Mom accused of leaving child at TIA

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

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Martine Lifluer is charged with child neglect.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A mother is accused of leaving her child alone at Tampa International Airport (TIA) while she boarded a flight .

Martine Lifluer, 31, was arrested a week later when she arrived on a flight from Ft. Lauderdale. She has been charged with child neglect.

On Sept. 1, airport police say Lifluer left her 10-year-old son alone with the keys to her car and told him to wait for his grandmother.

The boy had no money or cell phone.

After waiting approximately 90 minutes, the boy approached airport personnel and asked if someone could call his grandmother.

The child told officers that his mother brought him to the airport because she needed to catch a flight, but said she didn't tell him where she was flying to.

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They contacted the child's grandmother who said she had no idea her grandchild was at the airport. She contacted the child's aunt and made arrangements to have him picked up.

Officers reported the incident to the Florida Department of Children and Family Services.

Police say Lifluer admitted to leaving the child alone and unsupervised and said the child's grandmother had no idea he was alone at TIA at the time she boarded her flight.

Lifluer is currently in jail on a $2,000 bond. A first appearance is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

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