May 17th 2024.
In Florida, a father found himself in trouble with the law when he left his three-year-old daughter alone in a scorching hot SUV while he went shopping for Mother's Day gifts. The man, Raul Rielo-Fernandez, 42, has pleaded not guilty to charges of child neglect and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. According to Rielo-Fernandez's arrest report, he had driven to a local store last Saturday and left his toddler in the back seat of his Chevrolet SUV while he went inside.
The vehicle was not running and the windows were up, which made the inside of the car unbearably hot. As Rielo-Fernandez shopped inside, another concerned shopper noticed the little girl alone and crying in the car. Worried about her safety, the shopper opened the car door and found the girl in a distressed state. The arrest report stated that she was crying, sweating, and her skin was red.
Fortunately, a police officer who happened to be working off-duty at the store noticed the commotion and rushed over to help. Mike Jachles, a spokesperson for the West Palm Beach Police Department, told WPTV that when the officer arrived, the little girl was profusely sweating and in distress. Medical help was immediately called for and minutes later, additional police and fire rescue units arrived in the parking lot.
Meanwhile, Rielo-Fernandez had finished his shopping and was heading back to his car with a cart full of merchandise. When he saw the police and rescue units, he ran over to his Chevy. According to the arrest report, he told a police officer that he had driven from home to the store and remembered putting his daughter in the car, but had completely forgotten that she was inside when he went inside the store.
Rielo-Fernandez explained that he had a lot on his mind while shopping for Mother's Day and simply forgot that he had left his daughter in the car. The police estimated that the child had been alone in the hot car for about 31 minutes. She was immediately taken to a local medical center for treatment, and as of Thursday, her condition was still unknown.
Mike Jachles expressed the gravity of the situation, stating that it was an understatement to say that it was a close call. The arrest report mentioned that the temperature outside in the car park was 38 degrees at the time of the incident, according to a thermometer in a police officer's car. A meteorologist from the US National Weather Service in Miami, Robert Molleda, explained that Florida's current record-breaking heat can cause the inside of a car to become dangerously hot within just 10 minutes.
The incident serves as a reminder for parents to be extra cautious and aware of their children's well-being, especially in hot weather. Leaving children unattended in a car, even for a short period, can have severe consequences. Let's all remember to prioritize the safety and well-being of our little ones, especially during the hot summer months.
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