Fort Lee police were called to the rear parking lot of 2180 Center Avenue on Tuesday, Aug. 25, around 9:05 p.m., after an anonymous caller reported a woman asleep behind the wheel with a child in the vehicle, according to a release prepared by Deputy Police Chief Edward Young.

Officers found the driver’s door open and the ignition off, with Sun A. Lee asleep in the driver’s seat and the 6-year-old in the back seat, police said. Officers tried several times to wake Lee, who appeared intoxicated when she woke up, authorities said. Open containers of alcohol were also found in the vehicle.

A family friend took custody of Lee and the child for the night, and the Division of Child Protection and Permanency was notified, police said.

Detectives continued investigating the next morning and determined the child had been in the parked vehicle with Lee for about 50 minutes, police said. During that time, the child got out and walked around the parking lot without supervision while Lee remained asleep inside the vehicle.

Lee was later arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, police said. She was taken to the Bergen County Jail pending a future court date.


to follow Daily Voice and receive free news updates.