A 34-year-old Pennsylvania woman has been charged with misdemeanor child abuse after she allegedly left her baby in the car while at the Platte River Mall.

At around 8:00 p.m., on June 23, officers with the North Platte Police Department were dispatched to the Platte River Mall on the report of a small child being left unattended in a vehicle near the front entrance.

Officers located the 23-month-old female toddler in a locked Chrysler Town and Country van with Pennsylvania plates.

Officer Rodney Brown said officers were able to determine that the child’s mother, Kristin Smedley, of Bainbridge, Pennsylvania, had forgotten her daughter in the car and went into the mall.

Brown said officers were able to gain access to the car and took temporary custody of the child approximately 30 minutes after a witness first noticed her.

Smedley was located inside JC Penney and, following further investigation, was charged with misdemeanor child abuse.

Smedley was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

The child’s father was summoned from Gothenburg and took custody of the little girl.

Brown said it is unknown exactly how long the child was in the car.  He said drugs and alcohol are not believed to be involved in the incident.