Deputy breaks window to rescue toddler left in car while parents shopped

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KPTV/Gray News) - Deputies are warning about the dangers of leaving children and pets in hot cars after a 2-year-old was rescued in Vancouver.

Deputies responded to a call in May after witnesses reported a child who was left inside a parked car.

People nearby quickly stepped in, gathering around the car and trying to create a shade while waiting for help.

A Clark County deputy arrived to find the child strapped into a car seat. Deputies say the engine was off, and only a small rear window was cracked open.

The National Weather Service says that the temperature inside a car can rise 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes.

It was 92 degrees outside that day, and the toddler was in the car for at least 16 minutes, officials said.

The deputy on scene broke the window of the car to be able to get the child out.

The parents, who were both reportedly inside a nearby grocery store for nearly 30 minutes, were charged with reckless endangerment. Child Protective Services was also notified.

Community members are advised to call 911 if they ever see a child or pet left inside a car and believe they are in distress.