A Connecticut woman is facing multiple criminal charges after police say she left her 8-year-old and 1-month-old children locked in a hot car outside a Walmart store on Wednesday.
According to the Naugatuck Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Walmart parking lot on New Haven Road after concerned bystanders reported a car alarm sounding and a child attempting to escape the vehicle. Witnesses told police the 8-year-old was trying to get out, triggering the alarm.
Upon arrival, officers found both children crying, drenched in sweat, and visibly distressed inside the locked vehicle. The children were immediately transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
Police arrested 30-year-old Talita Sonia De Carvalho Silva as she exited the store and walked toward the car. She was charged with:
- Two counts of risk of injury to a minor
- Two counts of reckless endangerment
- Two counts of leaving a child under 12 unsupervised in a vehicle
Silva was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Waterbury Superior Court at 9 a.m. on July 9.
Officials have not released an update on the children’s condition but pointed out the life-threatening dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, particularly in hot weather.
This incident comes amid rising national concern over child endangerment cases involving hot cars, which can reach lethal temperatures within minutes.
Law enforcement and child safety advocates continue to urge the public to act immediately when seeing children left alone in vehicles.
Authorities are continuing their investigation.
If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call 911 immediately. For more child safety resources, visit National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
