Full Notification

At approximately 3:44 p.m. on 07/07/2012, Fruitport Township Police Department was notified of three children left inside a vehicle in the parking lot of Walmart, 1879 E. Sherman. One of the children was reportedly slumped over.

The officer arrived to find three children (ages 7, 1, and 1) inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not running. There were no adults in the area. The temperature at the time of the incident, according to the National Weather Service, was 88 degrees (humdity 54, heat index 93).

One of the 1-year-old children was reported to be slumped over and drooling in a car seat inside the vehicle. Repeated attempts to wake the child were unsuccessful. The officer reported the child was breathing, but the child's body was hot even though the child did not have a shirt on.

The child was removed from the heat and taken to a cooler environment. Emergency medical units were requested and responded to the scene. In the cool environment, the child became responsive. The child was evaluated by emergency medical units and did not require transportation to the hospital.

The mother of the child was located at the store, and the children were turned over to her. Police estimate the children were left unattended in the vehicle for a time period of between 20 and 30 minutes.

The police report has been forwarded to the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office and Children's Protective Services. A child abuse (leaving a child unattended in a vehicle) arrest warrant is expected to be signed later today.

Police encourage those who discover children or pets left unattended in vehicles to call 9-1-1 immediately.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers the following information:

• Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle fatalities for children 14 and under.
• One child dies from heatstroke every 10 days from being left in a hot vehicle.
• In 2011 alone, at least 33 children in the United States lost their lives after being left in unattended motor vehicles, and an unknown number of others were moderately or severely injured.
• Children’s body temperatures can rise up to five times faster than that of an adult, and heatstroke can occur in temperatures as low as 57 degrees.
• On an 80 degree day, a car can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.
• Infants and children under 3 years old are at greatest risk for heat-related illness.

Risk to children left unattended in vehicles expands beyond heat-related issues. Potential abduction is also a concern.

No further information regarding this incident, including names of the involved parties, is being released by police at this time.

All persons are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.



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