Crime & Safety

9-Month Old Baby and 4-Year-Old Left Unattended in Hot Car in La Mesa

Bystanders got the older child to unlock the vehicle before rescue crews arrived. The mother said she was only gone for five minutes.

Two young children were rescued from a hot car in La Mesa Thursday after witnesses got one of them to unlock the vehicle.

Firefighters responded around 12:30 p.m. to the parking lot of 5500 Grossmont Center Drive after getting a report that the children—one 4 years old and the other 9 months old—were locked inside the car, said Sonny Saghera of Heartland Fire & Rescue.

"The vehicle was not running and there was no adult supervision nearby," he said.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bystanders got the older child to unlock the vehicle before rescue crews arrived, Saghera said.

"The mother of the children arrived at the car and stated she had been gone for only five minutes," he said.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Paramedics examined the children and released them to the custody of their father, Saghera said.

It was unclear if the children's mother was arrested.

—City News Service


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.