TLDR
Florida mother Iranique Nyesha Martin, 38, is charged with child neglect after a witness reported her toddler was alone in a running car outside a Sweetwater gym, and surveillance video allegedly showed the child remained there while Martin exercised and showered.
What began as a routine police patrol outside a Miami-area gym turned into a child neglect case centered on a short drive, a workout, and an unattended toddler. The incident, documented in a probable cause affidavit, has now moved into the Miami-Dade court system.
According to Law & Crime, which reviewed the arrest records, Martin is accused of leaving her approximately 3-year-old daughter alone in a running vehicle while she went inside Crunch Fitness in Sweetwater. She faces one count of child neglect without great bodily harm, and a court hearing is scheduled for May 19th, 2026.
Witness Report and Police Response
In the affidavit, officers wrote that a man approached a Sweetwater police officer who was on patrol outside the gym and said he saw a young child alone in the back seat of a car. He told the officer he had seen the same child alone in the vehicle the previous day, but had not contacted police then.
Officers searched the parking lot and found a car running, with the toddler inside, unrestrained and with no car seat visible, according to the affidavit. A short time later, Martin walked out of the gym and confirmed the child was her daughter. When asked where she had been, she allegedly replied, “Yes, I was using the restroom,” a statement officers interpreted as suggesting she had only been away a few minutes.
Affidavit Details and Surveillance Footage
Investigators obtained surveillance video from inside the gym. The footage allegedly showed Martin entering, working out, and then showering over the course of about an hour while the car remained running outside with the child inside, according to the affidavit filed in Miami-Dade County.
Officers noted that the girl did not appear injured, and there is no indication she required medical treatment. Even so, police wrote that the child, described as being about 3 years old, was too young to protect herself from potential harm, such as accidental movement of the vehicle or contact with strangers.
Charges, Custody, and What Comes Next
In the probable cause narrative, officers concluded, “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.” Martin was arrested and taken to the Miami-Dade jail, where her bond was set at $20,000, according to Law & Crime.
The affidavit states that the girl was released into the custody of her father. The document does not describe any statement from Martin beyond what she allegedly told officers at the scene, and it does not outline any defense her counsel may raise as the case proceeds.
At the upcoming May 19th, 2026, hearing, prosecutors will decide how to advance the single count of child neglect without great bodily harm, and the court will review Martin’s release conditions. For now, the allegations remain unproven, and the case will turn on how the judge and attorneys weigh the surveillance footage against Martin’s reported account.
