Suffolk News-Herald

A special prosecutor will be appointed to try the case against a city employee charged Tuesday with child neglect.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Carter said his office will be requesting that the case against Carla Hart, a clerk in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, be tried by a prosecutor from another locality. Hart, a newcomer to that department, previously worked in the city’s finance department for a couple of years.

Hart has been suspended from work pending the outcome of the trial, Carter said.

Hart, 32, of the 100 block of Lancelot Court, was arrested and charged with one count of felony child neglect Tuesday.

Hart is free on bond. Meanwhile, her daughter is in the custody of the Department of Social Services.

Authorities arrested Hart after investigating a neighbor’s tip that she had left her 5-year-old daughter home alone while she went to work. Investigators found that Hart would leave the child for approximately 8-1/2 hours a day, coming home at lunch time to check on her.

She is also accused of removing the batteries from the telephone so the child could not make any calls, police said.

Tuesday was not the first time the youngster was left alone for extended periods of time, police said.