A Cuban father was arrested in West Palm Beach for leaving his three-year-old daughter in a shut-off car, exposed to intense heat for half an hour, while he went to a Sam's Club in the city of Palm Beach County.
The Cuban man, identified as Raúl Rielo Fernández, 42, claimed he forgot his daughter was in the vehicle when questioned by police. He told authorities he was only gone for 15 minutes, but police determined he had been away for 31 minutes. A customer who saw the child alone in the car alerted an officer while other witnesses rescued the girl from the unlocked vehicle.
During this time, the father was inside the store shopping and even entered the liquor section, as revealed by security camera footage. At the end of his shopping trip, he was seen running out of the store upon realizing something was happening outside, apparently remembering at that moment that he had left his daughter in the car.
“When they took her out and our officer arrived, she was sweating profusely. She was red and crying,” said Mike Jachles, a spokesperson for the West Palm Beach Police, in statements to Telemundo 51.
At the time the child was rescued from the vehicle, the temperature outside was 92 degrees Fahrenheit, but it was much higher inside the car. “The temperature inside a closed vehicle can become deadly in less than ten minutes. If the air temperature is 90 degrees, inside a closed vehicle it can reach 120 or 130 degrees within ten minutes,” explained meteorologist Robert Molleda. Officers determined that the temperature inside the car while the girl was in it rose to at least 117 degrees Fahrenheit.
Body camera footage from the officers showed the moment the girl’s mother arrived and embraced her daughter, who was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Raúl Rielo Fernández was arrested on the spot and charged with child neglect for leaving a child in a vehicle for more than 15 minutes.
Although the incident was reported by the press well into the week, it occurred last Saturday. Investigators explained that Fernández said he was inside the store buying a Mother’s Day gift. “What happens to me doesn’t matter […] I want to thank them for acting quickly,” Fernández was heard saying once he was placed in the police vehicle. Raúl Rielo spent Saturday night in jail and was released on Sunday, Mother’s Day, after posting bail.
At least 1,093 children have died in the United States from heatstroke between 1990 and 2023 after being forgotten in closed and unventilated vehicles, especially during summer, according to a study by Kids and Car Safety released this Friday. Texas ranks first in deaths with 155, followed by Florida (118) and California (65). Most of these deaths occur under three circumstances: children are forgotten in vehicles (55%), enter the car on their own (25%), or are consciously left inside the vehicle (15%). On average, about 38 children die each year in the United States from heatstroke in vehicles, with 2018 and 2019 being the worst years in the past 33, with 54 and 53 deaths, respectively. In 2023, there were 29 accidental child deaths in vehicles from high temperatures, with Florida leading with seven child fatalities.
Understanding Child Heatstroke in Vehicles
As incidents of children being left in hot cars continue to occur, it’s important to understand the dangers and legal implications. Here are some key questions and answers regarding this critical issue.
Why is leaving a child in a hot car dangerous?
Leaving a child in a hot car is extremely dangerous because the temperature inside a closed vehicle can rise quickly to deadly levels, causing heatstroke and potentially fatal conditions within minutes.
What are the legal consequences of leaving a child in a vehicle?
The legal consequences can include charges of child neglect or endangerment, leading to arrest, fines, and possible imprisonment, depending on the severity of the case and state laws.
How can such incidents be prevented?
Prevention methods include setting reminders, placing essential items like a phone or wallet in the back seat, and implementing car safety technologies that alert drivers if a child is left behind.