Cranston father arrested after leaving 3-year-old in hot car
By Kirsten Glavin
@kirstenglavin
CRANSTON, RI – Bunroth Chhun, 41, of Cranston was arrested Thursday for leaving his 3-year-old son inside of a locked, hot vehicle in a parking lot.
The boy was found lethargic, but alive according to the Cranston Fire Department. Officials responded to a call just before 2:30pm, when a woman walking in through the lot saw the toddler sitting in the back of a red Toyota van. He was alone, crying and sweating with only a window slightly cracked. The car was turned off.
"The windows were open a crack and they were able to force the window down to extricate the child out of the car,” said Deputy Chief, Paul Casey.
Officials say the boy had been locked inside for 30 to 40 minutes while Chhun left him to see a dentist on New London Ave in Cranston. The car was estimated to be about 130 degrees, and climbing.
"It’s unbelievable,” said Luke Xu, a father pulling out of the dentistry parking lot. “I cannot believe anyone would actually do this, especially on a day like today."
The reported temperature outside was 93 degrees, with a ‘real feel,’ or heat index temperature of over 100 degrees.
ABC6 went to the family’s house for comment. Chhun’s brother answered, saying that Chhun was still in police custody, and that they had no further comment.
"The biggest concern obviously today is that the interior of a car can get close to 150 degrees, which is obviously going to affect anyone, let alone a 3-year-old child,” said Casey.
