Pennsylvania mother accused of leaving child alone in hot car
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A woman in York County, Pennsylvania, is accused of leaving her 3-year-old child unattended in a hot car for at least 15 minutes over the weekend.
The Hanover Borough Police Department said Samantha O'Brien was charged with endangering the welfare of children following the incident on Sunday on West Hanover Street.
CBS affiliate WHP-TV reported that police were called to a West Hanover Street home at around 2 p.m. on Sunday for reports of a child left alone inside a car parked in an alley. The caller told police, according to the TV station, that the child was sitting in direct sunlight, and police said temperatures were between 80 and 90 degrees on Sunday.
Police said the 33-year-old O'Brien left the child alone in the car for at least 15 minutes, WHP-TV reported.
Police reportedly found O'Bren asleep on the bathroom floor inside the home. The TV station said, citing police, that the 33-year-old woman showed symptoms of heavy intoxication, including bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and alcohol-smelling breath. She allegedly admitted to drinking.
According to court documents obtained by the TV station, police said O'Brien's demeanor "was not consistent with a concerned parent," adding that she did not ask about her child until police officers brought it up.
It is unclear if the child suffered any injuries. O'Brien was arrested on Sunday and is in the York County Prison.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a child's body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult's while sitting in a hot vehicle.
If you ever see a child alone in a vehicle, call 911.
