Lauderhill Woman Accused Of Leaving Child In Hot Car For Three Hours While She Shopped
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - A Lauderhill woman was arrested after she reportedly left a child in a hot car for three hours.
On Tuesday, August 13th, Shantrell Mitchell drove to the BU's Wholesale on Powerline Road in Fort Lauderdale and reportedly left a young child strapped in a car seat while she went inside to shop.
She reportedly told investigators when she got back to the care hours later and was putting groceries away she realized the girl was there. Mitchell said she tried to cool the child down by placing her in front of the air conditioning, pouring some iced tea on her head and getting her to drink some it.
A BJ's employee called 911.
When Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue arrived, the child's temperature was 105 degrees and she was having seizures.
She was initially taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where her temperature was measured at 106 degrees, before she was transported to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. The child's condition drastically improved with treatment.
Mitchell reportedly told investigators that she had asked family members to watch the child for her, but no one would do it.
Surveillance video captures the moments after she parked and when she went into the store. It shows she went to each door of the car before walking away.
"She parks the vehicle, then proceeds to get out and manually lock each door, opening the rear driver's side, rear passenger's side and front door and manually locks them. Her child was in a car seat directly behind her," said Fort Lauderdale police Detective Tracy Figone.
"Def Mitchell then proceeds to walk into BJ's Wholesale, intentionally leaving her child victim in the locked vehicle," according to the arrest report.
WATCH: Surveillance Video Of Mitchell Locking Her Car
"As common sense, it is unreasonable to believe that she would not have seen her child in the car seat while manually locking the side passenger door where her child was seated," said prosecutor Eric Linder.
Mitchell has been charged with aggravated child abuse.
Just last month we saw the agonizing ramifications of a child left in a hot vehicle. Noah Sneed, 2, was forgotten in a daycare van and left strapped in for five hours. He did not survive.