A Friday night ended in handcuffs for a 32-year-old Florida mother after police say she left her two young children inside an Uber for several hours. Emily Sabogal now faces felony charges of child neglect and abandonment following the incident.
The children’s father, who asked to remain anonymous to protect his family’s privacy, said he only learned of the situation when a police sergeant tracked down his mother. According to the father, the officer explained that Sabogal had been arrested and had left the children unattended in the back of the hired car while she was allegedly intoxicated.
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The father expressed immediate fear for his children’s well-being. He told reporters from ABC that this is not the first time he has witnessed erratic behavior from his ex-partner and is seeking full custody of the children in the wake of the arrest.
Sabogal appeared before a judge on Sunday morning. During the hearing, her bond was set at $1,500 for each of the two charges. She has since posted the $3,000 total and was released from jail.
While the father acknowledged that Sabogal likely needs professional help, he struggled to make sense of the events of the night.
He remains adamant that the safety of the children must come first as the legal case moves forward.
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