Child Left In Car On 90 Degree Day: Cleveland Heights Police

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Callers reported that a 9-year-old boy was "slobbering at the mouth" after he was left inside a parked car, with the windows up, as temperatures climbed into the low-90s on Memorial Day.

The car was in the parking lot of Home Depot and was parked in direct sunlight, according to a police report. The car was black and had a black interior. Police believe the child was in the car for approximately 20 minutes, based on video surveillance, they said.

A witness said the child seemed agitated and confused in the backseat of the car, so the witness opened one of the car's unlocked doors to let air into the vehicle. The witness then called police.

The 9-year-old boy was allegedly found flushed and very sweaty when officers arrived on the scene, Cleveland Heights Police said. The boy's caretaker, a 65-year-old man, ran out of the store and allegedly apologized to police and said that he had "forgotten" the boy was in the car.

The child was the son of the 65-year-old's girlfriend.

Cleveland Heights EMS soon arrived on the scene and checked on the 9-year-old. They said his skin now felt cool again. The boy's mother was contacted and she did not want her son taken to a local hospital. She said, instead, that she would come to the police department and take custody of her child.

Police decided to arrest the 65-year-old man for child endangering, because of the "extreme heat" and that the child was left alone, in an unlocked car, vulnerable to harm, police said in their report on the incident.

Before he could be transported to Cleveland Heights Police Department, the 65-year-old allegedly laid down in the back of the police cruiser and told officers he needed water. The arresting officers opened their cruiser doors and the 65-year-old slowly sat up, though police say he was extremely flushed. They gave him water as soon as they arrived at the police station, according to the report.

The boy's mother arrived at the station and took custody of her child.

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