SC woman left infant in running car who was found screaming and crying

A South Carolina woman was charged after it was discovered she left an infant in a running vehicle Thursday.

Niria Abadia, 26, of Greenwood, was arrested and charged with Unlawful Conduct Toward a Child. This isn’t the first time Abadia has been accused of leaving a child in a running vehicle with the doors unlocked.

A parking officer came across an unattended vehicle idling in a parking space behind a restaurant with an infant inside who was screaming and crying, according to the Greenwood Police Department.

The doors of the vehicle were unlocked, police said.

When the driver of the vehicle could not be located after approximately 20 minutes, patrol officers were asked to respond and located Abadia in the kitchen of the restaurant, according to the police.

Abadia is the owner-operator at Buenavista Cuban Cafe, according to her Facebook page.

The police reported that Abadia claimed she had only run inside to unload some things out of her car and that she had not left the child for more than a couple minutes.

When Abadia was arrested, the child was placed into the care of one of her employees at her request.

The Parking Officer has previously found the vehicle running in the parking lot and another child was asleep inside, police said. At that time, police say Abadia was given a warning about leaving her child in the car with the doors unlocked.

On Friday morning, Abadia posted she is well on Facebook.

“Thank you everyone for the calls and texts. I am well Praise the Lord,” Abadia wrote.