So, we happen to come to Walmart to go shopping. Her son but he said, "I think there's somebody in there." >> He first thought calling 911. He saw me standing out there in the car. >> So, you left them in the car by themselves. So, why did she rip out the babies out of the car seat? You have to understand. You left them alone long enough for multiple people to call for their well-being. >> Look at my old boy. Going to jail. >> These kids were in the car in the burning hot heat. >> On September 14th, 2025, officers from the Sunrise Police Department received a concerning 911 call. According to the caller, three children had been found locked inside a car in Walmart's parking lot. When officers arrived, the scene was already crowded with people. All of them deeply concerned for the children. >> What's up, brother? >> What's up, man? They said they They saw They saw the car was on. Well, I think the manager got the key from inside and pulled the baby out. >> Was the car on or off? >> The car was off. >> It's another immigrant. She's 7 years old. She was I don't know >> So, the another person are you her No. >> No, just grandma. >> I'm her friend. >> She took the little girl so we can try to find out who the mama was. The little girl got on the case. >> Okay, but where's the 7-year-old daughter? >> Some lady took in the store. >> She took >> and with the keys. >> The lady took in the store because we were trying to figure out who the parent was. So, because she is the the the oldest out of them, they was already over here. >> So, them two plus the 7-year-old were in the car. >> I pulled Yeah, cuz they was already over here on the phone, I guess, calling y'all and I and they couldn't open the door and the car was off. So, when I came, I pulled I just I pulled them out. They was on top This one was on top of that one, but >> I took them out the back. >> Where was the 7-year-old? The 7-year-old was watching them. This is the grand You're the friend of the grandmother? >> I'm the friend. >> At the scene, officers were met by one of the mother's friends who had been with her just minutes earlier, but the mother herself hadn't been located until an officer spotted her walking out of Walmart with a cart full of groceries and immediately approached her trying to understand what had led her to leave the children alone. >> Are you the owner of this vehicle? >> Uh >> I don't know. Okay. How long How long were you Did you leave the Okay, because because we have people that are coming to the car and they're saying that this car was off with no AC with two babies in the car. And then you're saying I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Who are you? Are So, you were here at the car? So, were you the one that was watching the kids? While she went inside? What Do you mind me asking why did you take the 7-year-old inside when you went inside? How long were you guys gone for? So, you all were together in this car? Okay. And you were just outside of the car? >> The mother, 29-year-old Chiyara Smithia Washington, claimed she had only been inside the store for a few minutes, while her friend insisted the children had not been left unattended. But their story wasn't adding up, as no one at the scene seemed to agree with them. >> And are you with them? Are you just helping out? >> I was helping out. I walked over here quick. I seen them over here. >> Okay, question. You mind stepping over here real quick so I can ask you a quick question? When you when you came over >> Mhm. >> Who was watching the vehicle? >> Nobody. She that lady lying. She don't even know them people. >> She she doesn't know who they are? >> Mhm. >> So she was never >> was going to the store cuz so what happened was when I came out of Walmart, I seen them already up there talking. I seen them kept saying a gray car, but they Mind you, I'm at my car. My car is parked over there. So you know, I ain't being funny. I'm like, damn. Look at I seen the Spanish people over there, but I hear them saying kids in the gray car. So you know, I ain't going to cap it. I turned around like, what the [ __ ] they pointing at? They keep saying kids in the car by they self. >> saw her like around the area outside of the car? >> Them people that's Spanish Them people saved them the kids. Them kids when I pulled them out the back, them kids was [ __ ] poking sweat, bro. Their diapers is so They smell like bleach. And she she went to take her to go find the mom. So she asked Yeah, she asked me to watch them while I go she go find the mom. And I just gave them >> the water bottles. Did Did she leave them in the car until you watch them or did you Are you the one that took them out and put them in the shopping cart? >> I put them in the shopping cart. I just took them out the car. >> Okay. You're the one that took them out. Okay. >> And then they were talking. >> Okay. >> And I told her I was going to leave. She said, "No, don't leave cuz they really going to think they by they self." And then that's when I said, "Well, just watch them for me while I go leave the mom." >> Yeah, I got you. All right. Just stand by for a second, all right? At this point, it was already clear what had happened, but now it was time to make Kiera face it. >> Did you two come here together? >> Yeah. >> Okay, so you left them in the car by themselves? >> No. >> So why did she rip out the babies out of the car seat? >> Rip out what kids? >> Did you go inside >> She only ripped out the 7-year-old. >> The car The door was so what happened was I seen >> She's the one that took the kids out. >> I opened I opened I'm going to show you what it looked like when I opened it. >> Up like this? >> I seen one baby, which was him. >> Yeah. >> first. >> Okay. >> him out and then that's when I realized it was another baby in >> So you But you seen them in the car by themselves. >> Yeah, they was in she I got her out and when I when I pulled her out that's when I seen that one and >> So it must have been when she came to get me to get my car. >> No so no because they wasn't in the car alone. But they were alone for long enough for multiple people to call 911. You left your kids alone. Hold on leave them alone. But you did. You have to understand but you have to understand you left them alone long enough for multiple people to call for their well being. It is what it is right? So lesson learned we're not going to do that again because if she would have put the car in drive or put the car in reverse that's a that's a freaking removal right? CPS will be called you cannot do that. I'm sorry it is what it is. I understand you're trying to do whatever it is that you got to do but mom the mom it's 90° outside and you left them in the car long enough multiple people call 911. It cannot happen. Not only that you left them in there long enough that someone was able enough to remove them from the car. Have fire and rescue come then have the police come. That's too long. Do you understand where I'm coming from? Okay? It just it can't happen. It's South Florida people kidnap kids all the time and that's the easy lick. >> Kiera tried to deny responsibility but it was impossible to undo the chaos that had already unfolded and when officers began interviewing witnesses the full picture of what had happened only deepened the case. >> Approximately what time did you notice all of this take place actually? >> I pulled in here I seen them standing like in the front of the store already. Like literally not even lying I just I heard him talking but I just kept hearing him say something about a gray car but I'm walking in the store. Kept saying gray car and pointing. I noticed people were standing around but I went in the store shopped got my stuff. >> Yeah. >> I come out. Well now when I come out I noticed I see now I I faces. >> I'm sorry. >> I see the same faces that was over by the door over here. So cuz he on park right there. So I was turning around, I put my stuff in the car and I see him like saying there's kids in the car. He's screaming there's kids in the car and I see him like by the window. >> Okay, and so when you approach the car >> I come across the I had the water in my hand. So when I was like, "What's going on?" And that's when he was like, "There's kids in the car." So I was like, you know, everybody standing around. I knew he was on the phone with 911. He was giving them the tag number and then the lady with the her address, I noticed she like came in between me and was like, "Oh, they over here doing too [ __ ] much. Let me out." I said, "You know them?" I said, "These your kids?" And then she was like, "Oh, no they my kids, but I'm just trying to get the 7-year-old so I can tell her to show her where her mommy is and we can get them out the store." >> So she didn't even know who the mom was or anything like that. >> So I told her, I said, "Listen." I said, I told her, that's when I told her, I was like, "You need to go get the mom." I was like, "But they already on the phone with the police." I was like, "That's what I put them in there to do." And she was just like, "Oh, we got to look out for our people." And I was like, "I don't play like that by kids. That's I'm mandated to report this type of stuff." >> What the woman was sharing was deeply concerning. Three children had been left inside the car with no adult nearby suffering in the South Florida heat. And the more she revealed, the more troubling details emerged. >> First little baby was down on the floor when I first opened the door. >> So who was the first child you you >> The one that I had sitting in the with the poop on him, the one that I set inside the basket. >> Okay. >> I set him in there first. >> So you grabbed him out first? >> him up and then put him in the shopping cart. So yeah, and I almost like kind of like cuz he's soaking wet. Like my foot >> And was he sweating? >> Sweating, oh, drenched. >> His skin his skin like almost out of breath? >> He was look like he about to go to sleep. So that's what the man was like, "Oh, he I think they tired." I was like, "He [ __ ] hot." >> Oh, they're all in the trunk, correct? >> Correct. They're coming I'm putting right. >> So you pulled the first one >> on the floor. Like he was down on the floor. Like >> So you reached from the back seat into the trunk, grabbed the baby out from the trunk >> So I had to put my body kind of in. Like yeah, so when I did I had to kind of you know to grab him. Pick him up. >> And then you after you put him in the shopping cart >> him in this and then I I put him in the front of the shopping cart. >> And you saw a little girl. >> the little girl I pulled cuz I pulled the little girl out. She was uncovering him. That's why they didn't know there was another baby in there. >> So tell me what happened today. >> So we were walking I I usually never park here. I usually park there so we happen to come to Walmart to go shopping and we started walking. As we got to the door before the door her son is the one that noticed that there was a sound coming up like a knock a knock on the back of the trunk. >> Did you see him? >> I saw the car seat. >> He saw the car seats but he said I think there's somebody in there. >> So you noticed the sound in the back of the trunk. >> Yeah, as we started walking down there then I then he said let's go take a look. So I thought about it and said that's not that couldn't be true but I went and took a look anyways. So we had nothing to do so when we look I don't see nobody there. But he's the one that noticed that there was uh there were stuffed in the back of the the trunk. And I said oh my god there are people back there. There's kids. >> Okay so would you How do you know that there was kids in the trunk? >> Because we were looking inside the the car. >> looking inside the >> Correct. >> And you saw what? A hand, a foot? >> I seen I seen foot and I seen diapers and stuff a little bit like that moving. >> So you seen a foot sticking out of the >> Yes. Yes ma'am. >> So then what happened after you noticed the the >> I I immediately called the police and told them that um the car was off. There was no AC blowing in there. And we even looked in the car the car car was completely off. >> After hearing the witnesses account the officers had a full understanding of the danger the children had been in and they made their final decision approaching Ciara to deliver news that unfortunately for her was not in her favor. >> Who do you live with? >> I have my own place. >> You don't live with anybody? >> No. >> Do you have any family member in the area? >> Why? Am I going to go to jail? >> To be honest yes. >> Why? What did I do wrong? >> Okay so I'm going to explain this to you right? I have two witnesses. We're just going to I'm going to explain to you that you have I have two witnesses, mom-to-mom, cuz I have a 5-year-old. I have two witnesses that called 911. Your kids were found in the trunk of a car with this Oh, yes. >> They play in the trunk of the car. They wasn't found in no trunk of the car. >> No, no, no. That's how they got noticed cuz they heard a >> Yeah, cuz they be playing in the the trunk. You can ask my daughter right here. >> no, no. I don't care. I don't care. I don't care about that. This is you can ask >> No, but listen. They always be playing in the trunk. They always be playing >> weather? >> The car was on. >> No, it wasn't. I swear to >> You can ask my child. She can tell you the car was on. Okay, but you can ask my daughter. The car was on. >> She's 7. I'm talking to It doesn't matter what >> to them. They're talking to them. They're going to ask my daughter questions and she's going to tell them. It's going to be >> They're also going to talk to two grown adults, not a 7-year-old. >> taking my my story even. Y'all just taking their side. >> Yeah, but not for long. >> For 37 minutes. >> saw you on camera. You went inside that store and you were gone for 37 minutes. >> So, I'm trying to help you out. >> No, because I saw >> You don't have any family members? >> I saw I was not under going this store. But because I had need to go to you actually think I still didn't even go in my first small. I've never been to no jail. >> We know. We know. But you need to call a family member. Cuz I don't They can't go with her because her criminal history's way too long. Okay? So, I'm trying to help you find a family member to go with them. Do you understand? >> I cannot afford to go to jail. >> The weight of her decisions was beginning to set in for Ciara, but by that point there was nothing she could do to get herself out of the situation. >> Okay, look. It's either It's either you can find a family member >> I mean I'm not going to have any other choice. Can I please speak to the sergeant, please? I have rights. I can speak to the sergeant, please. What, bro? Like I've never been to jail. If >> All right, look. Look, what's your name? What's your name? Tia. >> It was just a mistake. That would never happen again. >> This is our This is our sergeant. >> No, I was just explaining to them that it was just a mistake. They was never in the car. My daughter can tell you that I left the keys on. I've never been to no jail before. >> Is the car running right now? >> Yeah. Like I'm just Sometimes I just be wanting to just give up, bro. Cuz I don't have no help. I don't have nobody helping me. I'm doing everything by myself. >> And I Look, and we understand that. There there is ways to getting resources to be able to assist you. There's government assisted programs to help you with this stuff. But you also have to understand when when when it's a children's life, right? They cannot withstand being inside of a car in such high heat. You either tell us somebody right now who can come and pick up your kids, somebody that is reliable, somebody that doesn't have a huge criminal history, somebody that is willing and able to take care of your kids. So either they go with somebody that you know that they're in good hands, or they're going to the state. It is a better option if you have somebody come and pick them up. Cuz if they go to the state, it is not a good look with CPS. >> No, it's not. But I just don't understand why y'all can't just send me home. CPS going to come to my house regardless. I'm going to take a chance. >> you're 100% right. There's They're still coming. But action needs to be taken right now. So, it's either you tell it It's either you Again, it's two options. You either tell us somebody right now that can pick them up or they're going to the station. You don't have a charger You don't have a charger in your car? What phone do you have? Do you know that person's number? By heart? We're going to charge your phone as soon These kids were in the car for more than 30 minutes in the burning hot heat, sweating. Sweating. They got >> As the investigation continued, Kiara was charged with three counts of neglect. But just 3 days later, she was in trouble with the system again. She was expected to take her children to the hospital for a checkup, but failed to do so, prompting DCF to get involved. They tried to have Kiara voluntarily transfer custody to the children's aunt while she received mental health treatment, but she refused. In the end, DCF began the process of removing her children from her care.