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Talita Sonia De Carvalho Silva, 30, of Naugatuck, is facing multiple felony charges after the harrowing incident on Wednesday, June 25, police said. Temperatures that day hit a high of 91 degrees, according to Accuweather.
Shoppers at the Naugatuck Walmart noticed the children inside the vehicle after the car alarm started blaring. The 8-year-old was screaming and desperately trying to escape, police said.
Both children were crying and drenched in sweat when officers arrived. Paramedics rushed them to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Authorities have not said how long the children were left inside before help arrived.
Silva was charged with two counts each of risk of injury to a minor, reckless endangerment, and leaving a child under 12 unsupervised in a vehicle, according to Naugatuck police.
Police are using the incident as a critical warning: Never leave children or animals in a vehicle, even on seemingly mild days. A car's interior can reach dangerous temperatures within minutes, putting lives at risk.
To demonstrate the danger, a veterinarian once filmed himself inside a parked car on a hot day, with the windows cracked. He was forced to exit the vehicle when the interior temperature soared to 117 degrees.
If you spot a child alone in a vehicle, call 911 immediately. Seconds count.
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