Bexar County sheriff's deputies shattered a car window to rescue a four-month-old baby left alone inside a parked vehicle on San Antonio's Southwest Side, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar. The infant was not injured, and deputies arrested a teenager who was acting as the child's guardian.
Deputies responded on June 19 after bystanders reported a child inside a locked car outside a Southwest Side apartment complex, Salazar said in a Facebook video. The sheriff said deputies used a baton to force their way into the car, and as reported by the San Antonio Express-News, body-camera footage shows a deputy reaching through broken glass to pull the baby out.
How Quickly Cars Heat Up
Research shows interior temperatures climb fast, roughly 206F in the first 10 minutes, and most of the heating happens within the first half hour. A 2005 Pediatrics study documented rapid interior temperature rises in enclosed vehicles, and the Texas Department of State Health Services notes that cracking a window makes little difference and that infants and pets are especially vulnerable.
Two Incidents, Two Arrests
The baby rescue came one day after another hot-car call. On June 18, deputies went to a Walmart on the Northeast Side after bystanders removed a dog from a hot car; the animal later died, and deputies arrested 35-year-old Damaris Rebeca Herrera Aguilar on a cruelty charge, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Salazar said deputies carry emergency rescue tools and warned that leaving children or pets in parked vehicles can lead to criminal charges.
What The Law Covers
Texas law makes it a crime to leave a young child unattended in a vehicle. Texas Penal Code Section 22.10 says intentionally or knowingly leaving a child younger than seven in a motor vehicle for longer than five minutes without someone 14 or older present is a Class C misdemeanor. Prosecutors can pursue more serious charges if a child is harmed, and animal-cruelty statutes apply when pets suffer or die.
Officials say if you see a child or pet alone in a vehicle, call 911 immediately and, if it is safe to do so, try to cool the victim while waiting for emergency responders. Federal and state safety pages recommend simple habits such as “look before you lock” and similar routines to prevent tragedies. For more on prevention tips, see guidance from NHTSA and the Texas Department of State Health Services.
