Two children rescued from hot car in St. Ann; Father arrested
ST. ANN, Mo. - First responders rescued two children from a hot car Saturday in St. Ann after a quick-thinking resident called for help. Police say a father was arrested in connection with the incident.
According to the St. Ann Neighborhood Watch, a community group that works with the St. Ann Police Department to share information with the public, the rescue happened early Saturday afternoon outside of an ALDI grocery store.
The Neighborhood Watch reports that a father left two small children inside his vehicle as he went into ALDI. The car was not running with air conditioning, and the windows were rolled up.
According to the National Weather Service, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise up to 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes or up to 50 degrees over an hour without air conditioning. High temperatures peaked around the mid-90s on Saturday in the St. Louis region, so within 10 minutes, the car's internal temperature possibly could have reached 115 degrees.
The Neighborhood Watch reports that a quick-thinking resident saw the two children in the car and reached out to the St. Ann Police Department for help.
With assistance from community fire crews, the two children were rescued from the car.
The father was reportedly arrested and could possibly face charges of child endangerment.
"The Chief wants to remind adults to NEVER leave their children in a closed car (regardless of the temperature)," said the St. Ann Neighborhood Watch of the incident.
According to the National Safety Council, around 37 children (under the age of 15) die each year in the United States from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle.
