Mother accused of abandoning child found, facing charges

ATLANTA — Atlanta police say they found the mother who abandoned her toddler in a bank parking lot Friday night.

Police say the 18-month-old was found in a silver Chrysler Pacifica with Michigan license plates on the corner of Lee Street and Oglethorpe Road. The car was found on the west end of the Bank of America parking lot.

The child was in the vehicle for five hours, according to officers.

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The toddler was transported to Hughes Spalding Children's Hospital.

Her mother, Crystal Hitts, 32, left Michigan two days ago to travel to Atlanta, according to relatives. Hitts arrived at the bank Friday around 2:30 p.m. and has not been seen since. Officers say Hitts was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Atlanta police say Hitts walked into the Riverdale Police Department around 1 p.m.

"From what we can gather, she started walking, somebody picked her up, she ended up in Riverdale, she walked some more, someone lended her a sweatshirt," Sgt. Warren Pickard with Atlanta Police said.

Police say Hitts couldn't say where she'd been overnight. Local family members say she possibly suffers from bipolar disorder. Authorities say they have no place to credit the incident to mental illness.

Hitts is being charged with child abandonment and reckless conduct. Police are working to find out if Hitts has a history of similar behavior in Michigan.

Cox Media Group