ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — A man from Alabama was arrested after allegedly falling asleep for about an hour leaving a baby unattended near the water, according to the arrest report.
Westley Nichols, 39, of Valley Grande, Ala. was booked into the Escambia County Jail Saturday on a $5,000 bond and charged with child neglect.
A witness said she saw Nichols staggering on the beach trying to change an infant’s diaper. The witness said Nichols appeared to be “under the influence of something and unsuccessful at changing,” according to the arrest report. Several witnesses say they saw Nichols pass out leaving the baby unattended on the beach. By-standers picked up the baby and held him until law enforcement arrived, according to the ECSO.
Two other witnesses told deputies they saw Nichols dozing off while holding the baby and smoking a cigarette. They said it appeared Nichols was bobbing his head as he dozed off and they thought he was hitting the baby in the face with the cigarette. They said Nichols was asleep for about an hour.
Just before this, a woman who was with Nichols told him she was going for a walk and she told Nichols he needed to watch the baby, according to the arrest report.
The exact location at the Escambia County beach was redacted from the report.
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