WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. – A Brevard County woman was arrested Sunday on child neglect charges after leaving her 8-month-old son in the car while she went inside a West Melbourne Target, according to arrest documents.
Kateryna Kasion, 27, went in front of a judge for the first time Monday at the Brevard County Jail.
According to police, the Palm Bay mother left her son in the car for more than 10 minutes. Documents show that the engine was turned off and a window was cracked 4 to 5 inches while the child was locked in his car seat.
Once the fire department and police officers arrived, they noticed the young boy was crying and didn't have proper clothes on for the chilly 58 degree temperature, according to officials.
Police say the child looked cold, so fire crews broke into the car, unlocked the child's car seat and warmed him with a blanket.
Kasion's attorney, Eric Morgan, thinks police may have overreacted.
"Probably 95 percent of the time in Florida if you leave your baby in the car it could die of heat stroke, but that was not the case yesterday," Morgan said. "It was nice and cool, right at the end of the day. It began to cool down just a touch, but it wasn't freezing so there's no real issue of neglect."
Morgan added that Kasian is a good parent and would never put her baby in danger.
The Department of Children and Families says the child wasn't hurt and was turned over to the father.
Kasian remains behind bars on a $2,000 bond.