Southington Woman Accused of Leaving Child in a Cold Car While She Munched on Chocolate at Wal-Mart

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A Southington Woman is accused of leaving a child in a cold car while she wandered around the local Wal-Mart eating chocolate she was not intending to pay for.

On Nov. 21 at about 7:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to Wal- Mart, 235 Queen St., for a report of a shoplifter, according to a police report.

Amy Florian, 36 of Southington, was issued a misdemeanor summons and was charged with sixth-degree larceny and leaving a child in a vehicle. police said.

Florian was released on a $1,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 5, police said.

The Wal-Mart loss prevention staff told police that at about 7 p.m., Florian entered the store and attempted to return a cell phone, but was denied due to not having a receipt, according to a police report.

A loss Prevention agent noticed that Florian was carrying a young child about 2 years old, according to a police report.

Florian left the store and then came back in at 7:16 p.m. without the child, according to a police report.

While in the store, Florian selected a box of chocolates, allegedly broke the plastic container to get
the box open and started to eat the chocolates while walking to the grocery section, according to a police report.

While in the grocery section of the store, Florian picked a tub of yogurt out of the cooler and put the remaining chocolates in the same cooler, according to a police report. Florian then walked to the registers, paid for the yogurt but did not pay for the chocolates she left in the cooler, according to a police report.

Florian was confronted by the loss prevention staff and brought into the loss prevention office, according to a police report.

Loss prevention staffers found that the child Florian was observed with earlier was left alone in a parked
vehicle in the parking lot wearing a dress and coat with no undergarments due to the fact that child had urinated through her undergarments, according to a police report.

At the time of the incident, the outdoor temperature was about 34 degrees and the child was left in the vehicle unattended for approximately 18 minutes, according to a police report.

The value of the chocolates was $4.96. A family member responded to the scene and transported Florian and the child from the scene and the state Department of Children and Families was notified of the incident, police said.

Patch file photo