MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Miami Beach police said they arrested a woman visiting from Canada on Tuesday after a “concerned” good Samaritan found her 4-year-old daughter wandering naked and alone in a South Beach neighborhood.
Ibtissem Benhamadi, 43, of Montreal, is facing a felony child neglect charge in South Florida.
According to an arrest report made public on Thursday, the good Samaritan saw the girl walking in the 700 block of Michigan Avenue just after 6:45 p.m. and called authorities when she realized the girl was alone.
The report describes what officers said they saw after they arrived.
“The child was found on the sidewalk, completely naked and barefoot, exposed to the outside elements, without the supervision of an adult, or the means to call for help,“ it states. ”The child was also unable to provide officers (with) where she lives and appeared disoriented due to her not being a resident (of the) United States.
“The child was only able to inform officers on scene that her mother left (for) the store, but nothing further.”
Authorities said they soon saw Benhamadi “running in and out” of the Firefly Hotel at 721 Michigan Ave. and spoke with her, saying she confirmed she was the girl’s mother. Police redacted additional statements from the report.
Police said surveillance footage showed she had been buying items at a Walgreens in Miami Beach.
Benhamadi, identified in her arrest report as a Belgian national, was released on her own recognizance after a judge found probable cause to charge her.
Police said the Florida Department of Children and Families is also involved in the case.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
