Abandoned Girl’s Mother Arrested

A 20-year-old Lennox woman was arrested on suspicion of child abuse after her 2-year-old daughter was found wandering in the neighborhood by herself, authorities said Monday.

Sheriff’s deputies put Nancy Zepeda behind bars Sunday night and the county Department of Children and Family Services took the girl, Brenda Beltran, into protective custody, said sheriff’s Lt. Norine Plett.

A neighbor saw Brenda alone on Buford Avenue about 9:20 a.m. Sunday and called authorities. Deputies picked up the girl and canvassed the neighborhood looking for her parents.

“Nobody recognized her and nobody knew who she was,” Plett said.

Deputies also contacted the media, and the girl’s photograph was shown on local television news programs, prompting Brenda’s great-grandfather to come forward.

Detectives went to his home and spoke to other family members, but it wasn’t until several hours later that a relative was able to track down the mother.

Zepeda came to the Lennox sheriff’s station looking for her daughter about 6 p.m., and was arrested after being interviewed.

Det. Delicia Hernandez, who conducted the interview, said Zepeda told her that she had been out with her boyfriend all night and was supposed to be home in the morning to take care of her daughter. Zepeda, her daughter and her two sons live with her mother and grandfather, authorities said.

Zepeda smelled of alcohol and appeared to be under the influence of drugs, Hernandez said. The detective added that Zepeda told her she needed help.

“She’s 20 years old with three children, and she hasn’t grown up herself yet,” Hernandez said. “But the child’s life was in great danger. She could have easily walked into traffic and been hit by a car or been abducted.... My job is to prevent those things from happening.”

Zepeda also was arrested last month on suspicion of drug possession, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Her two sons, ages 4 and 7, were taken into protective custody, authorities said.