An Albuquerque woman was arrested for leaving child in car
Jun. 20—Albuquerque police arrested a woman who left her 3-year-old son locked in a vehicle outside a Walgreens in Southwest Albuquerque earlier this week — on a day when temperatures neared 100.
Gabriela Cardenas, 35, is charged with child abuse. She was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday. Cardenas' attorney could not be reached for comment.
This is at least the second time this year that Albuquerque police have responded to a child left in a vehicle. On May 25, a 1-year-old child was found dead.
On June 17, officers responded to a call around 6:15 p.m. from a Walgreens employee that a child was alone in a vehicle and "was screaming and was red in the face," according to the criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.
The car was off, the windows "only slightly cracked," and the child was strapped into a car seat, the criminal complaint states. Police said it was 97 degrees outside and the child was left in the car for roughly six minutes.
APD posted body camera footage of the incident on their Instagram page. The boy was assessed by a medical team and deemed OK based on his vital signs.
Court records show that the employee made a public announcement on the store's speaker before Cardenas identified herself as the mother.
Cardenas continued to wait in line to complete her purchase, and told employees the child was "fine, and because the windows were cracked that he could be left alone inside the vehicle," according to the complaint.
"For the next several minutes, Gabriela (Cardenas) argues with the Walgreens staff about going out to her child," the complaint states.
The Walgreens employee instructed Cardenas to attend to her child, but Cardenas refused and stated that she needed to pay for her items first. The employee proceeded to ask other patrons if Cardenas could complete her purchase first to get back to her child, to which the customers agreed, according to the criminal complaint.
The staff member added that she would be calling the police. Cardenas said she would take her business elsewhere and left the store. Officers arrived on the scene and Cardenas admitted to leaving her child in the car, but that it was "only for a few minutes," police said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Multi-vehicle crash causes a child to be ejected and I-64 closed for hours in Newport News
NEWPORT NEWS — A Friday night multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 64 caused hours of lane closures and many serious injuries, including those to a five-year-old who was ejected from a head-on collision, Virginia State Police said. Both eastbound and westbound lanes between mile markers 249 and 250 were closed for over four hours, state police said in a statement. That's near the Lee Hall reservoir and the Fort Eustis Boulevard exits. From a preliminary investigation, authorities found that the 45-year-old Massachusetts driver of a speeding Dodge Durango traveling eastbound hit the rear of a Hyundai Sonata, causing the Sonata to lose control and run off the roadway, striking a guardrail before stopping on the road's shoulder and in the westbound lanes. After hitting the Sonata, the Durango crossed the median of the highway and side-swiped a Toyota Tacoma, troopers said. The Durango continued speeding in the wrong direction on the westbound lanes until it hit a Nissan Altima head-on, stopping both vehicles. The Altima was being driven by a 39-year-old Yorktown driver and was carrying an improperly restrained 5-year-old, state police said, who was ejected from the Altima upon the impact. The child suffered life-threatening injuries, authorities said. All involved parties aside from the driver of the Tacoma were transported for medical treatment. All closed lanes were reopened at about 1:20 a.m. An investigation of the crash is ongoing. State police said that speed was a contributing factor in the crash and charges are pending. No additional details were immediately available.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Crime Alert: Tips sought in Tilden Township retail theft
Crime Alert Berks County, a citizen crime-fighting group, is offering cash rewards of up to $10,000 to anyone supplying tips that lead to an arrest in this case or any other case or crime. Tipsters with crime information can call 877-373-9913 anytime or contact Crime Alert at its website at or via the AlertBerks smartphone app. No one will ask the name of the caller, who will be assigned a code number. Unsolved cases are featured regularly in the Sunday Reading Eagle. Offense: Retail theft Location: Lowe's, 20 Wilderness Trail, Tilden Township Date and time: March 15 at about 11:40 a.m. Police synopsis: Tilden Township police are seeking the public's assistance identifying the females involved in this retail theft incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Alert or call investigators directly at 610-562-9001. Tilden Township Police are seeking suspects in a retail theft at Lowe's, 20 Wilderness TrailTilden Township Police are seeking suspects in a retail theft at Lowe's, 20 Wilderness Trail
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Detroit rapper Skilla Baby shares message after Wayne County shooting
Detroit rapper Skilla Baby says he's thankful for the support he's received after being injured during a shooting in Redford Township, Michigan, in May. In a social media post on Instagram Wednesday, the rapper said, "I'm good mentally" and thanked everyone for their prayers. "Again, thank you to my fans, family and everybody else for all the support. I'm nothing without y'all!" He said. Police in Redford Township said Skilla Baby, whose real name is Trevon Gardner, was shot while driving an SUV in the area of Eight Mile Road and Beech Daly Road during the night of May 22. Gardner was shot three times before crashing the vehicle, officials said. Over 20 rounds were fired in the shooting. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident. Redford Township police said they were able to identify a suspect vehicle with help from the Detroit Police Department, Western Wayne Special Operations Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The registered owner of the vehicle, a Detroit resident, was taken into custody on June 4. Law enforcement recovered a firearm while executing a search warrant at the home of the person arrested. Police are still investigating the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Ed French at 313-387-2579 or Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-773-2587. Anonymous tips can be shared here. Note: The video above originally aired June 6, 2025. contributed to this report.
