The woman was arrested after the death of her daughter, whom she left alone in a vehicle for more than five hours while drinking alcohol

Arrested on suspicion of murder of mother of 2-year-old girl who died after being abandoned in the car

The mother abandoned the girl in a vehicle while drinking alcohol.

Photo:
Courtesy of the family

Homicide detectives investigating the death of a 2-year-old girl who died after being left in a car with the heater on while her mother was supposedly drinking alcohol with a friend, they arrested the woman on Wednesday around 8:30 at night, authorities said.

Lacey Mazzarella, 34, was arrested on suspicion of murder, according to Tracy Koerner, deputy of the Information Department of the Sheriff's Department.

June Love August, barely 2 years old, died on September 23 after she was taken to a hospital, according to the report provided by the coroner's office in charge of the case. Her mother would have abandoned her in a vehicle with the heating on, while Mazzarella was in another nearby car drinking alcohol with a friend. It is believed that the girl spent more than five hours alone in the vehicle.

The mother told investigators that she had left the girl in the car around 11:30 p.m. on September 22 and left the heating on so her daughter wouldn't get cold. The woman said she fell asleep and went to check the child around 5 a.m. the next morning.

The baby's skin seemed to be peeling off the body and had a temperature of 41 degrees, says the coroner's report. The mother tried to cool her by spraying her with a hose in a garden and proceeded to call 911. The girl was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Mazzarella has a history of drug abuse and also lost custody of an older son six years ago due to negligence. She has also been arrested for possession and sale of drugs.

Bail for Mazzarella was set at $ 1 million. and is scheduled to appear at the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday to read their charges.


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