LYNN HAVEN, FL – A Lynn Haven woman has been arrested after leaving her child unattended in her car at the same time it was being repossessed. While she was shopping, the repo company took the car and notified police of the unattended child.
“Lynn Haven Police, working in conjunction with the Bay County Sheriffs Office have arrested thirty-four year old, D’Andra Carol Amende on a felony charge of child neglect after she failed to report her child as missing,” the Lynn Haven Police Department reported. “An investigation revealed that Amende, who was already wanted on local charges of VOP on a charge of DUI and Making a False Report by giving False Information had gone to a Lynn Haven convenience store and left her four-year-old child unattended inside her car while she went inside the store.”
During the time that she was inside the store, Amendes’ car was repossessed. After taking custody of the car, the parties repossessing the car realized that the child had been left in the car and thereafter contacted law enforcement.
In the meantime, Amende’ failed to report her child as missing or her car as having been taken in spite of the fact that she had access to a cellphone.
Instead, Amende’ walked away from the store without telling anyone that her child was missing and walked to the home of an acquaintance whom she then told that her child had been kidnapped.
Amende’ then left that home without saying where she was headed, how she might be contacted, or taking any further action to protect her child. This was clearly done to aid Amende’ in avoiding arrest on her pre-existing warrants.
With the help of members of the Bay County Sheriffs Office, Amende’ was located and arrested on the outstanding warrants and the new charge of Child Neglect. Lynn Haven Police are also being assisted in this case by the Child Protective Investigators from the Florida Department of Children & Families.
Lynn Haven Police ask that anyone with information about this or any other crime contact the Lynn Haven Police Department at (850) 265-4111 or you may remain anonymous by calling the Crime Stoppers Tips Line at (850) 785-TIPS.