EPS officer rescues toddler left in hot car

Charges have been laid aftera child left in a vehicle during Wednesdays heat wave was rescued by an officer from EPS Jasper Bike Beat Squad 4.

Police say a security guard called from a downtown highrise around 3:40 p.m. to report that a child had been left in a vehicle.

With temperatures soaring above 30 degrees, Const. Steven Kilpatrick from the bike squad quickly responded, locating a two-year-old boy in obvious distressin the back seat of the vehicle parked in an underground parkade.

"When I got there, I noticed the child obviously in distress, very sweaty and moving quite slowly and lethargic," he said.

After failing to reach the vehicles owner by phone,Kilpatrick broke the drivers side window and rescued the child, who was determined to be fine by EMS.

A 33-year-old man has been charged with abandoning the child.

Police are responding to about four to five calls per week about children left in cars. Sgt. Gary Willits from the Child at Risk Response Team says police are cracking down.

"In the beginning of July we lost a three year old female whoit was an accidentbut the child was inside of a car and we saw how rapid it can happen or how quickly it can happen and unfortunately what happened yesterday could have been the same result," he said.

Police are urging Edmontonians who see a child left behind and in distress to call 911 and remain nearby until help arrives.