LAWRENCE, IN – An Indiana couple was detained after their two young children were discovered alone in a sweltering, turned-off vehicle at a Lawrence Walmart parking lot on a hot evening.
The incident occurred just after 7 p.m. on Monday near Indianapolis, when a concerned passerby noticed the children in a 2017 Ford Edge and promptly alerted authorities. The Lawrence Fire Department arrived swiftly and extracted the children from the overheated vehicle. One child was reported to have been excessively sweating, while the other appeared disoriented.
Mirianne Pierre and Watson Joseph, both 31, were taken into custody soon after returning to their vehicle, seeming unaware of the gravity of the situation they had caused. During the investigation, Pierre suggested to the detectives that their errand spanned only a short period, asserting that the vehicle could continue to run for five minutes after the key had been removed. However, surveillance footage indicated the couple entered the store at approximately 6:27 p.m., totaling about 45 minutes before rescue services arrived.
Paramedics examined the children, who fortunately showed no severe ailments beyond elevated blood pressure. Following the assessment, Pierre and Joseph were charged with two counts of child neglect and were transported to Marion County Jail. They have since been released on bond, and the Department of Children’s Services has assumed care of the children.
At the time of the incident, external temperatures were in the mid-90s, with thermal imaging revealing an internal SUV temperature of 101 degrees after the doors had been opened for some time. Officials estimate the car could have been 125 degrees or more when the children were inside.
“The situation had the best outcome possible,” said Lawrence Police Captain Michael Sostre, commenting on the favorable resolution of the event.
Tragically, not every child left in a hot car has a fortunate ending. Earlier this month, a 2-month-old baby passed away after being forgotten in a vehicle for an extended period in the San Diego area. As temperatures rise, these occurrences become more frequent, and law enforcement continues to emphasize the urgency of never leaving children unattended in vehicles.
“Once those doors are shut the temperatures rise really quickly. So you may feel it’s only a couple minutes, but to the person or child inside the car, that’s an eternity. It gets really hot really fast,” expressed Sgt. Anthony Patterson of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
