MIAMI — Miami police say a mother was arrested Thursday after her 6-year-old son was found alone late Wednesday night.
According to police, the boy, who was initially believed to be named Lucas or Legacy, was found at about 11 p.m. Wednesday by a man, wandering around the area of Northwest Seventh Avenue and 17th Street in the city’s Allapattah neighborhood.
“This was a good Samaritan that was sleeping in the streets, and he called us and gave us that information. You know, kudos to him. We don’t know what would have happened if he would have remained on the streets,” Miami police Officer Mike Vega said.
According to an arrest report, police interviewed the boy and he said, “Mommy drop me off and left me.”
Police said the boy has delayed speech, which made it difficult for them to get information from him.
However, an officer from Miami-Dade Schools Police called the Miami Police Department shortly after 10:34 a.m. Thursday and was able to identify the boy after seeing the “need to identify” flyer.
According to the report, police were then able to make contact with a witness who told them she has known the mother, Annie Rivera, 30, for a few years and Rivera and the boy recently moved in with her and her children.
Police said she went to bed at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and noticed that Rivera and her son were not home.
She said she heard the front door open in the middle of the night and assumed it was Rivera so she went back to sleep, authorities said.
Police said the witness woke up at about 6 a.m. Thursday to get her kids and herself ready for the day when they went downstairs and saw Rivera sleeping.
According to the report, one of the witness’ children asked where the boy was and the witness said she didn’t know and assumed he was at his godmother’s home.
Police said Rivera was found at about 11:40 a.m. Thursday and was taken into custody.
Rivera claimed to have had no idea that her son was gone, police said.
The full statement she made to detectives was redacted from the publicly released report.
Rivera is facing a charge of child neglect without bodily harm.
The boy, whose name has not been publicly released, is now in the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families.
According to the arrest report, a DCF investigation involving Rivera was opened last year as well for allegations of “inadequate supervision.”
As of Thursday evening, Rivera was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Online jail records listed her bond as “to be set.”
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