Not Only in Israel: Florida Delivery Driver Leaves Toddler in Sweltering Car
An Uber Eats driver in St. Petersburg left a child in a car without air conditioning to pick up an order and subsequently forgot where she had parked. After she contacted the police, the toddler was found sweating and rushed to a hospital. The driver has been arrested and charged with child abuse.
An Uber Eats delivery driver was arrested after, according to police, she left a toddler alone inside a parked vehicle while she went to pick up a food order, and subsequently could not remember where she had parked the car.
The incident occurred in the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, where 40-year-old Lee Tinh Pham left a child inside a vehicle while she went out for a short time. Police officers called to the scene located the toddler sweating inside the car, and he was rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.
According to authorities, Pham left the vehicle's hazard lights on but did not leave the air conditioning system running. After realizing she could not locate the vehicle, she contacted the police, and officers managed to find the car and the child left inside.
Pham was arrested and charged with third-degree child abuse. St. Petersburg Police spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez stated:
"These are very serious charges of child abuse."
According to Fernandez, the suspect claimed she did not intend to harm the child and thought she would be inside "just for a moment." However, police emphasized that even a short stay in a closed vehicle in extreme heat can endanger a child's life.
This case joins other reports in the United States of children left in hot vehicles. Similar incidents were recently reported in Georgia and Wyoming, prompting authorities to reiterate their warning: do not leave a child alone in a vehicle, not even for a short time.
According to data published in the United States, 31 children died last year after being left in hot cars.
