‘Highly intoxicated’ mom arrested after 16-day-old infant left in hot car, Slidell police say
An alert Walmart employee is being lauded as a hero after officers saved an infant that had been left in a hot minivan in the Slidell store’s parking lot, police said.
Slidell police originally responded to the Walmart store at about 10 a.m. Thursday when they received a call that “visibly impaired” woman was with her infant child in the parking lot, Daniel Seuzeneau, Slidell Police public information officer, said in a news release.
The woman left the area before police arrived but came back to the store about an hour later, but this time went inside and left her 16-day-old child underneath a blanket in the Honda minivan, Suezeneau said.
An employee called police when the woman, identified as Ashley Kennedy of Minden, Louisiana, was seen inside the store.
“Officers forced their way into the vehicle and discovered the vehicle to be extremely hot with the air conditioner blowing hot air,” Suezeneau said. “The lethargic infant was rushed to a nearby hospital, and miraculously, is expected to survive and make a full recovery.”
During the investigation, police also learned Kennedy — who was desceribed by police as “highly intoxicated” — had been involved in a hit and run earlier in the day, Suezeneau said.
Kennedy was arrested on charges including cruelty to juveniles, third offense DWI with child endangerment, hit and run, and improper child restraint.
The infant will be placed in Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services custody.
“If it was not for the alert Walmart employee and the quick actions of our officers, this would have resulted in the death of this young two-week-old,” Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandall said. “As terrible of a situation this was, it could have been a lot worse.”
