Woman Left Infant In Car For Over 90 Minutes While Visiting Pub

A woman, identified as 29-year-old Tiffany Helbling, was arrested for leaving her 15-month-old baby girl in a vehicle while she went inside the pub O’s Tap in Knox City, Indiana. The baby was all alone in the vehicle for over 90 minutes though Helbling claimed she was away only for about 20 minutes, reported K99.3 WKVI FM.

Some passersby noticed the unattended baby in the parked vehicle before O’s Tap on Main Street around 2 a.m. EST Dec 30. When the officers from the Knox City Police Department were called out, they found a baby girl sleeping in the seat inside the vehicle with no one around her. Harold Smith, police chief, noticed the temperature outside was almost freezing at the time. He said “the baby’s diaper was apparently soaked and no baby food, bottle or diapers were found in the diaper bag or vehicle.”

A witness, Aja Wintczak, told the police the woman and a man accompanying her left the baby in the car while they made their move toward the bar, ABC 57 News reported. When police arrived, the man tried to flee with the car’s keys, though police managed to catch him and get the keys to unlock the vehicle and check if the baby was doing fine.

“He had the keys on him so the cops had to go chase him out back before we could even get the car unlocked and running to get the baby out,” Wintczak said.

The witness recounted the freezing atmosphere that morning and said, “I can’t imagine. I mean it was so cold. I mean it was absolutely freezing last night. The poor little baby.”

Police later contacted the father of the baby to ask about the whereabouts of Helbling. The baby’s father, whose name was not disclosed, told the police Helbling was out all day long and didn't answer his calls. The man soon arrived at the spot and the baby was handed over to him.

Meanwhile, Helbling told police she and her partner kept checking on the baby in turns and they were away only for about 20 minutes. However, other bar customers said they were in the bar for at least an hour and a half to two hours.

Police are checking CCTV footage from the area to know the exact amount of time the baby spent in the vehicle. The mother, however, was charged with neglect of a dependent and criminal recklessness.