Police said four children, ranging in age from 1 to 11, were left alone in a vehicle outside a Howell Township Walmart during an extreme heat wave before concerned bystanders called 911.
Howell Township, NJ – A 24-year-old woman has been charged with child endangerment after police said she left four young children alone in a vehicle outside a Howell Township Walmart during dangerously hot weather.
According to local media reports citing police, the children—ages 1, 3, 8, and 11—were discovered inside the running vehicle after concerned shoppers noticed they appeared to be sweating and called authorities.
Officers found children inside vehicle
Investigators said the woman entered the Walmart while leaving the children in the vehicle with the engine running, the windows slightly open, and the air conditioning operating.
Police said the air conditioning reportedly stopped working while the children remained inside the vehicle. By the time officers arrived, the children were sweating and showing signs of being affected by the heat.
Emergency responders intervened, and the children were removed from the vehicle.
Charges filed during ongoing heat wave
The woman was charged with child endangerment, according to police. Authorities have not released additional information about how long the children were left unattended or whether any required hospital treatment.
The incident comes as much of New Jersey remains under an Extreme Heat Warning, with heat index values forecast to reach between 100 and 110 degrees through Saturday.
Safety officials routinely warn that temperatures inside parked vehicles can rise rapidly—even when windows are partially open—creating life-threatening conditions for children and pets in a matter of minutes.
The woman’s name was not released publicly.
Related: Howell Township, New Jersey, child endangerment, Extreme Heat Warning, Walmart