Florida woman charged after car catches fire with kids inside while allegedly shoplifting: Police

A Florida woman was charged with aggravated child neglect and arson after her car caught on fire – with children inside – while she was allegedly shoplifting at a mall, according to an arrest report.

Alicia Moore was allegedly shoplifting inside a Dillard’s department store at Oviedo Mall on May 26 when her car caught on fire, an arrest report filed by the Oviedo Police Department and sent to USA TODAY shows.

Moore left her car parked outside the department store with children inside, the report said.

While Moore was allegedly shoplifting, bystanders saw the car burst into flames and quickly rescued the children who were trying to escape the vehicle, according to the report.

Responders took the kids to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. One of the children suffered first degree burns “to her face and ears,” the arrest report said.

Moore was allegedly shoplifting, mall security said in the report

According to the report, mall security said they saw Moore and an unknown man shoplifting in Dillard’s for about an hour while the children were waiting in the car.

As Moore was leaving the department store, she saw her car in flames and dropped the merchandise before exiting the store, the report says.

Moore is being held on $40,000 bail. She is charged with neglect of a child with great bodily harm and first degree arson, according to a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office report.

According to the police report, Moore was charged with arson because the fire occurred while she was allegedly committing a felony.

Police don’t know what caused the fire but said it’s unlikely the children would have been injured if Moore was not “being neglectful,” the report said.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida mom charged: Allegedly shoplifting while car caught on fire