Police in Plantation were searching on Thursday after a person took off from a vehicle and left a child behind, according to officials. Details were limited, and it was not immediately clear whether the child was hurt or where the person went after leaving the scene.
According to NBC6 South Florida, officers on Thursday were looking for a person who fled from a vehicle in Plantation and left a child behind. The social media post offered few other details, including the child’s age, condition, or the exact spot where the child was found.
What Florida Law Says About Walking Away From a Child
Under Florida law, leaving a child without needed care or supervision can fall under the state’s definition of child neglect or abuse and may bring criminal charges. As outlined in the Florida Statutes, neglect can be based on a single act or failure to act that could reasonably be expected to cause serious physical or mental harm to a child.
Why a Child Left in a Vehicle Is So Dangerous
Even a parked car can turn deadly fast. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that pediatric vehicular heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths among children. Federal and safety agencies report that hundreds of children die each year after being left in hot vehicles, highlighting just how risky it is to leave a child unattended in or near a car…