A 29-year-old mother from Texas has been jailed after reportedly leaving her 3-year-old boy alone in an illegally parked car that was eventually towed as she went inside a club to drink.
Brandy Rachelle Brown was arrested on Monday and charged with one count of endangering a child, according to court records obtained by Law&Crime.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Harris County District Court, officers from the Houston Police Department responded to a call about an improperly parked car in the 2400 block of Wheeler Street at about 12:25 a.m. Monday. A local tow truck driver pulled Brown’s illegally parked vehicle and later discovered a 3-year-old child asleep in the backseat.
According to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, the tow truck driver moved Brown’s Acura down the block from where it was unlawfully parked before securing it, as reported by Houston Fox affiliate KRIV. This is allegedly a typical practice among tow truck drivers because it decreases the amount of disputes with vehicle owners.
As the tow truck driver attempted to lock the vehicle, he reportedly discovered a sleeping toddler in the backseat and contacted 911.
According to court filings, Brown left the youngster “in [the] car asleep for at least 28 minutes while she went to a club.”
The criminal complaint further claims that she put her child in “imminent danger” of physical and mental harm by leaving him “unattended in an illegally parked car at night while going drinking at a nightclub, during which the car was towed away with the child inside.”
According to records, Brown has previously been charged with some felonies, including driving while intoxicated and interfering with the responsibilities of a public official. She was convicted of DUI and did not have a valid license when arrested.
KRIV stated that medical personnel examined the toddler and decided that he was in good health. He has since been placed into the care of a family member.
Brown was placed into the Harris County Jail and released after posting a $7,500 bond, according to records.
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