Mother who allegedly abandoned 2-year-old in grocery store is taken into custody



RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A 31-year-old woman investigators believe to be the mother of a toddler who was abandoned at a grocery store has been taken into custody Tuesday afternoon, Riverside police said.

The suspect was identified midday Tuesday as Chiengkham Vilaysane. By early evening, she had been taken into custody at a bank in the south end of Riverside, according to Riverside Police Department spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback.



The mother can be seen on surveillance video walking into the Food 4 Less with the toddler by her side on Sunday. While inside the store the girl wandered off. Police say the mother never tried to find the toddler and instead continued to shop.

"When the mother was shopping, a good Samaritan brought the child to her and the mother responded, 'Oh, just leave her,'" Officer Ryan Railsback said in a statement. "The mother deserted the toddler after she paid for the groceries."

Railsback said police believe the mother intentionally left the toddler at the store.

The 2-year-old girl was able to identify the woman as her "mommy," when she was shown a surveillance image, police said.

As of Monday evening, police said the toddler had still not been reported as missing.

The girl was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services.

The mother is described as about 20 to 30 years old with dark hair. She was last seen wearing a black or dark-colored tank-top shirt and denim shorts. Police said she has a distinctive tattoo on her right arm.

Anyone who recognizes the woman is urged to contact Detective Paul Miranda at 951-353-7945 or pmiranda@riversideca.gov.

https://youtu.be/0deq0AjjMzE.