Woman leaves infant in hot car to go horseback riding
What's the story
A 40-year-old woman from Nebraska in United States, Cara Dugan, is facing charges of child abuse after allegedly leaving her three-month-old baby unattended in a hot car. The incident occurred on Saturday (August 24) at the Merrick County Fairgrounds. According to the Merrick County Sheriff's Office, Dugan was found horseback riding inside a building at the fairgrounds when the outside temperature was around 32°C (90°F).
Heroic act
Roping contestant rescues baby from hot car
Edgar Estrada, a roping contestant at the fair, became an unexpected hero when he heard the infant's cries. He quickly mounted his horse and began searching for the source of the distressing sound. "I instantly got on the horse and ran up and down the parking lot area where vehicles were at," Estrada told Fox Nebraska. His quick thinking led him to discover Dugan's baby left alone in a pickup truck with its engine off and window partially open.
Successful rescue
Estrada's quick action saves baby from potential danger
Estrada managed to locate the baby after approximately 10 minutes of searching. He was able to pry open the window and unlock the door, rescuing the infant. Upon their arrival at 1:30pm authorities confirmed that the infant had been left alone in a pickup truck with its engine off and windows only partially open for a substantial amount of time. The child was then taken to a local hospital for examination where it was found unharmed.
Custody transfer
Child placed in protective custody following incident
Following the incident, the child was placed under the care of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. This move was made to ensure the baby's safety after being left unattended in a hot car. The case serves as a stark reminder of similar incidents where children have tragically lost their lives due to being left alone in hot cars. According to Kids and Car Safety, there have been at least 25 such cases this year alone.