While sitting inside a Spring bar and having a drink, Maria Feliz Rodriguez, 37, investigators say she left her god-daughter in the car at 1am.
Dan Arthur, owner of the Parrot Pub, said, "We've been here 15 years, which is sort of unusual in the bar business, and this is the first time we've had this situation."
Investigators say Rodriguez walked into the Parrot Pub on Louetta Saturday night while babysitting her seven-year-old goddaughter. After ordering her first drink, Rodriguez allegedly walked back out to move her car into a parking spot much closer to the front door and walked back in to drink.
About 40 minutes later bar employees noticed a little girl crying and tugging on the door.
"She was very upset," said assistant district attorney Keri Fuller. "She said has been left in the vehicle. The keys were in the ignition, but the vehicle was off and the windows were up. She said she was very hot and scared."
The two employees of pub called police. Rodriguez was arrested and jailed. After starting her night out with her godmother, the little girl ended up in CPS custody.
"The police took the woman away and left the child here and they took care of the child until protective services could arrive," Arthur explained.
The little girl is OK and was placed with family friends. Rodriguez is charged with abandoning a child. She faces six months to two years if convicted.
