A Florida public official who had been accused of leaving a five-year-old boy inside a vehicle for more than eight hours is no longer facing prosecution, officials said.
Zonya Ray, the Parks and Recreation Director for the city of Opa-Locka, had been scheduled to appear before a judge on Tuesday. However, prosecutors dismissed the charge after a police officer did not appear in court, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office told the Daily Mail.
Officials have not said why the officer was absent.
Ray, who worked in Opa-Locka, roughly 15 miles north of Miami, was accused of leaving the child alone overnight in a vehicle parked outside a local government building on March 11, according to court records obtained by NBC 6 .
The boy was found at about 6am the next morning.
Ray, 58, told police she had been driving minors to football practice and did not realize the boy had gotten into the vehicle, according to the report.
She was charged on June 2 with leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of as much as $500.
After the child was discovered, Ray allegedly told police she had not checked the vehicle before leaving for home that night, records stated.
Opa-Locka Parks and Recreation Director Zonya Ray was supposed to learn her fate in court on Tuesday, but the charges against her were dismissed after a police officer failed to show up to court, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office told the Daily Mail
She was never arrested or booked into jail, but was formally charged and signed a statement that she would appear in court instead of posting bond, per the report
It wasn’t until the next morning that she realized the child was missing, leading her to rush to the vehicle, investigators said.
Her relationship with the child remains unclear. It is also unknown if the boy was injured as a result of the incident.
She was never arrested or booked into jail, but was formally charged and signed a statement that she would appear in court instead of posting bond, per the report.
Ray is still listed as the director of parks and recreation on the city’s website.
She has been in the role since November 1988, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Just days before her court appearance, Ray shared several Facebook posts that appeared to shed light on her hope for the future.
‘God, I put everything in your hands today. My family, my health, my home, my security, and my fears,’ the post read.
‘You’re the only one I trust with all I have & all I am. Thank you for carrying my burdens! Amen.’
Ray is still listed as the director of parks and recreation on the city’s website. She has been in the role since November 1988, according to her LinkedIn profile
After she was charged last month, Opa-Locka City Manager Sha’mecca Lawson told NBC 6: ‘As this matter involves personnel-related issues and potential legal considerations, the City is limited in what it can publicly disclose at this time.
‘The City takes matters involving the safety and welfare of minors seriously and is reviewing the circumstances consistent with applicable policies and procedures.
‘Because this matter may involve confidential personnel information and a minor, the City cannot comment on specific allegations, discuss employment-related details, or identify any juvenile involved.’
The Daily Mail contacted Ray and Lawson for comment.
