MANHASSET, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A Flushing couple was charged with reckless endangerment Wednesday after police say they left their baby locked inside a sweltering car.
It happened Tuesday in the afternoon heat at the luxury Americana Mall in Manhasset.
Police said 34-year-old Jingcai Zhou and 28-year-old Lu Lu parked their Mercedes in front of a high-end jewelry store and left their 1-year-old son asleep in a rear child seat.
(Credit: Nassau County Police)
Witnesses noticed the boy was alone, crying and sweating, but were unable to open the door. They notified police, who found the child in distress.
Officers broke a window and removed the baby, who was crying, red in color and was drenched in sweat.
“Nassau PD officers are heroes yet again, and I’m relieved that they were alerted in time to rescue the child. It doesn’t take a long time for a car to reach deadly hot temperatures on an 80 degree day, and it takes even less time for there to be risk of heat stroke for children,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said in a statement. “Never leave young children alone in cars – even for a quick errand – even with the window cracked – even if you think it’s not that warm. If you see a child alone in a hot car, the right thing to do is call 911 immediately.”
Police said he was alone in the car for approximately an hour. He is expected to be OK.
The couple was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
As CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff reported, the father faces an order of protection and must complete a parent safety course.
from CBS New York https://ift.tt/2Izr88c
