Children Trapped in Car During US Heatwave... Mother Arrested While Shopping

Three Children Left in Car for About One Hour

On the afternoon of the 28th of last month, three children were crying alone in a car in a shopping mall parking lot in San Antonio, Texas. The police arrested the mother who left her three children inside the car for about an hour in the scorching heat. This incident occurred in San Antonio, Texas.

On the 6th (local time), CNN and other media reported the incident, stating that the temperature in the San Antonio area was around 37 degrees Celsius at the time. The children, aged 1 month, 2 years, and 4 years, were discovered by a passerby who reported them. The children were taken to a hospital for treatment and were reported to have no serious health issues.

A scene of rescuing a baby left unattended in a vehicle Photo by CNN affiliate KENS broadcast capture

The police arrested the mother, who was shopping at a nearby store, and charged her with child abandonment and other offenses. They explained, "The mother stated that she did not know how long she had been away," and "Based on the collected information, the children were in the car for about 50 minutes."

According to the National Weather Service chart on vehicle interior and exterior temperatures, when the outside temperature is 33 degrees Celsius, the temperature inside a car can rise to 53 degrees Celsius within an hour, CNN reported.

California Homes Engulfed by Fiery Red Flames
Photo by AFP/ Yonhap News

According to KidsAndCars, which records data on automobile-related deaths, at least seven children in the United States have died this year from being left in hot cars. Since 1990, more than 1,090 children nationwide have lost their lives after being left in hot vehicles.

Meanwhile, the United States is currently battling a heatwave with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, affecting approximately 130 million people in what is known as the "silent killer." The U.S. National Weather Service stated, "Dozens of wildfires have occurred," and "Temperatures in many areas could rise to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit)." Last week, at least four cities in Oregon broke previous temperature records. Medford, which had a record high of 102 degrees Fahrenheit in 1926, saw temperatures soar to 109 degrees Fahrenheit.