The heat index outside was 107 degrees Saturday when police say Tipora Merriex locked her child in the car.
LAKE CITY, Fla. — Authorities have charged a woman with child neglect after she allegedly left her two-year-old child locked inside a car at a movie theater in Lake City on a day when the heat index soared over 107 degrees.
Lake City Police officers said they responded to a report of a child locked inside a car Saturday.
Police said Tipora Merriex was arrested Saturday after the child was found flushed, sweating and crying inside the car.
The investigation revealed that Merriex took her children to the movie theater located at 2830 W. U.S. Hwy 90 on Saturday. Following several disruptions during the film, Merriex reportedly removed her two-year-old from the theater and left the child locked inside a car before returning to watch the movie.
According to police, witnesses confirmed that Merriex stayed in the theater while the child remained alone in the sweltering heat. At that time, the temperature outside was 94 degrees, with a heat index reaching 107 degrees.
Merriex was arrested and sent to the Columbia County Detention Center.
The child was taken to the hospital. We’re working to learn their condition.
“Our officers acted swiftly to ensure the safety of this young child,” said Lake City Chief of Police Gerald Butler. “Leaving a child unattended in a vehicle under these conditions is unacceptable. We are thankful the child is safe and urge all parents to prioritize the well-being of their children at all times.”
Anyone with more information on this crime is asked to call Lake City Police at (386) 752-4343.
