A quick-thinking customer at the Fresh Grocer on 69th Street pulled a nonverbal autistic child from a parked SUV on a warm July afternoon, and now an Upper Darby man is facing criminal charges, according to police. Investigators say the child had been left alone in the vehicle while the man shopped, sparking a criminal investigation and court action after the July 13 incident.
Reporting by Delco Times states that a white Toyota RAV4 pulled into the Fresh Grocer parking lot at about 4:44 p.m. A customer later removed the child from the vehicle at around 5:21 p.m., and officers were dispatched at approximately 5:25 p.m. Police said the child was left alone in the SUV for more than 45 minutes while the suspect was inside the store.
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt publicly thanked the shopper, calling their actions critical to preventing a far worse outcome. “We are fortunate an observant and concerned person removed the child and brought the child into the store. Thank God the child was unharmed, and this did not end in tragedy,” Bernhardt said, as reported by Delco Times. Authorities identified the suspect as 24-year-old Amadu S. Jalloh of the 6900 block of Theodore Street. Police say he was arraigned before District Judge Wendy B. Roberts and charged with endangering the welfare of a child as a parent or guardian. According to court filings and reporting, he was released on $40,000 unsecured bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 27.
What police say
Investigators said the RAV4 was turned off and that three of the four windows were either rolled down or cracked open. The child’s car seat, however, was next to the one window that had been rolled up. Officials noted that the outside temperature was about 84 degrees that day, a level that can still turn a closed vehicle into a dangerous space in a short time.
Police did not immediately say who took custody of the child after the shopper brought them into the store, and officials reported that the investigation remains active.
Heat risk and broader context
Even on days when the temperature is in the mid 80s, the inside of a parked car can heat up quickly and pose serious risks to children. National nonprofit Kids and Car Safety reports that about 38 children die in hot vehicles each year in the United States. Federal officials have been pressing automakers to add rear seat reminder and occupant detection technology to help prevent these deaths, according to CBS News.
Safety advocates recommend straightforward habits to avoid close calls or tragedies: always lock car doors, make it routine to check the back seat, and never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even for what seems like a quick errand.
Upper Darby police say they are continuing to investigate the case and have asked anyone with additional information to contact the department. The charge against Jalloh and the swift actions of the shopper serve as a pointed reminder that a short shopping trip can carry serious consequences when children are left alone in cars.
