NEW YORK – A New York City couple were arrested on recklessness charges for allegedly leaving their 1-year-old son alone in a vehicle, a Mercedes Benz, for an hour in the parking lot of a Long Island jewelry store. Police said Wednesday. This during a sweltering hot day.
The baby fell asleep in the back seat of the vehicle on Northern Boulevard in Manhasset shortly before 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, when temperatures reached highs of around 80 degrees amid high humidity. The little boy woke up and started crying.
A woman passing by noticed that the baby was alone, crying and sweating and tried to open the vehicle door. He was unable to open it and called the police while a second witness tried to use a tool to open the car, but that did not work either.
The baby appeared unwell when responding officers arrived at the scene, authorities said. They broke a window and took out the boy, who according to what the police described was red and drenched in sweat. The baby was immediately taken to a store to help him cool down in the air conditioner.
The little boy was then taken to a hospital for evaluation and is expected to be discharged.
His parents, Jingcai Zhou, 34, and Lu Lu, 28, from Queens, were arrested.
They face a charge of endangering a minor in addition to the reckless crime.
Both are expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Hempstead court.
The details of the lawyer for them were not immediately known.
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