Bartlett Child Left in Hot Car

BARTLETT, Tenn. - A Bartlett mother is charged with child abuse and neglect. Police say she left her 3 year old unattended in a hot car for several hours.

From what neighbors say, this family has had their share of problems recently. We're told the family just moved back into the home after it was destroyed by a fire and the family was trying to start over. Neighbors, we spoke with, say they're shocked.

Ricky Lowrie, grew up on the street and just recently moved back.
"I just saw a bunch of people over there, and the police, and they said something about that, there was a child left in a car at Walgreen's," says Lowrie.

Police don't know why the three year old was left in the car at Walgreen's, but they know who left the child.

Lowrie says, "I think it's terrible, it's the heat, I wouldn't even leave a dog in the car, much less a child."

Bartlett authorities are holding 30 year old Wafaa Sbdalla Khartoum in custody.
Neighbors say they don't know much about the family but they do know the family just recently moved back in the home after being displaced by a fire.

Lowrie says, "It's just usually the kids are out playing and there not being supervised that much."

Ricky Lowrie says he isn't shocked by the news of the mother's arrest, but he is concerned.

"And that's one of the reasons I've been so worried about what's going on in this neighborhood is cause there are so many children on this street," a concerned Lowrie says.

For now Wafaa Abdalla Khartoum, is spending the fourth of July behind bars. No bond has been set, and she's not expected to appear before a judge until Monday.