A 38-year-old woman was arrested June 9 after two young children were found unattended inside a vehicle during extreme heat conditions in Alexandria.
According to the Alexandria Police Department, officers responded at approximately 12:45 p.m. to the 2600 block of South MacArthur Drive following reports of two small children left alone in a vehicle.
When officers arrived, they located the vehicle and found a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old inside. With temperatures in the upper 90s, officers immediately requested medical assistance. The children were evaluated and treated at the scene by the Alexandria Fire Department and Pafford EMS.
During the investigation, officers located the vehicle’s owner, identified as Bianca Turner, 38, inside a nearby business where she had reportedly been shopping.
Turner was arrested and charged with two counts of cruelty to juveniles.
Alexandria Police Chief Chad Gremillion said leaving children unattended in a vehicle during hot weather can quickly create life-threatening conditions and emphasized that a child’s safety should always take priority.
The Alexandria Police Department reminded parents and caregivers that temperatures inside a vehicle can rise to dangerous and potentially deadly levels within minutes, even when windows are cracked, and that children should never be left unattended in a vehicle.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information about this incident or other crimes in the Alexandria area is encouraged to contact the Alexandria Police Department Detective Division at (318) 441-6416 or APD Dispatch at (318) 441-6559. Information may also be emailed to APDDetectives@cityofalex.com. Crime tips may be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers of CenLa at (318) 443-7867.