Palm Coast, Florida – Deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Palm Coast couple late Friday after receiving a tip about an infant left unattended in a vehicle outside a bar.

Officers arrived shortly after 10:00 p.m. and found the infant sleeping in a car seat that was improperly secured in the back seat. The vehicle was unlocked, the keys were in the ignition, and the engine was running.

Clarisse Finnegan, 28, identified herself as the vehicle owner. She said her husband, Norman Finnegan Jr., 60, was inside the bar. Deputies detained Norman after escorting him out for questioning.

A witness reported seeing a man leave the bar around 10:15 p.m., look inside the car, then return to the bar.

Clarisse told deputies she went inside to use the restroom and get money from Norman to care for the infant. She said she checked on the child before returning to see if Norman was ready to leave. Both gave conflicting statements about Clarisse’s time inside the bar. Witnesses confirmed both were drinking.

Sheriff Rick Staly said, “These two will never receive parents of the year award with this behavior. It’s never acceptable to leave an infant alone inside a running vehicle—especially while inside a bar drinking. This kind of recklessness could have ended in tragedy. I want to thank the concerned citizen who reported this incident and our deputies who acted quickly to protect this innocent child.”

Norman and Clarisse Finnegan were arrested for felony child neglect without great bodily harm, a third-degree felony. Norman was released on a $2,500 bond, and Clarisse was released on her own recognizance.

The Florida Department of Children and Families is investigating the case.

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