Publications
Partners
A shopper saved the life of a new born baby left in a baking hot car as his mother went off to do her grocery shopping.
The three-month-old was locked into the car without any windows rolled down as the temperature soared to 31°C in Birmingham, England.
“I saw a guard standing by a black car and initially thought, 'I hope no-one's left a dog in there’,” Jenna Langston, who came to the rescue of the little guy, remembers.
According to Mail Online, Jenna (33) had to break through the boot to the reach the baby after a security guard refused to free the child, saying it would be “breaking and entering” and could cost him his job.
“I’d already heard a tannoy (loudspeaker) announcement giving a registration plate while I was inside the store and quite a bit of time had passed since then. But a guard said a baby was inside,” Jenna, a care worker, explained.
“I dropped my shopping and ran over to the car. I said the baby needed to come out straight away – it was 31°C.”
The Metro reports the child, who was drenched in sweat when Jenna reached him, was left on its own for about 30 minutes on 26 July. Even though the mother was alerted, it took her about another hour to emerge from the store.
“All the doors were locked and none of the windows were open. I forced the boot and threw bags and everything else out to get access to the baby,” Jenna said.
“I got myself into the boot and put my top half over the back seat. He was dripping with sweat – his baby grow was like it had been through the washing machine.
“I opened the doors to let some air in and someone asked if I wanted to sit in their car with the baby as it had air conditioning. Then the police and paramedics arrived.
“I handed the baby over to the ambulance crew. They said he seemed fine but they had to take him to hospital. There was still no sign of the car driver – it had been around 50 minutes by now.
“Then she appeared, walking slowly back to her car. I screamed at her and asked what she’d been thinking. I was really distressed. But she just looked at the floor.”
The incident, which took place outside an Asda store in Barnes Hill, has shaken Jenna.
“I'm still shaken now – I haven't slept properly for a few nights.”
A spokesperson for the supermarket chain told The Metro the incident was being investigated. “We’d never punish a colleague for trying to do the right thing. We’re pleased the baby is safe and well.”
The West Midlands Police added: “The parent of the baby has been spoken to and appropriate measures have been put in place to ensure the child isn’t at any risk.”
SOURCES: MAIL ONLINE, THE METRO, THE MIRROR
