Overview

• Tripura Merriex, 18, was arrested and charged with felony child neglect and remains held on a $50,000 bond at Columbia County Jail.
• Lake City officers smashed a window of Merriex’s Cadillac Escalade at the Regal Cinema after witnesses reported the distressed 2-year-old alone inside.
• With outside temperatures at 94°F and a heat index of 107°F, the child was found sweating profusely and crying before being treated and released from Lake City Medical Center.
• Chief of Police Gerald Butler condemned leaving a child unattended in extreme heat and warned that similar negligence will face serious legal consequences.
• The National Safety Council reports an average of 37 annual child hot-car fatalities and safety groups are urging public education campaigns and in-vehicle alarm systems to prevent further tragedies.