Mother of Tierrasanta toddler who was found dead in car arrested

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The mother of a toddler found dead inside a car in Tierrasanta in early August was taken into custody Thursday and booked at Las Colinas Detention Facility on child cruelty charges, the San Diego Police Department confirmed.

On Aug. 5, 24-year-old Pricilla Harris made a 911 call shortly after 12:30 p.m. to report that she had just woken up and could not find her 2-year-old daughter at their residence in the 10300 block of Leary Street, according to San Diego police.

The mother’s line then went dead, SDPD media-services Officer Billy Hernandez said. A short time later, she called back and told a dispatcher she had found her child in her vehicle, unresponsive and not breathing.

Medics went to the home and tried in vain to revive the girl before pronouncing her dead at the scene, Hernandez said.

SDPD Child Abuse Unit investigators took over the investigation the next day, but no charges were filed in connection with the little girl’s death until Thursday.

Harris is charged with one count of child cruelty resulting injury or death and her bail was set at $1 million. Her arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 23.

Photo of crime scene in August