Corona police pulled out a 3-month-old boy who had been locked inside a hot car while the infant’s father went inside a post office, officials said Thursday.
Police posted a video of the June 17 incident to their Instagram account on June 24.
Officers arrived at the post office at 414 W. Grand Blvd. at 5:36 p.m. They heard the baby crying and believed it was having difficulty breathing, said Sgt. Tobias Kouroubacalis, a department spokesman. The car was not running.
“We have to do something right now,” Kouroubacalis said, describing the officers’ assessment of the situation. Corona firefighters later measured the interior temperature at 110 degrees, the Instagram post said.
So one officer swung his baton at the driver’s side window to break it and used the end to punch out the glass that remained. Another officer unlocked the door, removed the baby and cradled him against his chest, patting him on the back.
Officers then went into the post office, found the father and arrested him on suspicion of child endangerment, Kouroubacalis said.
The infant was checked out at a hospital.
“The baby is fine, now,” Kouroubacalis said.
The sergeant urged parents not to leave children in locked cars with the windows up.
