Shopper had pattern of leaving child unattended

The Scottsdale woman under investigation by state authorities for leaving her toddler in an unlocked car this week while shopping at Neiman Marcus left her child unattended for about 40 minutes the week before while she went jewelry shopping in north Scottsdale and later went to Starbucks with her dog, according to a police report.

At least three employees at Hodson Jewelry Gallery, 8924 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, told police they saw Gardenia Zakrzewski Johansson calmly shopping for about 20 minutes on Dec. 4 before asking one, “I have a baby in my car, can you watch him while I go to Starbucks?” according to the report.

One jewelry store employee said she was “God-smacked” when the woman asked her to watch her baby and asked her “Where are you going?”.

The employee told police Zakrzewski Johansson then went outside to a silver sedan with tinted windows, retrieved a small dog, and relocked the car before walking to the nearby Starbucks where she was for about another 15 to 20 minutes, according to the report.

Jewelry store employees wouldn’t comment on the incident Friday.

Scottsdale police received the information on the alleged Dec. 4 incident on Wednesday when an employee from the jewelry store called police after seeing Zakrzewski Johansson’s mug shot in the newspaper — the same day she made headlines for leaving her 2-year-old son in the care of valet parking attendants at Scottsdale Fashion Square.

Zakrzewski Johansson, 39, who told police she was a Montessori schoolteacher, was arrested shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday after two valets pointed her out to police when she left Neiman Marcus carrying a small dog and a shopping bag after shopping for about 30 minutes while the toddler slept in a 2002 black BMW, according to a police report.

When Zakrzewski Johansson arrived at the parking garage about 3 p.m., she asked a valet to watch her baby and not to tell anybody and that she wouldn’t be gone long, according to the report.

She told police she went inside the store to pick up a Christmas present, but it wasn’t ready. She also told police she went to the cosmetics counter to purchase makeup and also engaged in a conversation with a friend who had a child the age of hers, according to the report.

During her arrest, she also asked the officer if he could go inside the store and pick up the gift for her, and told him she had planned to tip the valets for watching her child.

Police Sgt. Mark Clark said earlier this week that Zakrzewski Johansson faces one count of child neglect, a Class I misdemeanor for the Dec. 11 incident.

The well-being of the child also is being investigated by Child Protective Services, CPS spokeswoman Liz Barker confirmed Wednesday.

The report on the Dec. 4 incident was released by Scottsdale police Friday, but Clark said no new charges would be filed based on the information.

A shift supervisor at the Starbucks, who didn’t give his name, said Friday that Zakrzewski Johansson was a regular customer and he often saw her with her child or dog on the coffee shop’s patio. He said Zakrzewski Johansson was in the shop as recent as Friday. “I don’t know if she’s a good person, but she’s a nice person,” the employee said. “She’s not mean to us.”

Information from the jewelry store incident will be added to the mall incident report for court review. Clark said information on the case has been filed with city prosecutors, but it could be a couple of weeks before the paperwork is processed.

Johansson’s mother, Andrea Zakrzewski, said Friday that her daughter is a “great mother.” “This has gone too far, definitely,” she said of media attention prior to the second incident coming to light.