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Mom who reportedly left 2-year-old in freezing car overnight charged with felony child abuse

Posted at 5:46 PM, Dec 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-22 00:08:10-05

THORNTON, Colo. -- A mother accused of leaving her 2-year-old son inside a freezing car for roughly 14 hours as temperatures dropped well below zero has been charged with felony child abuse, an official with the Adams County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday. 

Nicole Carmon, 26, was charged with one count of child abuse causing serious bodily injury after she reportedly left her 2-year-old toddler inside a vehicle at a strip mall in the area of East 120th Avenue and Washington Street in Thornton last Saturday

Police said Carmon admitted she remembered taking six shots of vodka before walking to a Conoco and being picked up for a ride back to her home. 

Investigators said the Carmon's babysitter called in on Dec. 17 to ask for help finding Carmon's child, as the mother had asked the babysitter for help in locating her child, according to an affidavit obtained by Denver7

Carmon couldn't recall where she had left the car with her 2-year-old son inside, according to police, who followed leads, eventually tracing Carmon's movements to a Conoco on the night of Dec. 16, where cameras were able to show police Carmon had asked about a "Target" to clerks. 

During her time on camera, police say Carmon appeared to be crying and unsteady. Eventually that night, she left the store and police followed where she appeared to be walking. 

They eventually located her vehicle, which was covered in snow. Inside, her 2-year-old suffered from severe frostbite and hypothermia. Police labeled the injuries as serious bodily injuries as the result of spending roughly 14 hours in a vehicle in sub-zero weather.

Medics rushed the child to Children's Hospital, where a doctor confirmed the child's medical condition.

The child's condition remains unknown at this time. 

Carmon appeared in court Wednesday for formal advisement and a preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2017. 

Denver7 tried reaching Carmon's attorney for comment but have yet to receive a response. 

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