BANDERA COUNTY, Texas --
Bandera County deputies have been accused of leaving a child in a car on the side of the road after they arrested the toddler's mother, and the mother's attorney said dash-cam video of the arrest proves it.
According to the police report, deputies pulled over 29-year-old Victoria Brice because her vehicle had a broken left brake light.
"I don't see any lights out. It looks like a completely illegal stop," attorney Adam Cortez said of the dash-cam video from his client's arrest.
Brice was then handcuffed and taken to jail for an expired driver's license.
"Just having an expired license is not an arresting offense," Cortez said.
What cannot be seen in the dash-cam video is Brice's 2-year-old daughter sitting in the empty car the entire time, Cortez said.
Cortez claimed dash-cam video showed the deputies knew the toddler was there, so they moved the car a few feet away from the freeway. A deputy then retrieved Brice's purse from the car.
Moments later, the dash-cam video showed deputies driving away, taking Brice to jail, leaving her car on the side of the road.
"Child endangerment is not a policy, it's a crime," Cortez said.
Bandera County officials said there was another deputy parked behind the arresting deputy, watching the child from his vehicle, but at no point in the dash-cam video can you see another vehicle.
Cortez said he believes the deputies are lying, trying to cover up the fact that they left a toddler sitting alone in a car alongside a busy, dark highway.
"I'm not wondering anything, they're obviously lying about that. I don't know if they thought they could get away with it or if we wouldn't get a copy of the video," Cortez said.
Bandera County officials said the deputies involved have received counseling on procedures involving children.
Beyond that, Bandera County officials said they can't comment on pending litigation.
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