This browser does not support the Video element.
Mother of child abandoned in vehicle arrested
The 2-year-old's mother was arrested on an unrelated charge - kidnapping another person.
LOS ANGELES - The mother of a 2-year-old boy who was found abandoned in a stranger's car in Highland Park over the weekend has been arrested on an unrelated charge, sources confirmed with FOX 11 on Wednesday.
What we know:
According to police, 19-year-old Bianca Slaughter was arrested for kidnapping in an unrelated case to the child. That case involves the alleged kidnapping of an adult involving some type of gang activity.
Authorities said they will pursue charges connected to child abandonment and/or child endangerment in connection with the toddler.
The backstory:
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to a call reporting attempted grand theft on Sunday, Dec. 28 around 10 a.m. in the 300 block of N. Avenue 52 in Highland Park.
"I confronted him and asked what he was doing in my car, and he said a dog was trying to attack him," the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, previously told FOX 11.
According to witnesses, the suspect used baby wipes to clean his fingerprints off the car seat before running away.
When the car owner looked inside his car, he saw the child and dog left behind.
Police said the suspect is not the child's father.
Additionally, police believe the dog lived with the child at some point since the two seemed familiar with each other.
What we don't know:
No suspect information was released.
It is unclear what the suspect's relationship is with the mother or child, if any.
The dog, who remains in the care of Los Angeles County Animal Services, had no license tag and is not microchipped. Detectives are following leads to locate the dog's owner.
What's next:
The child will stay in protective custody until a safe home is found.
The investigation is ongoing.
What you can do:
Anyone with information that could help identify the child or his family is asked to contact the LAPD Northeast Division Watch Commander at (323) 561-3211, or Detective II Ryan Lamar via email at 39284@lapd.online, or the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-540-4000. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LARegional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Los Angeles Police Department.