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Father dumps petrified daughter at university campus in 'freezing conditions'

CCTV footage has shown the moment a father in the US dumped his five-year-old daughter on a university campus and left her with nothing but a blanket, as the temperature hit near-freezing 3.8 degrees.

The video from the grounds of Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College, near Salt Lake City, shows the father dropping his little girl outside one of the buildings around 5am (local time) with a blanket.

He then left and did not return.

"[He] told her to shut up, and lay down and go to sleep," according to the child's mother, who has been identified only as Gena to protect the identity of the child.

It was not until 7.30am that morning that the girl was found by campus security.

The father brings his daughter to one of the college buildings at 5am. Image: FOX 13 News
The father brings his daughter to one of the college buildings at 5am. Image: FOX 13 News

The girl's mother said her daughter was staying with her ex-husband and his family at the time of the incident and has been left traumatised by what happened.

"She said she got scared," she told Fox 13 Salt Lake City.

"She was yelling, 'Daddy' but no one was there. She said she just had her blanket and waited until daylight."

The father then walks away, telling the child to stay where she is. Image: FOX 13 News
The father then walks away, telling the child to stay where she is. Image: FOX 13 News

The girl's mother said her daughter ran towards the security officer crying upon seeing him in the morning, but fell and grazed her knee in the process.

"It was heartbreaking for [the security guard]," said Fred Frazier, the security manager for the college told Fox News.

Left in the cold and dark by herself, the young girl calls out for her 'Daddy'. Image: FOX 13 News
Left in the cold and dark by herself, the young girl calls out for her 'Daddy'. Image: FOX 13 News

"To see a little girl running alone by herself. That's when he got very concerned, and she was shivering and cold," Frazier said.

Ogden police are now waiting to interview the father and determine why he abandoned his child, with police saying it may have been drug-related.

Eventually the child lies down, until the security guard finds her in the morning. Image: FOC 13 News
Eventually the child lies down, until the security guard finds her in the morning. Image: FOC 13 News

He is facing child abandonment or abuse charges, or perhaps both.

The girl's mother said she had tried to file a protective against her ex on behalf of her daughter, but it was denied by the courts.

Top news stories - October 17