A Florida woman is facing a child abuse charge after authorities said she left her one-year-old son unattended inside a parked car for nearly half an hour during a food delivery run, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Officials identified the woman as 40-year-old Ly Thien Pham, who was working as a driver for a food delivery app at the time of the incident. Police said Pham had brought her young son along while she made deliveries on Sunday afternoon. Around 3:30 p.m., she stopped near a restaurant in downtown St. Petersburg to pick up an order, leaving the toddler alone in the backseat of her vehicle.
According to police, Pham shut off the engine before heading inside, which meant the child was left without any air conditioning despite the afternoon heat. She reportedly switched on the vehicle’s hazard lights before walking away.
Investigators said that after collecting the food order, Pham could not remember where she had parked and spent close to thirty minutes wandering through the downtown area searching for her car. Officers eventually helped her locate the vehicle.
When they reached the boy, police said he was visibly overheated and sweating heavily. He was rushed to a nearby children’s hospital for evaluation and treatment, while Pham was taken into custody at the Pinellas County Jail. Authorities have since placed the child under the temporary care of his aunt.
Court documents show Pham paid a $10,000 bond and was released from custody the following day. As part of her release conditions, she has been barred from contacting the child’s aunt in connection with matters involving the boy. A date for her next court appearance has not yet been made public.
The case has drawn attention to the risks food and delivery gig workers may unknowingly expose children to when balancing work with childcare, especially during high-heat conditions.