Police: Woman Leaves Son, 4, at Starbucks

After asking a stranger to look after her four-year-old son in a White Plains Starbucks, police say a Bronx woman left the coffee shop and didn't return for about 45 minutes Monday evening.

Police eventually found the mother, 31-year-old Aminata Yarteh at work in a nearby building, according to an arrest report. Yarteh, of 2678 Briggs Ave. in the Bronx, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. 

A 39-year-old woman told a White Plains police lieutenant about the incident a little before 7 p.m. Monday. The woman told police Yarteh approached her in line at the Starbucks at 202 Main St. and asked if she would watch her son for about 15 minutes while she went on a job interview, according to an arrest report. 

After about 20 minutes the woman contacted police, according to an arrest report. The child was taken to police headquarters. As police were gathering information, a woman recognized the child led police to 19 Court Plaza where they found Yarteh at work.

Police don't know how long Yarteh intended to leave the child in the Starbucks, said White Plains Police LT. Eric Fisher. Yarteh claimed she had done nothing wrong when she was placed under arrest, according to a police report.

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Child Protective Services is investigating the incident. The child was released to his father Monday evening.

Yarteh was held for arraignment.