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Woman charged with child abuse after leaving 4-year-old in freezing car

By Chris Williams
Published  December 3, 2024 3:49pm CST
Crime and Public Safety
Fox TV Stations
article

27-year-old Brittney Clark. (Credit: Lancaster County Department of Corrections)

The Brief

    • A Nebraska woman left a 4-year-old girl in a freezing car with no heat while she played slot machines; temperatures were around 24°F.
    • The woman, Brittney Clark, resisted arrest, biting and kicking officers during her detention.
    • Clark faces felony child abuse and assault charges; authorities determined she was unfit to care for the child.

LINCOLN, Neb. - A Nebraska woman has been charged after authorities rescued a 4-year-old girl left alone in a vehicle in below freezing temperatures. 

Lincoln Police said on November 26, they responded to a call regarding child neglect at a truck stop at 151 SW 48th Street.

The little girl was found unattended in the driver's seat of a gray Ford Escape with the window partially rolled down and without the heating running.

Local news outlets said the temperature was around 24 degrees Fahrenheit, and the child's skin was cold to touch. 

Police said the girl's caretaker, 27-year-old Brittney Clark, left the store and told police she was inside playing the slot machines inside and checking on the child. 

While being taken into custody, police said Clark resisted being handcuffed and "bit an officer's arm." She also "kicked an officer in the groin."

Clark was charged with one count of felony child abuse and one count of third-degree assault on an officer.

An investigation later revealed that Clak was unable to properly care for the little girl.

The Source

  • The information in this story was obtained from the Lincoln Police Department in Nebraska. This story was reported from Los Angeles.