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Tierrasanta Woman Arrested After Child Found Dead in Car

A Tierrasanta woman was arrested Thursday, accused of child cruelty weeks after her toddler was found dead inside a car, San Diego Police Department officials confirmed. 

Pricilla Marquez Harris, 24, called 911 from her home on Leary Street just before 1 p.m. on August 5 to report she could not find her daughter.

Within five minutes of hanging up, Harris called 911 again and said she found her daughter inside a car and the toddler was in need of medical help.

Paramedics arrived within a minute of the second call, but it was too late. Scarlett Grace Harris had died. She was just three months shy of turning 2 years old.

Scarlett Harris split photo

According to the transcripts of the 911 calls, Harris told dispatchers she had taken the anti-depressant Trazodone so she could fall asleep.

SDPD Child Abuse Unit investigators took over the investigation the next day, but no charges were filed in connection with the toddler's death until Thursday.

NBC 7 was the only station at Las Colinas when Harris arrived in the back seat  of a police SUV.

Harris faces three felony counts including child endangerment, inflicting great bodily injury on a child under 5 years old, and personal infliction likely to produce great bodily injury or death. Her bail was set at $1 million with an arraignment scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. 

Two days after Harris' daughter died, two adults suspected of overdosing were taken from the home on Leary Street to an area hospital.

Harris wasn't involved in the suspected overdose, but she was taken to a local hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, according to San Diego poliice.

Leary Street is located south of Tierrasanta Boulevard and west of Santo Road. The neighborhood is filled with housing used by U.S. personnel from local military bases.

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