Toddler found unattended in hot car rescued by South Euclid police; 58-year-old father charged (video)

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A 58-year-old East Cleveland man is facing criminal charges after allegedly leaving his toddler daughter unattended in a hot car for nearly 20 minutes.

According to South Euclid police, an officer patrolling the area was notified by a shopper that an infant child was left unattended in the backseat of a car parked at Walmart on Warrensville Center Road on Monday night.

“It’s unacceptable and it’s against the law, it flat out cannot happen, it cannot happen,” said South Euclid Officer Joe DiLillo.

Police were able to get the toddler out of the car and noted that she was warm to the touch and sweating.

“What I think you saw is pretty good police work by our officers, they were decisive, they were quick,” DiLillo said, “They didn’t waste anytime, they didn’t try and locate the owner, they observed that the child was either passed out or asleep.

At 7:23 p.m., a man exited the Walmart and told police that he was the father of the girl. He said he was inside the store for only 10 minutes and that she was sleeping, so he didn’t want to wake her up.

A time-stamped photo of the Walmart parking lot showed the man actually left his vehicle at 7:04 p.m., meaning he left his daughter unattended for 19 minutes, according to South Euclid police.

Investigators say the windows were up and the car was parked directly in the sun with 75 degree temperatures and high humidity.

“No matter the item in the store it is not worth the child’s life,” DiLillo said, “Not at anytime not at any point.”

The father has been charged with endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Copyright 2020 WOIO. All rights reserved.