Palm Coast, FL — A Florida couple is facing felony child neglect charges after allegedly leaving their infant unattended in an unlocked, running car while they drank inside a local bar.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Clarisse Finnegan, 28, and Norman Finnegan, 60, were arrested Friday night after a 911 call reported a child left alone in a vehicle outside Smiles bar in Palm Coast, about 60 miles south of Jacksonville.
Deputies arrived around 10:20 p.m. and found an infant sleeping in the back seat of a white Volkswagen Passat. The child was “improperly secured in a car seat,” but appeared unharmed. The car was unlocked, the engine running, and the air conditioning on, according to an arrest affidavit.
Body camera footage released by the sheriff’s office shows officers initially preparing to break a window before realizing the car was accessible. Less than 10 minutes later, Clarisse Finnegan exited the bar and identified the car as hers. She told deputies she had only entered the bar briefly to get money from her husband and left the baby outside because smoking was allowed inside the bar.
Her husband, Norman Finnegan, was located inside and detained. He told deputies he had arrived at the bar around 8:30 p.m. to “get away” for a bit and admitted his wife later joined him. The couple gave inconsistent accounts of how long the child had been left alone.
A bartender confirmed both had been drinking but claimed Clarisse “had not been there long.” A witness who called police said she saw the car running shortly after 10 p.m. and noticed a man exit the bar, glance at the vehicle, and return inside.
Following their arrest, the infant was released into the care of a family friend. Norman Finnegan was released Saturday on a $2,500 bond, while Clarisse was released on her own recognizance. Both were arraigned on Tuesday.
The Florida Department of Children and Families is investigating the incident.
