Nurse Ate at Restaurant While Infant Left in Unlocked Car, Police Say

HOUSTON, TX — A Houston nurse was arrested Monday after police said her 1-year-old son was found alone in an unlocked car while she ate inside a restaurant.

Sally Zamora, 29, was charged with abandoning a child and released on a personal recognizance bond, according to court records.

Police said witnesses called 911 around 3:55 p.m. after spotting the child in a vehicle with unlocked doors outside Mambo’s Seafood near the Northwest Freeway. Records show Zamora was eating inside with her husband and other children while monitoring the infant through a camera in the car.

Temperatures reached 97 degrees in Houston that day. Court documents state the vehicle’s engine and air conditioning were running, but the doors were unlocked. Zamora allegedly told police the boy had been alone for more than an hour and that she did not realize the doors were unlocked. She also admitted to not physically checking on him, relying instead on the camera feed. Alcohol may have been a factor, records state.

The child was not injured. As a condition of her bond, Zamora must complete a parenting class within 30 days. Police said Child Protective Services was notified, and the boy was released to his father.