A routine takeout stop at La Brasa Grill in Coconut Creek turned into a 911 call when a 5-year-old girl was found alone, crying and banging on the windows of a locked car. Fire rescue evaluated the child at the scene, and officers said she showed no obvious injuries. The 23-year-old man responsible for watching her was arrested outside the restaurant and is now facing criminal charges.
How officers say it unfolded
According to police, a witness parked next to the vehicle, went inside to order food, and returned about 20 minutes later to find the child inside a Kia, visibly upset and pounding on the glass. Investigators reviewed surveillance video that they say shows the caregiver talking with the restaurant manager for roughly 15 minutes, then sitting with the manager for about 35 more, leaving the girl alone in the car for around 50 minutes.
An officer wrote in the arrest report that “the vehicle being off with the windows all rolled up could have resulted in severe injury or death of the child,” as reported by Local10.
Arrest and charges
Investigators identified the caregiver as 23-year-old Jean Richard Adoux of Lauderdale Lakes. Police say he was acting as the child’s caregiver “with the mother and father’s knowledge.” He was arrested on charges of child neglect without great bodily harm and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle for more than 15 minutes, and was being held on a $10,000 bond at the Broward Main Jail, according to Coconut Creek Talk.
What the law says
Florida law makes it illegal to leave a child under 6 years old unattended in a motor vehicle for more than 15 minutes. It also authorizes officers to take reasonable steps to protect the child, including removing them from the vehicle. Penalties range from a second-degree misdemeanor for a basic violation to a third-degree felony if great bodily harm occurs. The full statute is available from the Florida Senate.
Danger of hot cars
Child-safety advocates warn that temperatures inside a parked vehicle can rise to dangerous levels in a short time, and that heatstroke can become fatal within minutes for young children. National organizations that track hot-car incidents note that many deaths happen when caregivers accidentally leave a child behind, and they promote tools such as rear-seat reminders, public education campaigns and new technology to reduce the risk. Those dangers and prevention strategies are detailed by Kids and Car Safety…