The child had been inside the car for 10 minutes and appeared to be in distress, authorities said
A deputy in Florida rescued a 1-year-old trapped in a hot car by breaking the car window, despite initial protests from the child’s parents.
On Monday, May 20, deputies from Flagler County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 9-1-1 call from a woman who said she had accidentally locked her daughter in their car at a Palm Coast Walmart, per an FCSO release.
When deputies arrived, a man told them he had placed the child in the vehicle, gone around to the other side, and discovered the door was locked and the keys were locked. Their interaction was recorded on the bodycam of the responding officer, Deputy Harrison.
After learning the girl had been in the car for 10 minutes and observing the child to be “sweating” and “appearing to be in physical distress,” the deputy decided to break the window.
“How long has she been in there?” Harrison asked the woman.
“For about 10 minutes,” the woman replied.
“I’m gonna smash the window then,” he said.
“No, no, no,” the woman protested.
“I have to because he’s been stuck in there,” he responded. “I don’t know how far FD [Palm Coast Fire Department] is out. She’s been stuck in there for 10 minutes.”
Related: Prevent Hot-Car Deaths: A Checklist for Parents
The woman then appeared to ask Harrison if he had a tool that wouldn’t require him to smash the window, to which he replied, “No I don’t have that.”
Deputy Harrison proceeded to break the window furthest from the girl using Shatterballs, cleared the remaining glass with his baton, and then unlocked the car, the video showed.
The girl was crying but unharmed. She was assessed by Palm Cost Fire Department and was “determined to be okay, despite the exposure to extreme heat,” per the release.
A public affairs officer for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office tells PEOPLE that no charges were filed at the time of the incident and that the Florida Department of Children and Families was notified.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office/X
Florida deputy rescues 1-year-old from hot car
“Thanks to the quick response of our deputies, this child was safely rescued, and a tragic incident was avoided,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Although this was an accident, I would like to take this time to remind parents of the dangers of leaving a child in a parked car at any time, especially if it is not running. Heatstroke can happen very quickly, even if it does not seem that hot outside. Remember, if it has a heartbeat, do not leave them in your car.”
Related: What to Know About Hot Car Deaths and How to Avoid Them
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
According to NoHeatStroke.org, on average 37 children under the age of 14 die each year in hot cars, and 100% of those deaths are avoidable. The organization has recorded 969 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths since 1998.
Many newer vehicles now remind drivers to check their back seats before locking and leaving their cars unattended.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
Source Agencies
