Crime & Safety

Baby Left in Hot Car While Mom Shopped: Police

Barbara McCurty, 23, of Chicago, is accused of endangering the life of a child.

A 23-year-old Chicago woman left her baby girl in a locked car in the middle of a hot summer day to go shopping, police said.

Barbara McCurty, 23, of the 10700 block of Wabash, was charged with endangering the life of a child, resisting a police officer and criminal damage to property on July 14, according to Homewood police.

Cops found the kid belted into a car seat just after 1 p.m. in the Kohl's parking lot, 17620 Halsted St., police said. She was crying and sweating profusely. The windows had been left cracked about 4 inches but the vehicle was turned off. One officer checked the temperature, which was 87 degrees at the time.

The child was taken to South Suburban Hospital for treatment and was eventually turned over to her grandmother, police said.

A Kohl's employee helped police and paged the owner of the vehicle, police said. When McCurty walked out, police slapped on the cuffs.While riding to the Homewood Police Department, McCurty repeatedly asked why she had been arrested, police said. She was released after posting bond and is due on Aug. 14 in Markham court.The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was called, police said. A check will be made on the infant's health and living conditions.


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