A seven-year-old girl managed to escape from a car that reached life-threatening temperatures after breaking one of the windows with a sledgehammer in an incident in Thornton, Colorado, that led to the arrest of her grandfather, accused of leaving her alone while shopping.
The Thornton Police Department reported that Eddie Espinoza, 62, was arrested last week for events that occurred on July 6, when he allegedly left the minor inside a parked vehicle while entering a Walmart Neighborhood Market supermarket.
According to authorities, the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m., when the temperature outside was around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 °C).
The minor broke a window to get out of the vehicle
When officers arrived at the scene they found the passenger side window broken.
According to the investigation, the girl herself used a sledgehammer that was inside the car to break the glass and be able to get out of the vehicle.
Witnesses who witnessed the scene helped the minor leave the car and remained with her until the arrival of emergency services.
A photograph released by the police shows the large hole in the vehicle's window, as well as glass fragments scattered both on the pavement and inside the car.
Authorities estimate that the temperature inside the vehicle may have exceeded 150 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 66°C) due to the intense heat.
Grandfather faces charges for alleged child abuse
The minor received medical attention at the scene and suffered minor injuries caused by the glass fragments, authorities reported.
Eddie Espinoza was later arrested after police say he admitted to leaving his granddaughter alone while grocery shopping.
The man faces charges of child abuse, although authorities have not announced the date he will appear in court.
The case occurs amid new alerts for deaths of children in hot vehicles
The incident occurred just days before another tragedy in Louisiana, where a three-year-old boy died after being trapped inside a parked car.
According to the investigation of that case, the minor entered an uninsured vehicle on his own and was unable to get out. He was found unconscious approximately 50 minutes later and died at a hospital.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), at least 12 children have died in the United States from heat stroke inside vehicles so far this year. The organization points out that in 2025, 31 deaths were recorded due to this cause and that, on average, 37 children under 15 years of age lose their lives annually due to remaining in cars exposed to high temperatures.
Authorities reiterate that a minor should never be left alone inside a vehicle, even for a few minutes, because the interior temperature can quickly rise to lethal levels.
