Mother accused of leaving baby unattended in hot vehicle while she rode a horse, reports say
MERRICK COUNTY, Neb. (KSNB/Gray News) - A mother in Nebraska is accused of leaving her infant unattended inside a hot vehicle while she rode a horse at a fair, according to authorities.
On Saturday, a Merrick County Deputy was detailed to the Merrick County Fairgrounds to investigate an infant being left unattended in a vehicle.
According to the sheriff’s office, the baby was discovered after a good Samaritan heard crying and began to search the surrounding cars, KSNB reported.
When deputies arrived, they found that a 3-month-old baby had been left in a pickup with the engine off and the windows only partially ajar for a substantial amount of time.
The mother, identified as 40-year-old Cara Dugan of Kearney, was discovered inside of a building riding a horse.
She was placed under arrest and charged with one count of child abuse.
The outside temperature was recorded at 89 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the baby did not sustain injury as a result of this incident.
The child was placed in the care and custody of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
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