Cranston Father Charged for Leaving 3-Year-Old Son in Hot Car

CRANSTON, RI—A 41-year-old Cranston man has been charged with cruelty and child neglect after leaving his 3-year-old son in a hot car on a sweltering August day for roughly 40 minutes on Thursday.

Bunroth Chhun, of 185 Budlong Road, Cranston, was arrested by policeafter authorities responded to the parking lot of a New London Avenue medical building at around 2:23 p.m. for a report of a small child left unattended in a motor vehicle.

A good Samaritan called police and said that a child was in the back seat of a red Toyota van and the engine wasn't running. The van's windows were closed and the little boy inside was alone and crying.

Firefighters were already at the scene removing the child from the car by the time police arrived, according to police.

Firefighters were able to unlock the car door without force and get the child out.

"The officers observed that the child was crying and sweating profusely," said Cranston Police Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist Jr. in a news release.

Chhun exited the building a short time later. Police interviewed witnesses who said that the windows to the van were only partially open and the vehicle was off. No air conditioner was running, either. Meanwhile, outside temperatures were hovering at about 93 degrees and with the extreme humidity, it felt more like 100.

The investigation showed that the boy was in the car four about 30 to 40 minutes before being freed by firefighters.

The child appeared to be unharmed but was transported to Hasbro Children's Hospital for evaluation.

As the child's mother responded to the scene to take custody of the boy's sibling, Chuun was taken into police custody.

Police said the state Department of Children, Youth and Families has been notified and advised of the incident. The Cranston Police Department's Special Victims Unit was on scene and is continuing to investigate, police said.