Nanny Charged With Leaving 3-Year-Old Alone In Running Car In Darien

Darien Police responded to a parking lot at Town Hall (2 Renshaw Road) on the report of a small child left unattended in a vehicle on Tuesday, Feb. 19 around 9 a.m.

Upon arrival, on-scene witnesses told officers that a young child, later identified as being 3 years old, was left alone in the car for about 10 minutes. The car was running, and the keys were in the ignition.

Officers also observed the child sitting in the driver’s seat and playing with the steering wheel.

Shortly after, the vehicle’s operator, 51-year-old Claudia Ortiz of Bridgeport, returned to the car and identified herself as the child’s nanny, police say.

Ortiz explained to officers that she was dropping off another child in her care at a Town Hall event and that the child didn’t want to exit the vehicle because it was cold outside.

The parent of the child was contacted and responded to the scene, and the child in the vehicle was unharmed.

Ortiz was issued a misdemeanor summons for leaving a child unsupervised. She was released from the scene on a written promise to appear and has a scheduled court date of Friday, March 1.

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