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Iranique Nyesha Martin (Miami-Dade Corrections).
The situation came to light when a concerned individual approached a police officer patrolling outside Crunch Fitness in Sweetwater, a community near Miami. The man claimed he saw a young child, appearing to be around three years old, sitting unattended in the backseat of a car parked outside the gym. This was not the first time, as he had noticed the same girl alone in the vehicle the previous day, prompting him to finally alert the police.
Upon investigation, officers discovered the car running with the child inside. Shortly thereafter, Martin exited the gym and confirmed that the girl was indeed her daughter. When questioned, Martin initially claimed she had just been using the restroom, suggesting a brief absence. However, surveillance footage contradicted her statement, revealing she had been inside for approximately an hour, engaging in a workout and taking a shower.
Police officers checked on the child and found her unharmed, though unrestrained and without a car seat, as noted in the probable cause arrest affidavit. This incident highlights the ongoing concerns of child safety and parental responsibility, especially when young children are left unattended in potentially dangerous situations.
Asked if she was inside the gym, she allegedly said, “Yes, I was using the restroom,” which police said implied that she was inside for just a few minutes. Officers had Martin open the door so they could check on the girl. Cops noted the girl was not harmed, but was unrestrained and there was no car seat in the vehicle, the affidavit stated. But surveillance video allegedly showed Martin was in the gym for about an hour. She exercised and took a shower during that time, cops said.
“Due to the child’s age and inability to care for itself, this exposed the child to an unreasonable risk of harm and constitutes child neglect,” cops wrote.
Martin was taken to the Miami-Dade jail on a $20,000 bond. The girl was placed into custody of her father, the affidavit said.
Her next court date is set for May 19.