MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — A 27-year-old woman has been charged with DUI and aggravated child neglect after a five-week-old baby boy was found inside a hot car.
Alexandria Lee was found allegedly swaying outside of a locked SUV in the parking lot of a Murfreesboro Kroger on June 13.
When firefighters got to the scene, they weren’t sure if a child was in the car or not.
“The back windows were tinted very dark so we could look in and see there was a rear-facing car seat, but we couldn’t tell if there was anything in it. The baby was covered under blankets. So it was very hard to see if the baby was in there, so we took immediate action,” Murfreesboro Fire Rescue firefighter Tyson Donaldson said.
Firefighters broke the windows of the SUV and quickly pulled the baby out. They estimate it was in the car for 20 minutes on a day when the heat index was 108 degrees.
“When I grabbed the baby out of the car seat it was under the blankets, it had on a full-piece onesie outfit. And I mean sweaty and was very warm to the touch when I pulled it from the car seat,” said Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Engineer Marc Cartwright.
Thankfully, a NICU nurse also happened to be in the Kroger parking lot and helped render aid.
“I immediately waved her over and was like please come. I mean she’s a subject matter expert and we’re dealing with a five-week-old baby that was a huge relief. Not that we don’t know what we’re doing, but it’s the fact that she deals with babies that size every day and we don’t,” Donaldson said.
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The firefighters on the scene are also parents and said the call was personal.
“Remember what you got in your car,” Cartwright said.
“Check your back seat,” Captain Tim Lampitt echoed.
Firefighters want to thank the bystander who called police and got them to the scene. At the end of the day, they know the outcome could have been much worse.
“I mean, that is our worst fear, pulling a baby out that’s not going to make it. So, the fact that it had a good outcome was a highlight for us, that’s why we do the job,” Donaldson said.
At the end of the day, firefighters say the biggest takeaway is to never leave your child behind in a hot car. One way you can remember them is to place your cell phone in their car seat so you remember to check your back seat before leaving your vehicle.
Lee is being held on a $52,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in Rutherford County General Sessions Court on August 15.