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Florida deputies find couple sleeping in running car, child in back

Posted at 9:02 AM, Feb 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-22 09:05:34-05

 VENICE, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say a man and woman face drug and child neglect charges after they fell asleep in their car in the middle of an intersection with a 2-year-old child in the back seat.

Local news outlets report the incident happened at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday in Venice on Florida's Gulf Coast.

An arrest report says a Sarasota County Sheriff's deputy found the Cadillac running with the couple sleeping inside. When 36-year-old driver Matthew McRee woke up, he told deputies he had just been released from the Manatee County Jail and was heading home. His passenger was 30-year-old Christina Mattessino.

Deputies found two syringes under Mattessino's bag, along with heroin and marijuana.

Jail records don't indicate whether they hired a lawyer.

Family members took custody of the child.