Man Who Left Baby in Hot Car Arrested
A father was arrested Sunday for allegedly leaving his infant son unattended in a hot car with the windows rolled up while he shopped at an electronics store, police said.
Authorities arrested Ngoc Ba Tran, 24, of Tustin on suspicion of child endangerment and booked him into Orange County Jail. Bail was set at $10,000.
A passerby spotted the 8-month-old boy sweating under a blanket in the 1983 Toyota Celica about 1 p.m.
The passerby opened the unlocked car door and took out the baby while another person called police.
The father, who was returning items at the store on Kalama River Avenue, allegedly pretended the car wasn’t his when confronted by arresting officers, Fountain Valley Police Sgt. Jim Perry said.
The child had been left alone for 30 minutes and was inspected by paramedics before being returned in healthy condition to his mother.
“We’re probably lucky it wasn’t a real hot day,” Perry said.
Outdoor temperatures in central Orange County hit a high of 66 degrees Sunday.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
