A 19-year-old Phoenix father is accused of leaving his 10-month-old daughter strapped into a stroller inside a sweltering apartment with the air conditioning off and almost nothing to eat or drink. The only food investigators say was within her reach was a baby bottle holding roughly a quarter-inch of rancid milk. The infant was found by maintenance workers, and the father was later arrested at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the discovery happened at Sonoran Flats in north Phoenix, near 7th Street and Grovers Avenue. Court documents say the apartment's windows were open, the AC was off, and the indoor temperature had climbed to 91 degrees. The baby was transported to Phoenix Children's Hospital for evaluation.
Baby Found Alone In Sweltering North Phoenix Apartment
Officers reportedly stayed at the apartment for nearly two hours, but Andre L. Farris Jr. did not return during that time. Family members verified to investigators that Farris was the baby's biological father, while apartment management confirmed he was the registered tenant. The report says he eventually showed up at the hospital, where officers took him into custody.
Farris was booked into Maricopa County Jail on suspicion of intentional child abuse, and FOX 10 Phoenix reported that he remained jailed on a $25,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for next Wednesday. He has not been convicted, and the allegations will be tested in court.
Arizona Child Abuse Charge Could Bring Serious Penalties
Arizona's child-abuse statute says a person who intentionally or knowingly causes or permits a child to be endangered under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury can face a class 2 felony. The law also provides enhanced sentencing rules when the alleged victim is younger than 15, as outlined by the Arizona Legislature.
The court records cited in the case list a possible prison range of three to 35 years for the felony charge, though any eventual sentence would depend on the charges filed, the evidence and the outcome of the case. For now, the next hearing is the immediate checkpoint in a case that began with maintenance workers finding a baby alone in dangerous heat.
