LI Man Leaves Son, 2, In Car During Heat Wave At Walmart Parking Lot: Police

CENTEREACH, NY — A Patchogue man was arrested after he left his son, 2, in a car while he went shopping at Walmart during Tuesday's blistering heat wave, police said.

Suffolk County police said the incident took place in the parking lot of the Walmart at the Centereach Mall at about 1:40 p.m.

A good Samaritan called 911 to report a child sleeping in a parked 2007 Toyota Highlander that was not running with the windows open a few inches, police said.

Officers were able to reach through the window to unlock the vehicle and remove the child; the boy, 2,
was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment, police said.

As first responders were administering aid to the child, his father, Keniarold Andre, 36, returned to the vehicle and was arrested; he was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

The child was in the vehicle, unattended, for about 20 minutes and the outside temperature was about 100 degrees, police said.

According to the National Weather Service, an extreme heat warning was in effect for Nassau County and western Suffolk County Tuesday. That means heat index values made it feel as though it were up to 105 degrees, the NWS said.

The child will be released to a family member and Suffolk County Child Protective Services was
notified, police said.

Andre will be held at the Sixth Precinct and arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on June 25, police said.