As a heat wave grips New York, officials are urging residents to take precautions to prevent tragic incidents involving children and pets left in vehicles. Governor Kathy Hochul has highlighted the dangers posed by rising temperatures, which can quickly turn deadly inside a car.
Sheriff Craig Apple of Albany County emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “So, you know a child if the windows are closed, that child could pass away in just a few minutes. You know, depending on how hot it I, so you could be looking at manslaughter. You could be looking at a murder. You know, it varies if the child passes away or not.”
Sheriff Apple also warned that leaving an animal in a car, even if it’s running, could result in charges of animal cruelty. He advised, “Listen, I don’t want to tell people to smash windows and things like that, but if they can’t find the owner within a couple of seconds, they need to smash a window and call the police right away. Because if you call the police and wait for them to respond, that child could pass.”…