KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — (WOKI / WVLT) – A 3-year-old child is expected to be OK after being found alone inside a vehicle outside a Knoxville Walmart.
According to the Knoxville Police Department, officers responded to the store on Chapman Highway around 1 p.m. Friday after receiving a report of a toddler left unattended in a parked car.
When officers arrived, they found the child inside the vehicle and quickly intervened. The toddler was transported to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital for evaluation and is expected to recover.
Following an investigation at the scene, police charged the child’s aunt with child neglect. Authorities have not released her name.
Officials are reminding caregivers about the dangers of leaving children in vehicles, especially during warmer months when temperatures inside cars can rise quickly.
More information about preventing heat-related incidents involving children can be found at http://noheatstroke.org.
