ABBEVILLE, La.- On Thursday, at 6pm in the evening, Abbeville Police Department were called out in response to an infant being left alone in a locked vehicle at Walmart.

Upon arrival officers immediately notice that the infant was in a car seat in the backseat of the locked vehicle. The vehicle was not running, and the windows were up. The infant, who police officers later determined to be nine months old, was sweating profusely. Officers quickly began to use tools to unlock the vehicle. During which another officer ran the license plate to find the registered owner of the vehicle.

Acadian Ambulance was immediately called to the scene by the police officers. Officers were able to open the vehicle and retrieve the infant from the vehicle. Shortly after the infant was taken out of the vehicle, the owner of the vehicle (who is also the mother of the infant), identified as Monique Loftin of Abbeville, arrived at the vehicle.

Upon interviewing Lofton, she first stated that her other daughter should have been in the vehicle with the infant. She later stated that she forgot that she had dropped her other daughter off earlier with a family member and thought that her older daughter was still with the infant.

Ms. Loftin was placed under arrest for cruelty to a juvenile.

Paramedics used ice packs to cool down the infant. The infant was then transported to the local hospital. The infant was treated at the hospital for heat related issues and later released.

The Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services were contacted by officers, and have now started their own investigation as a result of this incident. Officials have allowed a family member to temporarily take custody of the infant.

Loftin was transported to the Abbeville Police Department for booking.

An inventory of Loftin’s purse was taken, in which officers found an “Allergy Relief” bottle. Within the bottle, officers found two capsule shaped pills, which were not the medication for which the bottle was labeled. Officers were able to identify the pills as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which is classified as a DEA schedule II drug. Loftin was later booked for cruelty to a juvenile and possession of schedule II drugs. Loftin was then transported to the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center.