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Mother who abandoned 2-year-old at grocery store arrested

<p>Chiengkham Vilaysane, 31, was arressted on Tuesday by Riverside police for allegedly abandoning her child at Food-4-Less (March 15, 2017)</p>

The mother who allegedly left her 2-year-old daughter at a Southern California grocery store intentionally on Sunday has been arrested.

Riverside police identified 31-year-old Chiengkham Vilaysane, of Riverside, as the toddler's mother. Vilaysane is seen on surveillance video walking into a Food-4-Less with her daughter by her side, but later police say the toddler wandered off and Vilaysane never looked for her, instead, she continued shopping.

A Good Samaritan even brought the 2-year-old to the mother, and she reportedly responded, "Oh just leave her." After paying for her groceries, the mother left without her child. Police were called to the store at 6 p.m. and determined the toddler was intentionally left.

The shocking story was shared widely by news outlets across the state and country.

On Tuesday, a bank teller who recognized the mother from media reports notified police at around 4:30 p.m. that Vilaysane was at the bank, located on Magnolia Avenue.

She was questioned by detectives then later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for child abandonment and endangerment, according to the Riverside Police Department.

Police also learned Vilaysane has another child, who detectives confirmed was safe and with family. An investigation is still on-going.

Chiengkham Vilaysane, 31, was arressted on Tuesday by Riverside police for allegedly abandoning her child at Food-4-Less (March 15, 2017)

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