Deputies Say Woman Left Child In Car While She Was Drinking At A DeBary Bar

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DeBary, FL - An Orange City woman was arrested after Volusia County deputies say she left a child in a running car while she was drinking at a DeBary bar. Deputies responded to Shotz Bar located at 167 Charles R. Bealls Blvd. in DeBary on Sunday night at about 7:57 PM. They found a juvenile sitting in the front passenger seat of a car in front of the business. The boy was playing on his cell phone, according to police reports. Deputies questioned the boy, who said he was waiting for 42-year-old Ilka Soto Ortiz. Authorities found Soto Ortiz at the counter of the bar with a half cup of beer sitting in front of her, according to arrest reports. Soto Ortiz first told deputies that she had only been at the bar for about ten minutes and that she had two beers. Upon further investigation, deputies determined that Soto Ortiz had been at the bar for nearly an hour. Soto Ortiz had difficulty telling what day it was. She had glossy eyes and smelt of alcohol, according to reports. Soto Ortiz's boyfriend told authorities that she had a drinking problem for months and that he had been trying to get her help. Soto Ortiz was taken into custody and held on $2,500 bail for child neglect. The Department of Children and Family Services is reviewing the case.

(Soto Ortiz's mugshot courtesy Volusia County Jail)

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