A routine morning at an Eastpointe tow yard turned unexpectedly serious yesterday when a 13-month-old child was discovered inside an impounded vehicle. Police said officers found the child while responding to a call at the private lot, and the infant was taken for medical evaluation.
Authorities say the car had been towed from another city before the child was found. Eastpointe officials have emphasized that their department had not handled the vehicle before the discovery, which has now triggered a multijurisdictional investigation into how the child ended up inside that car in the first place.
In a statement to FOX 2 Detroit, Eastpointe Police said, "Our department is in contact with local agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the vehicle's impoundment as it was not a vehicle our department had contact with prior to this report." Police told the station the child appeared to be doing fine but was undergoing medical evaluation as a precaution.
Where the vehicle was located
Local reporting indicates the car was sitting in a private tow yard in Eastpointe when someone on the property realized there was a child inside. The vehicle had been impounded the day before, according to Metro Detroit News.
Investigation under way
Eastpointe police told FOX 2 Detroit they are working with the tow company and neighboring agencies to determine who placed the child in the car and which agency had the vehicle impounded. Officials have not released identifying details about the child or the vehicle as the investigation continues.
Why this matters
Federal safety guidance has long warned caregivers never to leave a child alone in a vehicle, even briefly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges adults to "Stop. Look. Lock." and check the back seat every time they leave a car. NHTSA notes that temperatures inside parked vehicles can climb to dangerous levels in just minutes, turning even short periods of unsupervised time into potentially life-threatening situations for infants and toddlers.
