A mother was detained last Monday after police said she left four small children in her car while she went to a bar. An employee at Apple Lounge & Grill called police to report that a 10-month-old girl, a 3-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old boy were left alone in a car, leading to Tiffany Shanta Simmons’ arrest, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say the 36-year-old was aggressive, difficult, and physically resistant when they discovered her inside the pub. She also seemed to be intoxicated.
Simmons allegedly kicked a deputy when she was being arrested, per KNOE. Simmons faces charges of battery against a law enforcement official, four counts of negligent child abuse, two counts of violent resistance, two counts of nonviolent resistance, and three counts of leaving children alone in a car for longer than fifteen minutes.
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A staffer at the lounge said to the police that Simmons arrived around 8 p.m. with a “young boy.” When she was told that no one under the age of 21 could enter, she offered to take the child outside to wait for his father.
Staff said the embattled mother returned to the lounge approximately 15 minutes later and ordered food, drank vodka, and danced.
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Simmons has a “routine of poor choices.”
“She left these four beautiful children alone in an idling vehicle, parked in a dimly lit parking lot, and outside of a lounge. All the while, she’s inside drinking vodka. The oldest child had a cell phone with no phone service, and he didn’t know how to call 911 in an emergency. Simmons’ actions are infuriating and reprehensible,” he said.
Simmons was also accused of leaving her car running unattended while the keys were in the ignition.
She has already been involved in criminal traffic, prostitution, retail theft, car theft, and burglary, and had several possessions of illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine and heroin.
The kids are currently with relatives.
