2-week-old baby left inside hot vehicle in Walmart parking lot, Louisiana police say

SLIDELL, La. (WVUE/Gray News) – A Walmart employee is being credited for helping police officers save the life of a 16-day-old baby who was left inside a hot car, according to the Slidell Police Department.

Police said officers received a call about a woman who appeared impaired with her young baby in the Walmart parking lot around 10 a.m. Thursday.

Officers were unable to find the 37-year-old woman and were told she had left in a minivan.

As authorities were searching for the woman, an employee called police to say she was back at Walmart, but this time shopping without her child.

According to the police department, officers found the “highly intoxicated” woman inside the store and her infant inside the minivan, lethargic and covered in a blanket.

They said it was extremely hot inside the vehicle, and air conditioning was blowing hot air instead of cool.

The baby was rushed to the hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery, according to the Slidell Police Department.

“If it was not for the alert Walmart employee and the quick actions of our officers, this incident would have resulted in the death of this young two-week-old,” Police Chief Randy Fandal said. “As terrible of a situation (as) this was, it could have been a lot worse.”

Police said the child has been placed in the custody of Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.

Officers said they later learned the woman was also involved in a hit and run accident earlier in the day.

She was arrested in connection to several child endangerment-related charges in addition to hit and run.

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