A Patchogue man was arrested Monday after leaving his 2-year-old son unattended in a parked vehicle during extreme heat outside a Walmart in Centereach, police said.
Officers responded to the Centereach Mall parking lot about 1:40 p.m. after a passerby called 911 to report a child sleeping inside a parked 2007 Toyota Highlander, authorities said. The SUV was not running and its windows were opened only slightly, police said.
Officers unlocked the vehicle through an open window and removed the child, who was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment, according to police.
The boy had been alone in the car for about 20 minutes, while outdoor temperatures reached approximately 100 degrees, police said.
As first responders treated the child, the boy’s father, Keniarold Andre, 36, returned to the vehicle and was arrested. He is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, police said.
The child will be released to a family member, police said. Suffolk County Child Protective Services was notified.
Andre is being held at the Sixth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in First District Court in Central Islip.
Top photo: Google Maps
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