A 7-year-old girl in Colorado beat the heat by smashing through a car's front passenger window with a mallet after she was allegedly left alone inside the vehicle while her grandfather shopped at Walmart, authorities said Thursday.
The dramatic escape unfolded July 6 at a Walmart Neighborhood Market located at 850 E. 88th Avenue in Thornton, according to the Thornton Police Department. Officers responded to a report of a child locked inside a vehicle as outside temperatures hovered around 90 degrees.
Firefighters estimated interior temperatures inside the car had climbed above 150 degrees by the time the girl broke free, police said. She had been trapped for at least 20 minutes before she began overheating and resorted to using the mallet to shatter the window, authorities reported.
Background
Eddie Espinoza, 62, had allegedly left his granddaughter in the vehicle while he went inside the Walmart to shop, according to investigators. The child, overwhelmed by the extreme heat inside the enclosed car, managed to locate a mallet and used it to smash through the front passenger window, police said.
Bystanders witnessed the girl's escape and rushed to help her out of the vehicle after she broke the glass. First responders arrived on scene as the child waited outside the car, according to KMGH, Denver's ABC affiliate.
The Charges
Espinoza was taken into custody at the scene after allegedly admitting to police that he had been shopping inside the Walmart while his granddaughter remained in the vehicle. He faces one count of child abuse in connection with the incident, according to the Thornton Police Department.
The 7-year-old received treatment for minor injuries sustained from broken glass during her escape attempt. No further details about the child's current condition were immediately available.
Key Takeaways
- Eddie Espinoza, 62, has been charged with child abuse after allegedly leaving his 7-year-old granddaughter in a hot car while shopping at Walmart
- Interior temperatures inside the vehicle reportedly exceeded 150 degrees as firefighters estimate the child was trapped for at least 20 minutes
- The girl escaped by using a mallet to shatter the front passenger window, according to police
- Bystanders assisted the child after she broke through the glass and waited with her until first responders arrived
- The incident occurred July 6 at the Walmart Neighborhood Market located at 850 E. 88th Avenue in Thornton, Colorado
What's Next
Espinoza remains in custody pending further court proceedings. No additional details about his arraignment or next scheduled court date were immediately released by authorities.
The National Safety Commission reports that there have been at least 12 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths in the United States so far this year, with an average of 37 children under age 15 dying annually from heat exposure after being left in vehicles.