Aventura, FL- A man and woman have been apprehended for child abuse charges following an incident where they reportedly left their 2-year-old child unattended in a hot car while they were shopping at Target in Aventura.
Authorities were called to the Target located at 21265 Biscayne Blvd on Saturday morning, following a concerned citizen’s report of a young child left unattended in a vehicle with closed windows.
As per the authorities, the child, who was discovered covered in vomit, managed to unlock the door with some encouragement from a witness.
The child’s parents, Paola Palencia-Rodriguez, 24, and Melvin Alejandro Jaimes, 25, were taken into custody at the scene.
Based on the arrest report, the couple left the child in the car for 30 minutes while the temperatures were in the low 90s, despite an active tropical storm and tornado watch.
According to the police, the child displayed signs of perspiration, warmth, and distress, but remained conscious and responsive.
The child underwent a thorough examination by medical responders and was determined to be in excellent condition. The child’s custody was granted to their grandmother.
Palencia-Rodriguez and Jaimes have been charged with third-degree child abuse and the act of leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle.
An investigation is underway by the Florida Department of Children and Families.
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