HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - A Hialeah woman was arrested Monday after police said officers found cocaine residue and drug paraphernalia inside a vehicle where she had been sleeping with a child.
Neisha Puentes, 31, faces charges including child neglect, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to a Miami Police arrest affidavit.
Police said officers responded around 1 p.m. to the area of Northwest 12th Street and Northwest 13th Avenue near Miami’s Civic Center after receiving reports of a woman asleep inside a vehicle.
According to the affidavit, officers found Puentes asleep in the car and woke her by knocking on the window.
Investigators said she told officers she had fallen asleep due to exhaustion.
While Puentes exited the vehicle and attended to the child, officers said they spotted a crack pipe containing cocaine residue and several baggies with suspected cocaine in plain view on the front passenger-side floorboard.
Authorities said Miami Fire Rescue responded to the scene and the child was later transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital for evaluation.
The Florida Department of Children and Families and Miami Police Special Victims Unit were notified, according to the report.
Investigators said DCF planned to release the child to the grandmother.
Puentes was booked into jail Monday afternoon.
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