CLERMONT, Fla. -- A mother is accused of leading law enforcement on a low-speed chase with an infant inside her car on Tuesday night.
- Lucy Maldonado is charged with fleeing and eluding, aggravated child abuse
- Lake County Sheriff's Office: Drug needles found in car with baby
Lake County Sheriff's Office detectives say it was a low-speed chase, but it is the drug paraphernalia they found in the car with the baby that has Lucy Maldonado facing even more charges Wednesday morning.
She is being held at the Lake County Jail on charges of fleeing and eluding, aggravated child abuse and additional charges that law enforcement has not released yet.
The 39-year-old mother has been arrested six times in the past six years in Orange County and this is not the first time she has tried to run from law enforcement in Lake County. She has two prior arrest related to that.
However, this time detectives say things were different because of the small child in the car with her, and the drug needles detectives say were also inside Maldonado's car.
According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Maldonado was first approached by a deputy at a Wawa gas station she had slurred speech. The Sheriff's Office stated she then drove off, leading the deputy on a low-speed chase in Clermont.
Deputies stated they had to use stop sticks to get her vehicle to stop.
It was at that point deputies found drug needles inside the car and the small infant. Investigators say Maldonado had an active warrant out for her arrest in Orange County. However, whenever there is a child involved it really takes things to another level.
The Florida Department of Children and Families had actually been looking for Maldonado for weeks. According to DCF, her baby had no-pre or post natal care.