Eliana Suaza Argote, 34, was charged in 4th District Court with class A child abuse with injury on Monday after allegedly leaving her child in a hot car. The charge carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
Just after 9 a.m. Monday, the Heber Police Department received a call about a small child in a hot car outside the Driver License Division.
According to an affidavit, the caller said the child had been in the car for over an hour, its engine was shut off and all windows were up.
Police checked on the child and found the 7-year-old crying in the back seat with their shirt off. The affidavit states the driver’s door was unlocked and when it was opened, hot air emanated from the vehicle.
The affidavit said the child’s hair was drenched in sweat and the child looked sluggish.
The officer got the child out of the car and had them sit in a grassy area to cool off. The officer also provided water, some candy and requested a medical evaluation. Medics found the child’s vitals were OK and said the child would be fine.
Officers eventually located the child’s mother, who was taking a driver’s license test. They also confirmed Suaza Argote had left the child in her car for over an hour through surveillance footage. It shows the mother entering the Driver License Division around 8 a.m., more than an hour before police arrived.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. So when a child is left in a vehicle, the situation can quickly become dangerous.
The administration says parents and caregivers should never leave a child in an unattended vehicle. Even if the vehicle’s windows are rolled down or it's in the shade, the interior temperature changes little.
