Florida mom accused of DUI, neglect after leaving child behind in crashed car, police say

ORLANDO, Fla. - A young mother is behind bars after police say she was driving drunk when she crashed her car with her child in the backseat. Authorities report that she did not attempt to rescue her child from the wrecked vehicle.

Josefina Lopez, 21, is facing charges after Clermont Police allege she was intoxicated when she crashed her car with her child on board. An affidavit states the crash occurred early Thursday morning at the intersection of Johns Lake and Hancock Roads.

Witnesses called 911, and police arrived to find a Jeep flipped on its passenger side in a ditch, with Lopez standing on the sidewalk and her child still trapped in the backseat, according to the report.

Certified addiction specialist Lui Delgado commented, "You may not have a problem with alcohol out there – but if you are drinking and driving, you definitely have a problem with your decision-making."

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Police removed the child from the vehicle, and after being cleared from the hospital, the child was placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Lopez, who was also driving on a suspended license, was booked into Lake County Jail and faces charges of child abuse, neglect, and driving under the influence.

"Alcohol is one of those substances we take for granted, thinking we can master it. It's so ingrained in our culture that we believe we have it under control, but for some individuals, alcohol can be as dangerous as a peanut to someone with a food allergy," Delgado noted.