Shoppers at a Franklin Meijer did a double take Sunday afternoon when they heard a baby crying from a parked car and saw no adult in sight. Police say a 2-month-old boy, wearing only a diaper and described as red-faced and warm to the touch, was alone in the vehicle while his mother went inside to pick up a DoorDash order.
Concerned customers called 911, and responding officers moved the infant into an air-conditioned patrol car. Authorities say the child’s mother, 25-year-old Kylie Grace Miller of Franklin, was taken into custody in the parking lot.
Officers were dispatched around 3:25 p.m. Sunday to the Meijer lot, where they arrested Miller, according to Fox59. The outlet reports the outside temperature was roughly 78 degrees at the time. Police noted the car’s front windows were rolled up and the rear windows were cracked just a few inches.
When officers took Miller into custody, they also found a handgun on the vehicle’s floorboard, Fox59 reports. Miller allegedly told police she had been inside the store for about five minutes. Court documents, however, include a DoorDash app timeline that places her inside for between 12 and 20 minutes, a gap witnesses and investigators are now scrutinizing.
Charged In Johnson County
Miller was formally charged Monday in Johnson Superior Court 3 with one count of neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony, and later released on a $10,000 bond, according to local court listings. Information on Johnson County shows Superior Court 3 as the venue for the case, and Indiana sentencing statutes indicate that a Level 6 felony under state law can carry prison time and fines. Court records show that an initial hearing had not yet been scheduled.
Officials Warn How Quickly A Car Can Become Deadly
Safety officials have long stressed that a parked car can heat up fast, sometimes within minutes, and that even a mild-sounding 70-something-degree day can become dangerous for infants trapped inside.
As reported by Fox59, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has urged caregivers to “remind yourself to protect what matters most,” warning that interior car temperatures can soar well beyond the outside reading. The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has also highlighted multiple child heat-related deaths this year, underscoring how quickly a routine errand can turn tragic.
Advocacy groups note that simple habits and reminders can be the difference between a close call and a catastrophe, and they continue to push hot-car safety campaigns as warm-weather seasons roll on.
Prevention Tips For Caregivers
Experts advise never leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, even “just for a minute.” Recommended precautions include setting phone alarms, placing a must-have item like a purse or wallet in the back seat so you are forced to look before locking up, and asking a store employee to keep an eye on your vehicle if you absolutely must run inside.
For more guidance and resources on hot-car prevention, visit KidsAndCars and related federal safety pages. Officials say if you see a child alone in a vehicle, call 911 immediately.
Prosecutors will review the case as it moves through Johnson County courts. Miller’s attorney has not commented publicly, and police have not released additional details as the investigation continues.
