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Newmarket mom arrested after one-year-old left in hot car

Child was 'in distress' and brought to hospital; mother faces multiple charges
YRP crime scene police car
(Supplied)

RICHMOND HILL — A one-year-old boy left in a parked vehicle in Southern Ontario on a hot evening was rescued thanks to bystanders and emergency responders.

A press release issued by York Regional Police said they were called to a parking lot of a pharmacy on Bayview Avenue in Richmond Hill at 8 p.m. on July 21 “for a report of an unattended baby screaming in a parked car.”

When officers arrived, firefighters with Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services had already removed the baby from the parked vehicle and were assessing his medical condition. 

The outside temperature was 29 C at the time.

“The infant appeared to be in distress and sweating and was transported to hospital as a precaution,” said a press release.

The infant was turned over to family members at the hospital, and the Children's Aid Society contacted.

The child's mother — a 37-year-old woman from Newmarket — was located inside the pharmacy, where she was arrested.

As a result of a search after the arrest, officers also located stolen property and discovered the woman was wanted by police.

She was charged with abandoning a child, theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

Police said the accused's name is not being released to protect the identity of the child.

The mother was due to appear in court in Newmarket on Monday.

York Regional Police said in the press release that under The Child and Family Services Act, any child under the age of 10 who has been left unattended, under any circumstances, or for any length of time, may be considered to be at risk. 

Any parent or guardian leaving a child under 10 years of age unattended could face charges under the Child and Family Services Act or under the Criminal Code of Canada.

York Regional Police also reminded citizens that children or pets should not be left unattended in vehicles on hot or cold days. 

In the summer, the interior of vehicles heat up quickly and will reach temperatures exceeding the outside air. 

Children and pets can quickly become overheated and dehydrated resulting in serious injury or death. If you see a child left unattended or a pet in a hot car and they appear to be in distress, phone 911.