3 Children Left Unattended In Hot Car

A 38 year old Milton mother of three is under investigation following an incident at the Milton Super Store parking lot early Wednesday evening.

Officers were called to the parking lot around 6:45 p.m. in response to a citizen’s complaint that three children were in a car in an “expectant Mother” parking space. The car was parked in full sunlight and had its engine turned off. Four windows were open only approximately 3 inches each. The car was locked and the alarm had been activated.

Officers attended and persuaded the oldest child to open the door so that officers could check on them and get some fresh air flowing through the car. The children, aged between 4 and 12 years old, appeared hot, and the youngest appeared to be sleeping yet perspiring profusely. As a precaution, the officers summoned an ambulance to the scene. The children were checked by paramedics and appeared to be suffering no ill effects from the heat.

About 11 minutes after the initial call, the mother returned to the vehicle. She had a conversation with the officers and provided her excuse as to why she left her three children in a locked car, with no air conditioning, in 32 degree Celsius ambient heat.

Police will be reviewing video surveillance footage of the parking area to determine how many minutes, in excess of the known 11 minutes, that the children were subjected to these conditions. Officers will then determine what charges could and may be laid.

Halton Regional Police would like to remind people that leaving children or pets inside a motor vehicle is not only gravely dangerous, but unlawful as well. The interior temperature of a standard automobile in 32C weather can increase to 42C in 10 minutes, 48C in 20 minutes and 51C in 30 minutes. Having windows cracked open just a few inches has minimal to no affect on the increase in interior temperatures. Children have been known to succumb to heat stroke inside cars where the outside temperature is only 21C.

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