She left 4 kids in a Walmart parking lot car — then the AC stopped working

☀️A 24-year-old woman was charged after 4 kids were left in a car at a Howell Walmart

☀️The children, ages 1 through 11, were found sweating even with the AC running

☀️ Vehicle temperatures can become deadly within minutes, even with a window open

HOWELL — A woman who left four of her young siblings in a car with the air conditioner running was charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

The children, aged 1 through 11, were left in the parking lot of Walmart on Route 9 on Sunday afternoon, according to Howell police.  New Jersey 101.5 has learned the 24-year-old left the window open by “a decent amount” but passers-by in the parking lot became concerned when they saw the sweaty children.

Police believe the air conditioner may have stopped working, possibly because one of the children touched a control button. The sister did not likely mean any harm for the children, the source said.

ALSO READ: Adult court records reveal new details in Cranford double murder

How fast the interior of a car heats up (left), sun at a Jersey Shore beach

A parked car can become dangerous for children

The high temperature in Howell was 82 degrees on Sunday afternoon, according to New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow. But it only takes a few minutes for the temperature to spike inside a vehicle. The temperature can rise by 20 to 30 degrees in just 10 minutes and can easily reach 120 degrees on a warm day.

"It's kind of a greenhouse effect in your car. Even cracking open the window won't have much of an effect after 45 minutes," Zarrow said. "It's just best not to leave any living thing in a car for any length of time, especially in the summer."

AAA/Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Tracy Noble said that a child's body heats five times faster than an adult's.

"On a 95-degree day, a car can heat up to over 180 degrees. And it only takes temperatures at 104 degrees for internal organs to start to shut down. So even in a matter of moments, we can have a catastrophe on our hands," Noble said.

ALSO READ: Patriotism fading? NJ has to ask residents to fly Old Glory

How fast does a car to heat up?

New Jersey law on leaving children unattended in vehicles

While leaving a child in a hot car is not illegal per se, there are several legal ramifications. It is against the law to leave a child under age 6 unattended or unsupervised in any circumstance, which could result in a misdemeanor charge with a possible $500 fine and 30 days in jail.

If the child is left under conditions that present a danger to their health or safety, such as the Howell incident, it could be considered a more serious child endangerment charge.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom