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Geremie Ram, 42, of New Rochelle, was apprehended on Thursday, Aug. 8, after police and fire were alerted to a child in a hot car in a shopping center parking lot around 4:34 p.m., at 136-02 20th Ave. in College Point, said the NYPD.
The child was rescued within minutes by New York City firefighter Matthew Clinton who broke a window to get the child out of the car that was "dangerously hot."
"The kid was screaming that it was hot," Clinton said on the FDNY Facebook page. "You could see sweat on his face. I told him that I'm a firefighter."
"I broke the driver's side window and unlocked the doors. We got the kid out, and within a couple minutes NYPD showed up," Clinton.
FDNY EMS members from Station 52 arrived on scene and took over patient care. The child was transported to Flushing Hospital Medical Center in stable condition.
Weather officials said the temperature at the time in New York City was around 84 degrees, but the temperature inside the closed up car would have been much hotter.
Ram was arrested when he returned to the vehicle, police said. He was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a controlled substance because he was found with Xanax, NYPD said.
The incident comes just two weeks after a Rockland County father was charged in the deaths of his 1-year-old twins after he forgot them inside his car when he went to work.
FDNY said to never leave children alone in a car on a warm day, even if you think the temperature outside isn’t hot enough to cause harm.
They suggest placing a much-needed item, like a cell phone or your shoe, with the child in the backseat so they are not forgotten.
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