Emily Sabogal, 32, of Sunrise, Florida, now faces two counts of child neglect after allegedly leaving her two young children alone in an Uber for more than two hours. Prosecutors added the new charge of unlawful child desertion during a hearing this week. The children's father has expressed outrage and is seeking strong prosecution.
On February 13, around 11 p.m., an Uber driver in Sunrise, Florida, picked up Emily Sabogal, 32, and her two toddlers after they had attended karate class. According to a police affidavit, Sabogal held a cup that the driver believed contained alcohol. She reportedly repeated in Spanish that 'he thinks I'm stupid,' grabbed the driver's phone to cancel the ride, gave him $10, and asked him to stop at the corner of NW 50th Street and NW 108th Avenue. She exited the vehicle, promising to return in a few minutes, but left the children behind and walked out of sight, placing them 'at an unreasonable risk' with an unknown individual, police stated. The children appeared playful and unbothered initially but later told officers they were thirsty and hungry; police provided them with food and water. After about an hour, the driver called Sabogal, who said she would return in 12 minutes, but she did not answer subsequent calls. He then dialed 911 after two hours. Officers located Sabogal more than two miles away, walking near a McDonald's. She smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech, police reported. Staff at Bob G's Wings N Things confirmed she had been there earlier with the children, consuming multiple alcoholic beverages while they ran around unsupervised. Body camera footage captured officers confronting Sabogal: 'You just left your kids with an Uber... We were all over town looking for you… You left your kids for two hours.' Sabogal replied that her situation was 'really complicated,' she had no car, and her phone had died, insisting 'my kids are everything to me.' She was arrested, booked into Broward County Jail, and later posted bond; the children were released to a family member. Initially charged with child neglect, prosecutors added a count of unlawful child desertion at a hearing on Wednesday. Sabogal was arraigned and has a court date set for July 31. The children's father, now caring for them, told WTVJ, 'I'm here to seek justice for my kids... I don't want this to be another slap on the wrist.' He added to WPLG that this was not the first erratic incident and that Sabogal 'needs help.'