Most parents have experienced that terrifying moment while shopping when they lose sight of a child for a moment. A Fort Pierce woman had that experience too -- for an hour.
According to police, a 3-year-old boy was sitting all alone and crying in an aisle at the Deals' Dollar Tree in the 400 block of Georgia Avenue. Eventually, an employee came by and asked the boy where his mother was. The boy was so distraught, he couldn't remember his mommy's name. A call over the store PA drew no response.
The store employees then had to get all Tommy Lee Jones in the Fugitive and conducted a hard-target search for the mother outside the store. Still, nothing.
An hour later, a minivan pulled up, and the mother, 30-year-old Philleana Peak, went into the dollar store where police were waiting.
According to the report, Peak was confused when asked about the whereabouts of her child. She told cops that she thought he was in the car when she left the store but couldn't find him when she got back home.
She also couldn't explain why it took her an hour to realize this.
Oh, and cops found pot in her possession, but that's probably just a really weird and totally inconsequential coincidence.
Peak was arrested and charged with child neglect and possession of marijuana. She was being held in the St. Lucie County Jail on $6,250 bond. The boy was turned over to his grandmother. The Dollar Store people are heroes. For working at a Dollar Store, sure, but mostly for coming to the boy's rescue.
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