16-day-old infant left inside hot vehicle in Slidell Walmart parking lot, police say
SLIDELL, La. (WVUE) - Slidell police officers saved the life of a 16-day-old infant who was left inside a hot car in a Walmart parking lot Thursday (July 7) morning.
According to Slidell Police, around 10 a.m., officers received a call about a woman who was visibly impaired with her infant child in the parking lot of a Walmart store on Northshore Boulevard.
When officers arrived, they were unable to locate the woman, who was later identified as 37-year-old Ashley Kennedy of Minden. Witnesses told officers that she left in a grey Honda Odyssey minivan.
About an hour later, a Walmart employee alerted Slidell Police that Kennedy was back shopping inside the Walmart without her child.
When officers returned, they found Kennedy highly intoxicated inside the store and her 16-day-old infant inside of the Honda minivan covered in a blanket.
Officers forced their way into the vehicle and discovered the vehicle to be extremely hot with the air conditioner blowing hot air. The lethargic infant was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
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Police say Kennedy was also involved in a hit-and-run earlier that day. She was arrested and booked into Slidell City Jail with cruelty to juveniles, third offense DWI with child endangerment, hit-and-run, and improper child restraint. Kennedy will later be transferred to the St. Tammany Parish Jail.
“If it was not for the alert Walmart employee and the quick actions of our officers, this incident would have resulted in the death of this young two-week-old. As terrible of a situation this was, it could have been a lot worse. So many things could have gone differently today, and we thank God for such a positive outcome,” said Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal.
The Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services was contacted, and the child has been placed in their custody.
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