Authorities have always made it clear to never leave kids unattended inside a vehicle. The temperature inside a parked car can quickly increase, putting anyone at risk of heatstroke, dehydration, and other health problems.

One woman from Maryland failed to follow the law.

The woman decided to leave their home with seven children to go shopping. However, instead of taking the kids with her inside the shopping mall, she left them inside a car.

Although the doors weren’t locked, the windows were rolled up.

With specific instruction to never leave the car no matter what, the kids stayed inside. Even though it wasn’t that comfortable, they still did what they were told.

The children waited inside the vehicle for at least 20 minutes.

After such time, the temperature inside had gone up to 80 degrees F. The kids, from age two to four years old, started feeling more and more uncomfortable and uneasy.

Then, the 4-year-old boy found a phone.

He quickly called for help. However, with no clear idea where they were, the boy only managed to describe what’s around them.

Fortunately, technology helped pinpoint the exact location of the abandoned kids.

When the police got there, the children were visibly scared. They were sweaty, too.

They checked the car as well. There, they found out that there was just one car seat. It was another clear violation of the law.

All of the kids were checked and given proper medical attention.

Fortunately, none of them was badly affected by what happened. No child was sent to the hospital for further management.

Ten minutes later, the woman arrived.

The police asked for an explanation but the woman said nothing. She was eventually arrested and charged for leaving the kids unattended inside a motor vehicle.

In line with the woman’s arrest, the Charles County sheriff’s office has issued a statement:

“As a reminder, it is against the law to leave a child under the age of eight unattended inside a motor vehicle if the caregiver is out of sight of the child unless a reliable person at least thirteen-years-old remains with the child.”

Hopefully, the incident has taught a lot of parents and adults to never leave kids in hot parked cars.

The biggest danger of leaving a child alone in a car is hyperthermia or heat stroke. This condition can easily cause damages to the brain and other body organs. If not addressed right away, it can even cause death.

Compared with adults, a child’s body can heat up to three to five times faster. That’s due to kids having a lot of body surface area that can absorb heat. Plus, with their age, their ability to cool down well isn’t completely developed yet.

Closed cars can heat up faster, too. Even on a day with a 61-degree temperature, closed cars can reach more than 100 degrees in just an hour. Imagine how hard it’ll be for kids to cope with that much heat.

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Source: Seatle Children’s Hospital, NBC News