Man charged with child abuse for leaving baby in sweltering car

GLENDALE — A Glendale man pleaded not guilty on Thursday to felony child abuse for allegedly leaving his 14-month-old daughter in his 115-degree car while he filled a prescription at the Costco in Burbank.

Prosecutors charged Edik Magareomyan, 38, on Tuesday with one felony count of child abuse for the March 31 incident, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court criminal complaint.

Magareomyan’s daughter was not hurt after being locked in the sweltering car for at least 15 minutes, Burbank police officials said.

A shopper spotted the girl sleeping and sweating inside the hot car about 11:45 a.m. at the store’s parking lot on the 1000 block of West Burbank Boulevard without any parental supervision and immediately notified police.

The car doors were locked and the windows were rolled down slightly, so police tried reaching inside to unlock them.

A Good Samaritan with petite arms was eventually able to unlock a door.

Police removed the girl from the car and poured cold water on her head to keep her cool as officers searched for Magareomyan, who exited the store minutes later. He allegedly claimed that he had only been in the store for a few minutes.

Magareomyan was immediately arrested, while the girl was taken to the Burbank Police Department, where she was later released to her mother.

Temperatures that day reached 90 degrees in Burbank.

Temperatures that day reached 90 degrees in Burbank.