A recently released video captures the moment a Cuban father was arrested in West Palm Beach for leaving his three-year-old daughter inside a turned-off car under intense heat while he shopped at a Sam's Club in Palm Beach County. The incident, which occurred in May, has gone viral on TikTok, showing bodycam footage of the police officer that reveals the moments leading up to the man's arrest.
The 42-year-old Cuban, identified as Raúl Rielo Fernández, told police during questioning that he had forgotten his daughter was in the vehicle when he went inside to shop. The sound of an ambulance alerted him that something was wrong outside, prompting him to run out shouting, "my baby, my baby."
When asked why he left his daughter alone in the car, Rielo requested to speak "in Spanish," leading to another officer arriving to translate. The video also shows the child crying and desperate, surrounded by strangers speaking English. A Hispanic paramedic comforted her, asking her father's name, to which she responded, "Raúl."
Another part of the video depicts the arrival of the mother, who remained calm despite the situation, asking to see her daughter, hugging her, and trying to console her. When Rielo was asked again about the incident, he explained it was a "human error" and not intentional. "That's a piece of you," he said, referring to his daughter. "She's my princess, my everything," he added. "I have no excuse; it's a mistake, my mistake," he emphasized.
As he was placed in the vehicle, Rielo thanked the police for their quick response but expressed concern over how the incident might affect his residency process. The Spanish-speaking officer assured him that it would not affect him because it was an accident, not a criminal act. "What happens to me doesn't matter... I want to thank you for acting quickly," Rielo said as he was put into the police vehicle.
However, the video revealed that Rielo was charged with child neglect for leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle. When the news broke in May, it was reported that although Rielo claimed he was only gone for 15 minutes, police determined he had actually been away for 31 minutes.
According to the initial report, a customer saw the child alone in the car and alerted an officer, while other witnesses removed the girl from the unlocked vehicle. Meanwhile, the father was inside the store shopping, even entering the liquor section, as revealed by the store's security cameras.
"When she was taken out and our officer arrived, she was sweating profusely. She was red and crying," said Mike Jachles, spokesperson for the West Palm Beach Police, in statements collected by Telemundo 51. At the time of the rescue, the outside temperature 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 in ten minutes," explained meteorologist Robert Molleda. Officers determined that the temperature inside the car while the girl was inside had risen to at least 117 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to a study by Kids and Car Safety released this Friday, at least 1,093 children have died in the United States from heatstroke between 1990 and 2023 after being left in closed, unventilated vehicles, especially during the summer. Texas leads with 155 deaths, followed by Florida (118) and California (65).
Most of these deaths occur under three circumstances: children are forgotten in vehicles (55%), enter the car by themselves (25%), or are intentionally left inside (15%). On average, 38 children die in vehicles each year in the United States due to heatstroke, with 2018 and 2019 being the worst years in the past 33 years, with 54 and 53 deaths, respectively. In 2023, there were 29 accidental child deaths in high-temperature vehicles, with Florida leading with seven fatalities.
Key Questions About Child Safety in Vehicles
This section addresses frequently asked questions regarding the safety of children in vehicles, especially focusing on circumstances like the incident involving Raúl Rielo Fernández.
What are the legal consequences of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle?
Legal consequences can include charges of child neglect or endangerment, as seen in the case of Raúl Rielo Fernández, who was charged with child neglect.
How quickly can temperatures inside a vehicle become dangerous for children?
Temperatures inside a vehicle can become deadly in less than ten minutes. If the outside temperature is 90 degrees, it can reach up to 120 or 130 degrees inside a closed vehicle within that time.
What steps can be taken to prevent leaving a child in a vehicle?
Parents and caregivers can adopt practices such as placing a personal item like a phone or purse in the back seat, setting reminders on their phones, and always checking the back seat before locking the car.