Okla. woman arrested for leaving child at Walmart

By AMANDA BLAND Tulsa World Staff Writer

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. – A Broken Arrow woman has been arrested for allegedly leaving a sleeping child in a cart at Walmart. 

Authorities said 51-year-old Jacqueline Marie Washington was arrested for caretaker neglect and petty larceny after leaving a child in a shopping cart while trying to flee store security. 

See the Tulsa World’s full story here

A Walmart employee said the woman tried to hide socks and other items in a black coat in the cart. 

The employee told officers the woman grabbed her purse and walked across the parking lot, leaving the sleeping child in the basket near the exit. 

The police report states officers found her on a nearby street corner where they searched her bag and found packages of socks. 

The child’s mother said her aunt, Washington, was taking care of the child while she was working. 

Washington pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of obtaining merchandise by false pretenses after she was charged with knowingly concealing stolen property in 2002. 

She received a one-year suspended sentence and must complete 120 hours of community service.