2 women accused of leaving toddlers in car outside Northlake Mall arrested

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Tuesday they arrested two women accused of leaving two toddlers in a car outside Northlake Mall while they went inside to shoplift.

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Officers said they were called just before 1 p.m. on Sept. 24 after a good Samaritan stopped to help a 2-year-old boy who was wandering around the mall's parking lot.

According to police, the boy had gotten out of a car after being left alone with another toddler while two women went inside the mall to shoplift.

“You are going and taking one bad thing, shoplifting, and you are compounding it with leaving your children,” shopper Andy Poulton said.

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“The Bible says, ‘Thou shall not steal,’ and they shouldn't do nothing like that,” shopper Donald Hough said. “That's a crime.”

The boy had minor injuries but is expected to be OK.

(Vehicle similar to suspects' car)

Police said one of the women grabbed the boy before getting into a mint green Chrysler with a paper tag in the back window.

Officials identified the women as 27-year-old Resa Washington and 27-year-old Tiyana Edmonds and later arrested them.

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Washington and Edmonds are facing multiple charges, including child neglect.

Authorities said the pair were detained together and issued citations for unlawful concealment in 2015.

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Cox Media Group