Crime & Safety

Police Smash Car Window To Free Trapped Child

Police say the panicked mother didn't want to wait for a locksmith after accidentally locking her baby in her SUV on a hot, humid Tuesday night.

Port Chester police smashed a car window -- with the blessing of the frantic owner -- to free a two-year-old child who was accidentally locked inside the vehicle Tuesday night.

Officers received a call from the baby's panicked mother and arrived at the parking lot of 1 Waterfront place at 6 p.m. The 42-year-old mother told police she had just finished shopping at the nearby Costco -- after she strapped her child in, she loaded her groceries into the hatchback of her Nissan Rogue SUV. When she closed the hatchback, she realized she had locked her keys inside.

Adding to her worries: all the windows were sealed, temperatures were in the high 80s, the night was humid, and the SUV had tinted windows and a black, heat-absorbing interior, Lt. James Ladeairous said.

Police dialed a tow truck operator to help them work the SUV's locks, but the mother was worried about the wait.

"She said, 'Break the window, I don't care, I want my child to be okay,'" Ladeairous said.

An officer retrieved a crowbar, and with the blessing of the worried mother, stood back and smashed one of the windows to free the child. The baby was uninjured, and the mother was relieved that her short-lived nightmare was over.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.