwill store at 913 Beal Parkway.

Emergency services determined the baby was unharmed after an evaluation.

31-year-old Chanice Eppinger was arrested after she came out of the Goodwill store, telling officials she had left her baby unattended while she went inside to do community service hours for probation.

Eppinger allegedly gave false information about the amount of time the infant had been left in the van, but video surveillance showed the time period was around 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

She was charged with child neglect without great bodily harm.