South Carolina Man Arrested for Leaving Daughter in Locked Car
Lower Allen Township, PA – Costly Mistake
On a sweltering summer day, a resident from South Carolina, Robert Wall, aged 46, is facing legal charges for reportedly leaving his 4-year old daughter locked in a vehicle for over an hour in Lower Allen Township.
This incident occurred in the Arcona Strand apartment complex, on the 3200 block of Ruth Way. According to a police affidavit, Wall had parked his black BMW and proceeded to visit a friend nearby. He left his small daughter sleeping in the locked car, prompting immediate response from the authorities when discovered.
An Act Of Negligence
As specified in the affidavit, a witness was drawn to the car’s alarm around 8:01 p.m. on June 13. Approaching the black BMW, the witness discovered the young child alone, belted into her seat, and sweating profusely as she cried out. The temperature reported during the police response was 89 degrees.
The responsible witness promptly unlocked the car through a narrow opening from the slightly open window and were able to free the traumatized child. When asked of her name, the child only responded “I’m thirsty.” This prompted the witness to get a neighbor to provide a bottle of water for the child.
Delayed Reaction
Wall finally came out from the building and hastily took his daughter inside before the cops arrived. As per his statement to the officials, Wall claimed to have arrived at the spot around 6:44 p.m. He decided to let his sleeping daughter remain inside the car, with back windows down about 4-6 inches, and front windows lowered 2-4 inches. His plan was to monitor the child through a window while enjoying alcohol and television inside his friend’s apartment.
His negligence did not extend to merely leaving his child unsupervised in a locked vehicle, but he also alleged that he was monitoring his child’s condition by peering through a window every 5-10 minutes without stepping outside. It was only after the car alarm had been blaring for a considerable 15 minutes and his son informed him about the rescued child that Wall stepped out.
Legal Consequences
This whole event resulted in Wall being charged with a felony for endangering the welfare of children. Currently, he is held up in Cumberland County Prison on a bail of $5,000, with a scheduled preliminary hearing set for July 11.
The instance serves as a grave reminder to all parents concerning the threat of heatstroke for children left unattended in vehicles. Authorities are enforcing strict actions against such acts of negligence, irrespective of the intent or duration.
