A Rapid City woman is in custody for felony child abuse following reports her child was left in a hot vehicle. The child was said to have been left in a truck for an extended period.
Officials say heat stroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash related fatalities among children.
Brendyn Medina is the public information officer for the Rapid City Police Department. He says Officers responded to a call at 640 Floorman St Monday morning.
Medina says the child may have been in the car for more than two hours and was in a state of distress when the officer arrived.
He says the child was sweating profusely and the officer broke one of the truck’s windows and removed them.
After the child was removed they were immediately provided water and a medical unit was dispatched to take them to Rapid City Regional Hospital.
“While the officer was at the hospital, he made contact with one of the ER doctors who expressed that, had no one intervened, this could have been a very life-threatening situation,” says Medina.
A second officer contacted the child’s legal guardian and arrested her for the felony along with existing warrants.
Medina says this is not a common problem, but the police department wants the public to keep the issue in mind.
“We all know that the weather is getting warmer and it’s important to remember that, in no circumstance should a child or animal be left in a vehicle for any extended period of time,” says Medina.
Medina says temperatures inside vehicles can differ greatly from conditions outside. He says leaving a window cracked does not help reduce temperatures.
He says if anyone encounters a child or animal left inside a vehicle, and is concerned for their wellbeing, they should immediately notify the police who will send an officer to evaluate the situation and take steps to safeguard them.