HOUSTON – A woman was arrested after police said she left her son at Memorial City Mall for two hours after her credit card was declined.
According to Houston police, 22-year-old Taylor Wooten had her 2-year-old son in a stroller at a store when she tried to make a purchase. When her credit card was declined, Wooten told the clerk she would be right back. The clerk noticed she left her child he ran to a nearby store to check for her, but she could not be found.
The clerk waited with the boy for 30 minutes before alerting security, police said. Security took the boy to guest services, and paged the mother to come to the office. She never showed up.
Police said that about two hours later, Wooten showed up at the mall, claiming her son was missing. She told investigators that the boy was supposed to be with her boyfriend.
Wooten was charged with abandoning a child without intent to return.