Tot 'was left in Tesco car park'

Eric Baxter • Published 3 Jul 2010 14:00

A MUM is facing a charge after allegedly leaving a toddler alone in a car during a heatwave while she went into Tesco.

The 30-year-old woman has been reported to the procurator fiscal after allegedly leaving the tot on their own, with the window only left slightly open for ventilation.

As a result of the alleged incident, the woman has now been reported to the fiscal under Section 12 of the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937.

That act states any person of 16 or over commits an offence if they have custody, charge or care of any child under that age, and wilfully assaults, ill treats, neglects, abandons or exposes them to injury.

It is alleged the woman left the youngster, who is believed to be between 18 months and two years old, in the car park at Tesco in Port Glasgow, for more than 20 minutes in the warm weather conditions on Thursday 24 June.

Meanwhile, in a separate general warning to parents or those in charge of children, Strathclyde Police Superintendent Jim Baird warned about the dangers of children being left alone in cars in soaring temperatures.

He said: "We cannot stress enough to parents and adults - do not leave children in hot cars.

"Even if you are popping into the shops for a few minutes, unattended cars heat up very quickly and the consequences of a young child being left in a car do not bear thinking about."

Tesco declined to comment on the alleged incident when contacted by the Telegraph.

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 03 Jul 10

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