A Nebraska police captain has been placed on administrative leave after authorities say she left her 2-year-old child locked inside a vehicle on a warm day while she went fishing with her partner.
Capt. Mayde McGuire, 54, and her partner, Mary Tobiassen, 49, were reportedly fishing at Pawnee Lake in Lincoln around 4 p.m. Sunday when concerned witnesses noticed the toddler in distress inside the parked car, according to police.
By the time responding officers reached the scene, the child had already been removed from the vehicle, Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said as he underscored the serious risks of leaving children in hot cars.
“We just can’t emphasize enough how quickly the interior of a vehicle can get extremely hot. Even on a 78-degree day, which is pretty pleasant for us outdoors,” Wagner told reporters.
“Inside a vehicle, it gets extremely hot, extremely quick, and so children just cannot be left inside a vehicle at this time of year.”
Authorities said the toddler had allegedly been locked in the car for at least 28 minutes before deputies arrived.
The outdoor temperature was about 78 degrees at the time — mild for an afternoon at the lake, but dangerous and potentially deadly for a young child trapped in an enclosed vehicle.
McGuire later took a breathalyzer test and recorded a blood alcohol concentration of .108, the sheriff said.
Tobiassen and McGuire were charged with misdemeanor child abuse, and McGuire was cited and placed on leave from the Lincoln Police Department.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
