SMALL CHILD LEFT IN CAR AT MALL RESCUED BY OFFICERS
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Lt. Eric Skaja
DATE: 01-15-15 PHONE: 760-839-4444
CASE: 15-00508
SMALL CHILD LEFT IN CAR AT MALL RESCUED BY OFFICERS
On 01-14-15, at approximately 1:56 pm, Escondido Police officers were dispatched to the Westfield Shopping Mall regarding a child left unattended inside a car in the parking lot. Officers arrived to find a small child locked inside a parked vehicle and there were no adults associated with the child in the area. Officers observed the child through the vehicle window and could see that she was crying, sweating profusely, and her skin was red and flushed. The officers were immediately concerned for the physical welfare of the child and had to break the vehicle window to gain access to her. Escondido Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and determined that the three year old child had an extremely elevated pulse. The Fire Department transported the child to Palomar Medical Center for treatment.
While officers were still at the scene, the mother of the child was contacted coming out of the mall. It was apparent that the mother had been shopping and had intentionally left her child strapped in the car seat. The mother, identified as Myngan Le (32 year old Escondido resident), was placed under arrest for felony child endangerment. Le was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on the listed offense. The child was treated at Palomar Medical Center and was later released to a family member from the hospital. Thankfully, the child was deemed to be of good health. Child Protective Services was notified of the incident.
The Escondido Police Department would like to remind the public that leaving children unattended in vehicles is extremely dangerous. According to the weather service, the temperature at the mall was 72 degrees; however, the internal temperature of the vehicle was significantly higher. However short an errand may be, it is not worth the potential danger to a child’s health to leave them unattended inside a vehicle.
This release was prepared by Sgt. Kevin Toth.
To report any suspicious activities in your neighborhood, you may contact the Police Department directly, or you may make an unidentified call on our “Anonymous Tip Line” at (760) 743-TIPS (8477) or via our Web site at police.escondido.org.
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Address/Location
Escondido Police Department
1163 N. Centre City Parkway
Escondido, CA 92026
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 760-839-4722