Children left inside car at Walmart parking lot

A Brawley woman was reported to Child Protective Services this week after police say she left her two children unattended in her car at Walmart parking lot in Brawley.

A Brawley police officer was called to the scene after a woman took notice that the children had been left alone for over twenty minutes.

“The biggest danger to a child is going to be a death from heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses,” said Chris Herring, Emergency Medical Services Manager at Imperial County Health Department

With triple-digit temperatures hitting the Imperial Valley, health officials say leaving your child in the car could be deadly.

“Even on a day where it’s eighty degrees outside the temperatures inside a vehicle can exceed over 120 degrees within a few minutes of turning the vehicle and air conditioning off,” Herring said.

In the state of California, it is illegal to leave children inside a vehicle.

According to state law, a child who is six years or younger cannot be left in a vehicle without the supervision of a person who is twelve years or older.

Kids and Cars, a public safety awareness organization, says an average of thirty-eight children die each year from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside vehicles.

Herring says there are helpful tips parents can use so they don’t forget their children.

“If you have a purse, a backpack, or a briefcase, leave that in the backseat with the child, there are also apps available,” said Herring.

Police officials say leaving your child in a car can be a criminal offense, they urge people to dial 911 when they see a child could be in danger.

The Brawley Police Department says both children were okay, and the case was turned over to child protective services.