A Florida mother was busy shoplifting inside of a department store when her car suddenly burst into flames with her two children trapped inside, according to police.
City of Orlando
Alicia Moore, 24, parked her car outside the Dillard’s department store at the Oviedo Mall on May 26, leaving her two young children inside who were reportedly unable to care for themselves, as stated in a police report obtained by Fox Orlando.
Accompanied by an unidentified man, the Orlando native entered the store and allegedly began shoplifting, according to the police.
After approximately an hour, upon exiting the store, Moore discovered her car engulfed in a massive fire.
Upon witnessing the blaze, the mother abandoned all the allegedly stolen items inside the store and rushed toward her vehicle, as stated by the authorities.
Following the explosion, individuals present at the scene, including nearby shoppers and witnesses, promptly sprang into action to rescue the children who were inside the vehicle.
As per the police report, one of the children sustained first-degree burns on their face and ears.
A video, shared by the City of Oviedo, captured by a Tesla dashcam in the parking lot, vividly depicts the back windows and front windshield of the white car shattering while intense flames and smoke erupt from the interior.
City of Orlando
The vehicle was totaled in the fire, cops said.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
Moore was arrested on May 31 and charged with aggravated child neglect and arson as well as petty theft and battery charges. She is being held in Seminole County Jail on a $48,000 bond, jail records show.
