A North Carolina mom has been arrested after she allegedly left two young children inside of a hot vehicle while she was shoplifting inside of a Walmart.
The incident took place on the afternoon of Saturday, March 14, when officers were called to a Walmart store in response to a trespassing complaint, according to authorities in Washington, North Carolina.
Police said that Erika Johnson was inside the store with her 3-year-old daughter when employees noticed she was exhibiting suspicious behavior.
Johnson, 35, allegedly tried to hide stolen merchandise in a trash can inside the store, according to arrest warrants viewed by WINT.
As officers prepared to take her into custody for shoplifting, authorities realized Johnson was committing another crime when her 3-year-old daughter reportedly told officers there was another child waiting in a vehicle in the parking lot.
Johnson initially gave officers incorrect information about where the vehicle was parked, though store employees later showed the officers surveillance footage from outside of the store in order to determine which car was hers.
Once officers made it to the car, they found a 3-month-old infant and a 2-year-old child were inside the vehicle, according to the warrants.
While speaking to reporters, authorities said that the children were sweating and not moving when they were found. Police officers added that their behavior immediately caused them to be concerned for their safety.
Once the kids were found safe, Johnson was taken into custody. Police said that she is now facing two counts of misdemeanor child abuse, shoplifting, second-degree trespassing, two counts of resisting a public officer and simple possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, per the outlet.
Court records also showed that she was cited with parking in a handicap spot, according to WBTV. A judge set Johnson’s bond at $35,000 and it was specified that she would not be allowed “to go on any premises of Walmart in the world” if she is released, per the outlet.
Johnson is currently being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center, according to police. It is not currently known if she has entered a plea or retained legal representation following her arrest.
Authorities also said that the children appear to be recovering after they were found in the hot car.
Investigators have not released additional details about the case, including how long the children were in the vehicle before they were found. It is also not currently clear who has custody of the children following the incident.
The case is currently under investigation as Johnson awaits her first court appearance. The Washington Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding the case.
It is extremely dangerous for children to be left alone in hot cars. More than 1,000 children have died of heatstroke in the past 25 years after they were left inside of a hot car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s, so their temperature can rise more quickly when left inside of a hot car and the situation can become deadly. Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees, and a body temperature becomes deadly at 107 degrees or above.
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