Jennifer Paras. {BSO}
A woman has been charged with child abuse after authorities discovered her intoxicated and asleep in a vehicle with an 8-month-old child inside.
On December 11, officers from the Margate Police Department responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked at 150 North State Road 7.
According to the caller, the car had been stationary for over 30 minutes with someone inside who appeared to be either asleep or unconscious.
Upon arrival, officers found a woman, later identified as Karisa Corniel, 33, of Margate, in the driver’s seat of the running vehicle, which was still in drive. For safety reasons, an officer opened the car door and placed the vehicle in park.
According to the report, attempts to wake Corniel were unsuccessful, prompting the officer to tap her shoulder, which caused her to wake up muttering incoherently.
According to the report, officers detected a strong odor of alcohol and noticed Corniel had glossy, red eyes, slurred speech, and appeared confused about her location and the time.
Records show Corniel claimed that she had consumed one beer two days prior and was coming from work from a location near Southgate and Rock Island Road.
As officers asked her questions, the situation took a much more alarming turn when officers discovered Corniel’s 8-month-old son in the back seat of the vehicle. The car’s windows were slightly down, and the air conditioning was off. The investigation later revealed that the infant had been in the car for an extended period as Corniel slept.
When asked to step out of the vehicle, the report shows that Corniel stumbled and continued to slur her speech, repeatedly asking for her “son’s glasses.” According to police, she refused to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and declined to provide a blood alcohol concentration sample.
Coriel was arrested on child abuse and DUI charges and taken to the Broward County Main Jail. She was later released after posting a $3,500 bond.
The child was safely removed from the vehicle. There is no indication of the child’s health or location.
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