Police charge woman who left child at grocery store

GILBERT, Ariz. (KSAZ) - A Gilbert mother is now facing charges after she reportedly left her baby outside of a shopping center, still strapped in a car seat Monday.

Two hair stylists found a baby boy still sitting in a shopping cart, parked in front of their salon. It took the baby's mother nearly an hour before she realized she had forgotten him.

"I didn't know there was a baby in there, I was like there's no way someone forgot a baby," said Miranda Asadoorian.

Tuesday afternoon authorities say they filed charges with the Gilbert town prosecutor who will decide whether to pursue a case against 27-year-old Cherish Peterson.

At first Miranda didn't believe it when a customer told her there was a baby outside her salon, still sitting in the cart. She checked it out and didn't know how the boy got there or who he belonged to. All she knew was no one was claiming him, and it was very hot outside.

"It's Arizona, it's freaking hot outside, you can't even walk your dog on the floor, imagine leaving your baby in a cart, that's awful," said Miranda.

She brought the baby into the salon and called police. The baby was fine, he was checked out by Gilbert firefighters and was not hurt.

"He looked like he was well taken care of, it's just a pretty big thing to forget," she said.

Police say the baby's mother left him after she went grocery shopping at Fry's Food and Drug near Higley and Pecos in Gilbert. The mom came to the store with three kids, but she left with just two. Police say the baby is around 4-months-old.