A Colorado grandfather is facing criminal charges after police say he left his 7-year-old granddaughter alone inside a parked vehicle outside a Walmart, where temperatures inside the car climbed above 150 degrees, forcing the child to break a window and escape.
According to the Thornton Police Department, Eddie Espinoza, 62, has been charged with child abuse in connection with the incident, which occurred on July 6 at the Walmart Neighborhood Market located at 850 E. 88th Avenue in Thornton.
Child Left Alone While Grandfather Shopped
Police said officers responded to the Walmart after receiving a report that a child was locked inside a vehicle in the parking lot.
Authorities said the outside temperature was approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but firefighters estimated that the temperature inside the parked vehicle had risen to more than 150 degrees, creating extremely dangerous conditions.
Investigators believe the child remained inside the vehicle for at least 20 minutes while Espinoza was shopping inside the store.
Girl Broke Window to Escape
According to police, the girl began overheating and used a mallet that was inside the vehicle to smash the front passenger-side window.
After breaking the glass, she climbed out of the vehicle to escape the extreme heat.
The Thornton Police Department later released a photograph showing the vehicle with the shattered passenger-side window.
Bystanders Helped the Child
Witnesses in the parking lot rushed to help the girl after she escaped from the vehicle.
Bystanders stayed with her until emergency responders arrived at the scene.
The child suffered minor injuries from the broken glass and was treated by medical personnel. Authorities did not report any life-threatening injuries.
Grandfather Arrested
Police interviewed Eddie Espinoza after the incident.
According to investigators, he admitted that he had been shopping inside the Walmart while his granddaughter remained alone in the parked vehicle.
Following the interview, officers arrested him at the scene on a charge of child abuse.
Officials Warn About Hot Car Dangers
Authorities emphasized that temperatures inside parked vehicles can become deadly within minutes, even when the outside temperature appears manageable.
According to the National Safety Council, at least 12 children had died from pediatric vehicular heatstroke in the United States during the year at the time of the report.
The organization also reports that an average of 37 children younger than 15 years old die each year in the U.S. after being left inside hot vehicles.
Investigation Ongoing
The investigation remains ongoing as the child abuse case proceeds through the Colorado court system.
Eddie Espinoza has been charged in connection with the incident. The charge is an allegation, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
