Dramatic moment mum discovers she left baby in hot car
Police body camera footage has captured the dramatic moment a mum realised she left her baby in a hot car.
The 33-year-old mother, Meagan Burgess, arrived back at the vehicle from the shops, only to realise that she had left her eight-month-old son in the car.
Earlier that day she had dropped her other three children off with her father and proceeded to run some errands at the shops. However, she forgot that she had left her infant in the back seat of the car.
The baby was rescued from the vehicle by a passer-by who initially thought he was a doll. The vigilant onlooker was walking through a shopping centre car park in Orange City, Florida, when she saw something in the back seat.
While she initially thought it was a doll, she realised it was a baby boy, opened the unlocked door to check on the child and quickly called 911 for help.
Footage shows Ms Burgess shaking and crying before she hugs one of the passer-bys who helped the child.
Emergency services arrived at the scene shortly after 3:15 pm on Tuesday, and confirmed that the “the boy was in good health and good spirits”, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
In a public service announcement, Sheriff Michael Chitwood of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office warned the public to be mindful of leaving children alone in vehicles.
“The temperature was 93 degrees, the windows were up and that child was in the car seat with no air conditioning,” Sheriff Chitwood said.
Ms Burgess arrived back at the vehicle from the shops about 24 minutes after the 911 call was made.
“The mother has been arrested and charged with child neglect. She told investigators that she thought she dropped her three kids off at her Father’s house and then proceeded to the store to run some errands,” Sheriff Chitwood said.
The mother was arrested and charged with child neglect.
