Florida Mum Arrested After Leaving 3- and 4-Year-Old Children With Uber Driver for Over Two Hours

A Florida mother was arrested after police said she left her two young children with an Uber driver for more than two hours while she went to a nearby shopping plaza. Authorities said the driver eventually called 911 after repeated attempts to reach her failed.

According to Sunrise Police, 32-year-old Emily Sabogal now faces one count of child neglect and two counts of child desertion following the February incident in Broward County.

But the question that many are asking is, how can she leave her minor children alone with a stranger?

Driver Waited With the Children for Over Two Hours

According to reports, the incident unfolded around 11:00pm on 13 February in the 10800 block of Northwest 50th Street in Sunrise.

Police said the Uber driver picked up Sabogal along with her two sons, ages 3 and 4. During the ride, she repeatedly asked the driver to deviate from the route shown on the GPS. According to the arrest report, Sabogal eventually took the driver's phone, cancelled the ride through the app and handed him $10 in cash.

Investigators said she then exited the car at a shopping plaza and told the driver she would return in a few minutes. The driver told officers he waited for more than two hours with the children in the vehicle.

After about an hour, he called Sabogal, who allegedly said she would return shortly before hanging up. When she did not come back, the driver contacted the police.

Police Found the Children Hungry but Unharmed

When officers arrived, they found the two boys still inside the vehicle with the driver. According to police, the children appeared thirsty and hungry but were otherwise in good health and in 'good spirits.' They were not injured.

Body camera footage released by local outlets later showed officers speaking with the driver, who explained he had stayed with the children because he did not know where their mother had gone.

'More than two hours,' the driver told officers when asked how long he had been waiting.

Police later found Sabogal roughly 2 miles away, walking outside a McDonald's. 'You left your kids for two hours,' one officer told her in body camera footage. She reportedly had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol.

Sabogal responded, 'My children, absolutely, 100 per cent. I'm not a criminal. I don't know what's going on right now.' She was arrested at the scene.

Witnesses Say She Had Been Drinking Earlier

Later, investigators discovered that Sabogal had been at a nearby restaurant earlier that evening with her children.

According to witnesses cited in the police report, she consumed several alcoholic drinks while the children ran around the restaurant. Staff members told investigators she appeared intoxicated when she left and was carrying a cup that smelled like rum.

Locals told police that Sabogal is a regular customer at the restaurant and often visits with her children

Father Demands Full Custody of Kids

On 15 February, Sabogal appeared in court for a hearing, during which a judge set bond at $1,500 (around £1,125) per charge, totalling $3,000 (around £2,251). She later posted bond and was released from jail.

According to local reports, the children were temporarily placed with their father after the arrest. He told reporters the incident was 'not the first time' Sabogal had behaved erratically and said he plans to pursue full custody. For now, the case remains ongoing.

However, the incident has brought to light how putting your children in such a situation and behaving irresponsibly can be costly. Under Florida Statute 827.03, child neglect charges can carry significant penalties if prosecutors determine a caregiver failed to provide necessary supervision or care.

Apart from the penalty, officials warn that such cases can often go south and can lead to abduction or worse. In the Sunrise case, police said the Uber driver did the right thing by contacting authorities after waiting with the children.