Charges: Woman stole car, left infant inside for hours, leading to hypothermia

An Alexandria woman is now charged after she allegedly stole her uncle’s girlfriend’s car on Christmas Eve and left her lightly dressed infant inside.

Court documents state that Douglas County deputies first received a stolen car complaint out of Nelson on Dec. 26. After responding, deputies spoke with a woman who said her boyfriend’s niece had taken her car without permission and never returned.

The woman explained that she was taking a nap before lunch on Christmas Eve when her sister realized she’d forgotten to bring beans. At that time, 31-year-old Shaykeya Mari-Joyce Marquez said she’d go buy some at the store.

The complaint states that Marquez then took her infant child and got into the woman’s car and never came back.

On Dec. 27, the day after the woman reported her car stolen, Minneapolis police found the vehicle, the complaint states. Inside, they found Marquez’s infant lightly dressed and suffering from hypothermia.

According to the court documents, officials determined the child had been left alone in the vehicle for around three hours and had a core body temperature of 93 degrees. Also, the driver’s side window was partially down and the keys were in the vehicle.

Marquez is charged with felony vehicle theft, which can carry up to five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

She made her first court appearance Friday, where a judge set a $1,000 conditional cash bail. Her next hearing is scheduled for April 26.