Mother Arrested After Infant Left Alone In Hot Car: Vallejo PD

VALLEJO, PD — A Villejo woman is behind bars after police said she left her 3-month-old infant alone in a hot car with the windows rolled down. Selena Cook, 19, has been charged with child endangerment.

Police said good Samaritans saw the infant alone in the car and contacted 911.

On Tuesday around 4:21 p.m., Vallejo police responded to the report of a 3-month-old child left in a hot vehicle in the 100 block of Plaza Drive in Vallejo.

After arriving on the scene, officers said they located an infant child sitting in a car seat in the backseat of a vehicle with all four of the windows rolled down.

Temperatures in Vallejo at the time were in the upwards of 81 degrees, with in-car temperatures slightly higher, police said. A group of good Samaritans had surrounded the vehicle and stepped in to help the baby and speak with officers about what they witnessed.

Officers said they searched businesses in the shopping plaza where the vehicle was parked and minutes later, identified Selena Cook as the baby's mother. Cook was located at a nail salon in the shopping plaza and stated that she was getting her nails done. Police said the baby was left unattended in the vehicle for at least 30-45 minutes.

Police said Cook was arrested on charges of child endangerment and the infant, who survived, was transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation. The baby was then turned over to Child Protective Services following medical clearance.

“One of the most fundamental responsibilities we have as parents is to protect and care for our children above our own needs,” Chief of Police Shawny K. Williams said. "As a parent, it was extremely disheartening to know that a 3-month-old was left in a hot car unattended and defenseless.”

“Our department is truly grateful for the good Samaritans that stepped in to alert the authorities to save this baby. As a community, we must continually rally around protecting our children,” Chief Williams continued.

Leaving a baby unattended in a vehicle is illegal and puts a child in great danger of harm or death and can lead to criminal charges, police warned.