VANCOUVER — A 2-year-old boy was rescued from a hot car in Clark County, Washington, after witnesses called 911 on a 92-degree day, authorities said.
Deputy Ben Hulsey of the Clark County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene in May and found the child strapped in a car seat, sweating heavily with his head tilted to the side and unresponsive, according to the department. The engine was off and the vehicle had only a small crack in the back window.
Hulsey broke a window to remove the boy, who was checked by medics, officials said. Investigators determined the child had been left alone for about 16 minutes while his parents were inside a nearby grocery store for nearly 30 minutes, the sheriff's department said.
The parents are facing reckless endangerment charges, authorities said.
Body camera footage released this week shows the rescue, which officials described as a reminder of the dangers of leaving children in vehicles. Witnesses had tried to create shade around the car while waiting for help.
"Never leave a child or pet alone in a vehicle. Not even for a few minutes," the sheriff's department said in a statement. "If you see a child or pet left alone in a vehicle and believe they're in distress, don't hesitate to call 911."
At least seven children have died in hot cars so far this year in the U.S., according to national nonprofit KidsAndCars.org. Last year, at least 37 children died in such incidents.
The department emphasized that interior vehicle temperatures can rise rapidly even on moderate days. The incident occurred on May 3, officials said.
As of June 19, the case remains under investigation with no further details released on the charges.
