Coworkers Tried To Save Infant In Hot Car, Affidavit Reveals

EAST HANOVER, NJ — Coworkers tried to save an infant who died after being left in a hot car last month before police arrived at the scene, an affidavit of probable cause reveals. The affidavit was filed against the mother of the six-month-old, who died after being left in the car on July 17. The mother, Livia Patelli, 33, is charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Here's a timeline of events, according to the affidavit:

• Patelli would drop her daughter off each morning before work.
• Shortly after 8:30 a.m. on July 17, Patelli parked her vehicle in the parking lot on South Ridgedale Avenue
• At around 1:11 p.m., Patelli got a message from the daycare facility saying her daughter was absent that day
• She then went out to her car, stood at her car for a few moments, and walked away
• Security footage from the South Ridgedale business Patelli works at shows her making no attempt to open the vehicle's doors or save her daughter, who was still inside the vehicle
• The complaint reports that Patelli did not make an effort to get into the vehicle or save her child, however, several minutes later coworkers were engaged to try and render aid before first responders arrived
• Paramedics tried to save the baby and took efforts to try and cool her body, but she was pronounced dead at Morristown Medical Center. The infant's internal temperature was 109.9 Fahrenheit.

Patelli was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child after her daughter died. She told investigators that she forgot to drop her child off at daycare in the morning before going to work, according to the affidavit.

This is another reported case of a parent leaving their infant in a hot vehicle unattended. A father in Lakewood left his eight-week-old unattended in July, which killed her. Avraham S. Chaitovsky, 28, received charges of endangering the welfare of a child for the death of his daughter.