PHOENIX -- Mesa police arrested a mother on charges of child abuse Saturday after they discovered she had left her baby home alone for nearly three hours while she went to a casino, authorities said.Ada Delrosario Schwartzmann, 33, told police she couldn't sleep, so she placed her 10-month-old baby in a rocking swing chair and drove to a nearby convenience store to fuel up and purchase cigarettes at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday, Mesa police spokeswoman Detective Diana Tapia said.
Ada Schwartzmann
Schwartzmann said a friend called soon after and invited her to go to a casino, Tapia said. Schwartzmann once again left the sleeping baby in the rocking swing chair, Tapia said.
According to Tapia, Schwartzmann said she left the child at home alone because the baby was sleeping well, and she did not want to wake her up.Officers found the baby after a close relative, James Schwartzmann, who lives next door, called police after he and his wife could not locate Ada Schwartzmann, Tapia said. He told police he woke up around 5 a.m. and noticed his neighbor's car was not in the driveway, Tapia said.According to police, James Schwartzmann thought someone stole the car. His wife walked next door, unlocked the house and immediately heard the baby crying, Tapia said.The baby was in the rocking swing, and her diaper was wet, Tapia said.Tapia said Child Protective Services was notified, and the baby is with relatives at the request of the parents.
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