What's the most precious thing in your car? Police in St. Augustine, Florida were stunned to find out what one woman's priorities appeared to be. They stopped a motorist over the weekend for allegedly running a red light and discovered a mother and her 16-month-old daughter both sitting in the back of the vehicle with no restraints on. The youngster was allowed to wander freely without an infant seat and nothing to contain her in the event of an accident.

That's bad enough. But what cops found when they peered in closer stunned them. The woman had apparently used the seat belt to keep something safe - a case of beer. The 24 bottles of suds were securely strapped in to ensure nothing happened to them and that they made a safe journey.

The driver, 46-year-old Tina Williams, couldn't explain why the child wasn't properly tethered and refused to take a breathalyzer test at the scene. Police allege they found drug paraphernalia in her purse, and she's since been charged with a host of offences, including driving under the influence, driving without a licence and child abuse.

But maybe the most shocking part of the story is what didn't happen. The mother in the back seat, a 20-year-old woman, has so far not been charged with anything and the youngster was released back into her custody.