’I could feel the burst of heat’: Gardaí investigate claim newborn left alone in car on hot day

Gardaí are examining video footage which appears to show an infant being left alone in car on a hot day earlier this week.

The alleged incident is understood to have happened at Market Green Shopping Centre in Midleton, Co Cork, on Tuesday.

The video footage, which was briefly published on Facebook before being removed, appears to show an infant in a car seat in direct sunlight.

A Garda spokesman said its officers attended the scene and were seeking to establish the facts. They are also liaising with the Child and Family Agency, Tusla.

A woman called Shauna told RTÉ's Liveline on Wednesday she was sitting in her car outside the Market Green Shopping Centre when a car was parked next to her.

Shauna was minding her 2-year-old son who was sleeping in her car - with air conditioning running .

Shauna said two adults and a child went into the shopping centre, leaving the baby “who looked about two weeks old” alone. Shauna told the programme that the temperature reading on her car at the time was 24C.

Shauna said she became concerned about the infant and she put her hand through the windows - which had been left partially open - to let in some air.

According to Shauna the sun was shining right on the baby. “I opened the door and I could feel the burst of heat.”

“She was actually a happy baby, but it’s wrong to leave any child in the car. I was able to put my hand in, unlock it and open the door,” Shauna told the programme.

Shauna told the programme the family did not return to the car for almost 20 minutes and during which time she called gardaí. However, officers did not arrive immediately.

“I waited around and there were more people gathering, they couldn’t believe it. The reaction was unreal,” she added.

Shauna shot a video of the incident which she posted to Facebook, before removing it at the request of gardaí.

“I wanted to have proof of it, because it is cruel,” she told the programme.