Indiana Mom Left Baby In Freezing Car In 'Soaked Diaper': Police

STARKE COUNTY, IN — An Indiana woman was arrested for child neglect at a Knox bar early Sunday morning after officers were called due to an unattended toddler left inside a car in below-freezing temperatures, WKVI said. According to Knox City Police Department Chief Harold Smith, officers from the Knox City Police Department were called out in front of O’s Tap on Main Street around 2 a.m. Sunday, where officers found 15-month-old girl in their car seat inside a vehicle that wasn't running, with a soaked diaper and no baby food in 25-degree temperatures, WKVI reported. According to the news report, the toddler's mother, 29-year-old Tiffany Helbling was arrested at the scene and was booked into the Starke County Jail on charges of neglect of a dependent and criminal recklessness, police said.

The Chief reported there were no diapers or bottles in the diaper bag or vehicle, and that Helbling and a bar patron she was with reportedly told authorities they took turns going out to check on the child. According WKVI, the mother told police she was at the bar for about 20 minutes, while other bar patrons claim she'd been there for at least an hour and a half to two hours. Chief Smith said the time frame will be determined by video surveillance, according to WKVI.

Medics from Starke County EMS also responded to the scene and evaluated the toddler, WKVI said, adding that according to Chief Smith, the girl's father was contacted to come get her. He told police he'd been trying to contact Helbling, who wasn't returning his calls.

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