The Burbank Police Department wants to warn citizens about the dangers of leaving children unattended in a vehicle. Not only is it dangerous, it’s against the law and is considered a form of Child Abuse. Running into the store to get milk, dropping off a letter, returning a video rental, grabbing the dry cleaning, or not wanting to disturb a sleeping child are never valid reasons to leave children unattended. Each year, hundreds of children are involved in potentially fatal accidents when left unattended.
Whether it’s from gear-shifted crashes, sweltering temperatures, locking parents out of a car, trunk entrapments, or playing with windows and getting limbs (or even necks) caught, horrific accidents can and do happen in a blink of an eye.
Waking a sleeping child or getting a toddler out of a child seat in freezing cold or less-than-ideal weather is sometimes such a hassle, when the errand can be done single-handedly within a minute or two. But, while the actions can be explained, the consequences could never ever be undone if the unthinkable does occur.
In the event that you see any activity where you believe a child may be in danger, please contact the Burbank Police Department directly at (818) 238-3000.
A quick note about sweltering temperatures:
- Temperature inside of a vehicle can increase by 20 degrees within 10 minutes, even with the windows rolled down. Prolonged heat exposure can cause the child severe medical problems, such as but not limited to; dehydration, burns, and even brain damage.
