Florida mom accused of leaving two children in car that caught fire while shoplifting 

A Florida mom is being accused of aggravated child neglect and arson after she left her two kids inside a car that caught on fire while she was shoplifting at the mall, authorities said. 

On May 26, Alicia Moore, 24, parked her car outside the Dillard’s department store at Oviedo Mall at around noon. According to an arrest report filed by the Oviedo Police Department, Moore left her children inside the car while she met an unknown man to shoplift at the department store.

An hour later, Moore returned to her car only to find it engulfed in flames. 

Bystanders who witnessed the car catching fire with the children inside rushed to rescue the children from the flames. The vehicle was totaled in the incident, police added. 

The children were transported to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. One child suffered first-degree burns to her face and ears. 

“It is undetermined what ignited the fire, however, if Moore was not being neglectful, it is unlikely [the child] would have been injured,” police said.

After the incident, Moore was arrested and charged with aggravated child neglect, as well as arson, because the fire happened while she was carrying out a felony, the arrest report continued. 

The mother is also facing additional charges of petty theft, battery, and assault from previous incidents. She pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. 

 Moore is being held on a $48,000 bail at the Orange County Jail. She is scheduled to appear in court on August 8.