WEST MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – A 33-year-old mother of two, identified as Jamie Leigh Gunn, is facing charges of child neglect after leaving her 2-year-old and 8-month-old children unattended in an unlocked car with the engine running while she visited a bar in West Melbourne.
The incident came to light during a routine business patrol by a West Melbourne police officer on October 22, 2023. The officer discovered a black SUV parked behind Penny Annie’s bar on Minton Road with its engine running. Upon closer inspection, he found the two infants asleep in the backseat of the idling vehicle.
The West Melbourne Police Department issued a statement, noting, “The doors to the vehicle were unlocked, and the vehicle was running. The registered owner, 33-year-old Jamie Leigh Gunn of West Melbourne, was located inside the bar visiting with a friend.”
An investigation revealed that Gunn had been inside the bar for at least 20 minutes, displaying a troubling disregard for her children’s safety.
“When Gunn learned law enforcement was outside with her vehicle, she was more concerned about going to jail than the welfare of her children,” the West Melbourne Police Department reported.
Following the incident, Gunn was immediately arrested and charged with child neglect. She was taken to the Brevard County Jail, where she is being held on a $15,000 bond.
Local authorities handed custody of the two children over to a family member. The Department of Children and Families has been notified and will conduct a follow-up investigation into the matter.
According to law enforcement, Jamie Leigh Gunn has a criminal history that includes contempt of court, forgery, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended license.
