By Rodd Cayton
A Corrales baby is expected to make a full recovery after reportedly being left in a hot car for hours, police report.
The 5-month-old’s father is facing a felony charge of child abuse in the July 20 incident. Police Chief Victor Mangiacapra told the Corrales Comment the matter has also been referred to state child welfare authorities. He said that in New Mexico, intent need not be present to charge someone with child abuse.
According to a weekly report from the Corrales Police Department, police and fire personnel were called to a Meadowlark Lane residence at about 5 p.m. regarding a child who had been in the car for about four hours. Police say paramedics performed life-saving measures on the baby, who was then taken to University of New Mexico Hospital for further treatment and evaluation.
Mangiacapra had no further information on her condition Monday. He encouraged residents to be mindful of who else is in the vehicle. “Make it a habit to check the back seat every time you park,” he said. Looking for a child or pet and locking your vehicle should be simultaneous.”
Dr. Joe Perno, medical staff affairs officer at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, says about 40 children a year die from heatstroke. Temperatures inside a locked car can reach deadly temperatures in 10 minutes, he wrote earlier this year.