Need4Speed
08-19-2005, 02:05 AM
Infant survives heat in car
BY ERIC STEINKOPFF
NEWS-TIMES
MOREHEAD CITY — An area woman was arrested by police Sunday afternoon for leaving a three-month-old infant girl in a closed-up car.
Stephanie May Skrabacz, 23, of White Oak Street in Cedar Point, was allegedly shopping in Wal-Mart for roughly an hour and afterward told police that she forgot the tiny girl was in her car, said Morehead City Police Capt. Garland Terry.
According to a warrant, Ms. Skrabacz left an infant "in a motor vehicle that was turned off and with the windows rolled up, while the internal temperature of the vehicle rose substantially, causing the child’s temperature to rise to 107.5 degrees Fahrenheit, causing heat exhaustion and dehydration of the infant."
According to Capt. Terry, a good Samaritan took the child out of the Ford vehicle and into Wal-Mart to cool off and called 911 about 3:05 p.m. Sunday.
Morehead City Police Officer Dan Barton responded, and when he arrived at the store the mother and the child were already together.
"When the officer made contact he initiated emergency first aid," Capt. Terry said. "The child was unresponsive and he requested EMS immediately."
Both Wildwood Fire and Rescue and Morehead City EMS responded, and the infant was taken to Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City, where she remained in stable condition and held overnight for observation.
The child was released from the hospital Tuesday.
Ms. Skrabacz was arrested by Morehead City police Sunday evening and charged with misdemeanor child abuse, but according to court records, prior to this weekend she had not been charged with anything more serious than minor traffic violations.
"The difference between felony and misdemeanor child abuse is intent," said Capt. Terry. "For a felony you have to prove the act was intentional. Social services was contacted and they did respond to the hospital."
Ms. Skrabacz was released Monday afternoon on $5,000 bond.
"Obviously the extreme heat is a threat to everyone and they need to take precautions to protect themselves from the heat — like seeking shade and drinking plenty of fluids," Capt. Terry said. "People who are responsible for others, such as caretakers of children or elderly individuals need to be especially careful looking after them.
"Normally we get calls about people leaving pets in vehicles. Not very often do we get calls about children in vehicles."
Sourcehttp://www.carteretnewstimes.com/xNTLogoweb2.jpg
BY ERIC STEINKOPFF
NEWS-TIMES
MOREHEAD CITY — An area woman was arrested by police Sunday afternoon for leaving a three-month-old infant girl in a closed-up car.
Stephanie May Skrabacz, 23, of White Oak Street in Cedar Point, was allegedly shopping in Wal-Mart for roughly an hour and afterward told police that she forgot the tiny girl was in her car, said Morehead City Police Capt. Garland Terry.
According to a warrant, Ms. Skrabacz left an infant "in a motor vehicle that was turned off and with the windows rolled up, while the internal temperature of the vehicle rose substantially, causing the child’s temperature to rise to 107.5 degrees Fahrenheit, causing heat exhaustion and dehydration of the infant."
According to Capt. Terry, a good Samaritan took the child out of the Ford vehicle and into Wal-Mart to cool off and called 911 about 3:05 p.m. Sunday.
Morehead City Police Officer Dan Barton responded, and when he arrived at the store the mother and the child were already together.
"When the officer made contact he initiated emergency first aid," Capt. Terry said. "The child was unresponsive and he requested EMS immediately."
Both Wildwood Fire and Rescue and Morehead City EMS responded, and the infant was taken to Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City, where she remained in stable condition and held overnight for observation.
The child was released from the hospital Tuesday.
Ms. Skrabacz was arrested by Morehead City police Sunday evening and charged with misdemeanor child abuse, but according to court records, prior to this weekend she had not been charged with anything more serious than minor traffic violations.
"The difference between felony and misdemeanor child abuse is intent," said Capt. Terry. "For a felony you have to prove the act was intentional. Social services was contacted and they did respond to the hospital."
Ms. Skrabacz was released Monday afternoon on $5,000 bond.
"Obviously the extreme heat is a threat to everyone and they need to take precautions to protect themselves from the heat — like seeking shade and drinking plenty of fluids," Capt. Terry said. "People who are responsible for others, such as caretakers of children or elderly individuals need to be especially careful looking after them.
"Normally we get calls about people leaving pets in vehicles. Not very often do we get calls about children in vehicles."
Sourcehttp://www.carteretnewstimes.com/xNTLogoweb2.jpg