A 78-year-old South Carolina woman has been charged after police say she left a 9-year-old girl and a dog locked inside a parked vehicle during extreme heat while she shopped at a Home Depot, resulting in the child being hospitalized with heat exhaustion.
June Cooper King is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child following the incident, which occurred Saturday afternoon in Murrells Inlet, a community located about 15 miles southwest of Myrtle Beach.
According to an incident report obtained by Law&Crime, officers with the Horry County Police Department responded to the Home Depot at approximately 4:30 p.m. after receiving reports of a child and a dog locked inside a vehicle.
By the time first responders arrived, the girl and the dog had been rescued from the car.
During the investigation, King allegedly told officers that she had turned off the vehicle before leaving the child and the dog inside while she went into the store to shop. According to the police report, she said she did not believe the amount of time she spent inside would create any danger for either the girl or the dog.
Authorities have not disclosed how long the pair remained inside the parked vehicle.
Police said the child was suffering from the effects of the intense heat when she was rescued. Officers observed that the girl was soaked in sweat and appeared to be struggling to breathe. Paramedics evaluated her at the scene and recorded a body temperature of 104 degrees.
Investigators noted that outdoor temperatures had climbed above 100 degrees that day, increasing the danger inside the parked vehicle.
According to the report, the girl was also so severely affected by the heat that she had difficulty drinking water without assistance.
Emergency medical personnel treated the child at the scene for approximately 30 minutes before transporting her to a hospital for further treatment. Authorities have not released an update on her medical condition.
Police have not identified the relationship between King and the 9-year-old girl.
Following the incident, King’s husband arrived at the scene and took custody of the vehicle and the dog.
King was arrested and transported to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, where she was booked on a charge of unlawful conduct toward a child. Jail records indicate she later posted a $25,000 bond and was released.
As of the latest available information, a date for her next court appearance had not yet been scheduled.
The Horry County Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
