Left 2-year-old child in car after going into Walmart

An Atmore woman has been arrested for torture and willful abuse of a child after leaving a 2-year-old child in a parked car Thursday afternoon at Walmart.

According to an Atmore Police Department press release, at approximately 12:23 p.m. yesterday, the APD was called to Walmart in response to someone having left a child in a parked car unattended in the extreme heat.

“Officers arrived at Walmart and spoke with an employee who was giving the child water,” APD Chief Chuck Brooks said. “Officers were told that a customer brought the child into the store after seeing the child crying and upset.”

Brooks said officers made contact with the child’s mother, Kim Ross of Atmore.

Ross said the child was asleep in the car when she arrived at Walmart, Brooks said.

“Ross said she ran into the store to purchase birthday supplies for the child’s birthday,” Brooks said.

Brooks said Ross was transported to the Escambia County Detention Center, and the Alabama Department of Human Resources was called to assist with the investigation.

The child was released with a family member, Brooks said.