A Pasco County woman was charged with child neglect after a 2-year-old girl in her care was found wandering without any underwear near a busy road.
Pasco County sheriff’s deputies were called to the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and Nowiki Avenue in Hudson at 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, after receiving a call about a child who had been wandering next to a bar and busy roadway for 30 minutes. The toddler was not wearing any underwear or pants, according to an arrest affidavit.
The deputies went looking for the child’s caretaker. They say there was a trailer in a nearby neighborhood that had its door open. The deputies announced their presence multiple times, but there was no answer, so they went inside.
“The trailer was filthy, with empty beer cans lying around everywhere, dirty diapers around the house, as well as cigarettes all over and in the toilet,” said the arrest affidavit.
Deputies say they found Lyric Melody Nicely, 37, passed out on a sofa inside a trailer. A deputy had to shake her to wake her up.
“Lyric was highly intoxicated; I could smell the odor of alcohol beverage which grew stronger as I spoke with her, her eyes were bloodshot and glassy, she had difficulty standing unassisted,” said the affidavit.
Nicely told deputies she didn’t know the child was gone and she had been asleep since the night before.
Deputies arrested Nicely on one count of child neglect.
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