Lutz Woman Jailed After Child Found Near State Road 54

LUTZ, FL — The discovery of a 4-year-old child wandering about 5 feet from State Road 54 just before rush hour Wednesday led to the arrest of a 52-year-old woman.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the child was dropped off at Carol Lynn White’s home in the 21600 block of State Road 54 around 1:30 p.m. Oct. 19 so the child’s mother could go to work. The mother later told deputies she had given White a special lock for her door to prevent the child from wandering off.

White, an arrest report said, didn’t use the lock.

The child was found “walking unsupervised within 5 feet of traffic on State Road 54 as well as within 100 feet from a lake” at 4:40 p.m., an arrest report said.

When deputies confronted White, she said she wasn’t in charge of watching the child, the arrest report stated. She could not, however, provide a name for who was.

The child’s mother told deputies White’s story was not true.

During a second interview, White “stated she could not remember if the victim was at her house,” the report said. She also informed deputies she does not use the lock unless it is nighttime.

White was subsequently arrested on a charge of child neglect.

No further information is available at this time.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office