Woman Leaves Her Young Kids In A Stolen Car While She Goes Shoplifting, The Kids End Up Setting The Car On Fire

A Florida woman is facing child neglect and arson charges after leaving her kids in a car while she went into a store to do some shoplifting. While inside the store her two young kids ended up setting the car on fire. To add to the fun of the family outing the car was stolen.

According to police, Alicia Moore parked the car outside of a Dillard's at the Oviedo Mall in Oviedo, Florida. The 24-year-old then went into the store leaving her two small kids, who police say could not care for themselves, alone in the vehicle.

Stolen car burns in mall parking lot after mom left small kids inside (Image Credit: City of Oviedo via FOX 35)

Moore and an unidentified man spent about an hour in the store allegedly shoplifting. As she was making her way towards the exit, with the items she was planning to steal in her arms, she noticed that her car was on fire.

Police say that she dropped all of the items inside of the store and ran out to the burning vehicle. Luckily her kids, ages two and four, weren't still inside of the stolen car.

They were rescued by shoppers who noticed the fire shortly after it started when one of the kids managed to open a car door. The two preschoolers were taken to the hospital.

At least one of the kids suffered first-degree burns to their face and ears. Given how quickly the fire spread inside of the vehicle, and the fact that they were unsupervised at the time, this could have had a much different ending.

Florida mom arrested after kids set car on fire while she was allegedly shoplifting (Image Credit: Seminole County Sheriff's Office)

This Florida Woman's Shoplifting Plan Went Up In Flames

The latest mother of the year contender was arrested on May 31. In addition to her child neglect and arson charges, Moore was hit with petty theft and battery charges.

She's being held in Seminole County Jail on a $48,000 bond. Her first court appearance is scheduled for early August.

The part about leaving the kids in the stolen car while you go shoplifting makes sense. They're only going to slow you down and you can't have that.

The plan falls apart for me when whatever was used to start the fire was left in the car. That ruins everything. The shoplifting, the stolen car, the entire plan.