EDMONTON – A woman has been charged after her two-year-old son was found alone inside a vehicle in south Edmonton late Friday afternoon.
Police say the temperature inside the car got up to 118°F – which is nearly 48°C – when the boy was removed from the vehicle.
Police and fire crews were called to a parking lot in the area of Calgary Trail and 34 Avenue around 4 p.m.
Witnesses told police the child was alone in the car for 35 minutes.
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“Upon our arrival, the fire department had removed the child from the vehicle and the child was in custody of the ambulance,” said Cst. Jerrid Maze, with the Edmonton Police Service.
“Fire was able to pick the lock on the vehicle and take the child out.”
When the two-and-a-half year-old was taken out of the vehicle, he was sweating heavily and appeared dehydrated, police say. Temperatures Friday afternoon hovered around the 25°C mark.
The boy was taken to the Stollery Children’s Hospital as a precaution.
“From what we’ve been told, he’s doing quite well,” said Maze on Saturday.
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The boy’s mother, who police say was inside a retail store at the time, was arrested on scene.
“Police went store-to-store and located her inside one of the stores,” said Maze. “We paged her over the intercom.”
The 33-year-old woman has been charged under the Child Youth and Family Enhancement Act with causing a child to be in need of intervention.
“She was quite upset by the whole incident,” he said. “She was concerned after we explained to her the dangers of leaving your child in the vehicle. Regardless of if the windows were down, or the car’s running or the AC’s going, you can’t leave your child in the vehicle for several reasons.”
“People that steal cars may not see the child in the back of the car and end up stealing the vehicle and unknowingly take your child. There are potential health risks that your child – because of the elements, either hot or cold – is going to die due to the elements.”
READ MORE: Mother charged after leaving child alone in cold vehicle
If it leads to a conviction, the charge carries a fine of up to $25,000 or could lead to jail time of up to 24-months.
“A vehicle is not a babysitter,” said Maze.
“The Edmonton Police Service recommends that people don’t leave their children unattended in the vehicle.”
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