Target

Toddler Left in Car During Triple Digit Heat as Mother Shops at Target

The toddler was left in the vehicle during 106-degree weather and had a temperature of 103 when she was rescued

A 2-year-old girl was left in a sweltering, hot vehicle during SoCal's heat wave on Wednesday as her mother went grocery shopping in Ontario.

The toddler was saved after a good Samaritan saw movement in the car and spotted the child.

"There's no excuse to leave a child unattended in the car," Guadalupe Paz, the good Samaritan who saw the child, said.

Paz immediately called 911 after recognizing the warning signs of a heatstroke.

Paz's husband, Luis Pena, attempted to break the window with his elbow until help arrived.

Officials responded to the call just after 6 p.m. at a Target parking lot in the 4000 block of 4th Street.

They said if any calls were made later, the child may have died.

"In (the mother's) mindset, she was just going to run in and run back out of the store," Ontario Police Department Det. Melissa Ramirez said. "She realized she made a poor decision when she saw officers on the scene."

Mansour Mari, the child's mother, allegedly left the toddler unattended for 15 minutes with the windows lowered half an inch before returning. She is now facing felony charges and is in custody.

The toddler was left in the vehicle during 106-degree weather and had a temperature of 103 when she was rescued. Police are happy to report she has recovered and is in custody of Child Protective Services.

"I just think God put me in the right place at the right time," Paz said.

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