By Mario Xuereb
A CAROLINE Springs man left his young daughter strapped inside a car in last week’s sweltering heat, police claim.
They say the two-year-old was left strapped in the car while outside temperatures soared to more than 32 degrees.
The girl was left alone for 25 minutes, with the car’s air-conditioner running, while her father sat for a job interview, police said last week.
A shopper at the Watergardens Shopping Centre, where the car was parked, spotted the girl and raised the alarm.
Police said the man left his car unlocked and with the keys still in the ignition.
He allegedly told police his daughter was sleeping when they arrived at the shopping centre and he did not want to wake her up.
Brimbank Traffic Management Unit Senior Constable Bradley Gutterson said such incidents should serve as a warning to parents heading into summer.
“Parents should never ever leave their children unattended in a car, but this is especially the case in hot weather when they can become dehydrated and the temperature extreme in minutes,” Sen Const Gutterson said.
“The risk to your child’s health and safety is far greater than any temporary convenience you might gain by leaving them in the vehicle,” he said
A 37-year-old Caroline Springs man is expected to be charged by summons for leaving a child unattended in a vehicle for an unreasonable period of time and without making reasonable provisions for their supervision and safety.
