Child Found in Hot Car at Vernon Complex, Mom Charged

VERNON, CT — A mom who lives in a Vernon apartment complex was charged with risk of injury to a minor for leaving a 3-month-old child in a car on a 91-degree day, police said.

Danielle Anna Hatch, 33, was also charged with leaving a child younger than 12 unsupervised in a car in a public place, according to an arrest report.

A neighbor on Monday noticed a child left in a car for some time at the Westview apartment complex, 100 West St., and called police at 3:28 p.m., a report indicates.

Police noted in a report that the temperature was 91 degrees at the time.

Hatch lives in the complex and apparently had returned from shopping. The mom was described as "unresponsive" when officers initially tried to talk to her inside the apartment as the child was being attended to by responders at the car, according to a report.

She was booked on a $50,000 bond and that was reduced to $1,000 by a bond commissioner, police said. She was still held until her Tuesday court appearance and was released on a promise to appear again on Sept. 11, according to judicial system records.

The state Department of Children and Families was notified, police said.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel

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