Child found alone in hot car near Missouri Capitol

Capitol Police are investigating after a child was left alone in a hot car Wednesday morning.

Mike O’Connell with theMissouri Department of Public Safety told ABC 17 Newsa woman called Capitol Police around 10:25 a.m. Wednesday after hearing a child crying from inside a vehicle.

A day care facility, Fountain Life Preschool, left the 3-year-old girl in a vehicle while on a field trip to the Capitol Wednesday.

Capitol Police said the woman saw a child’s hand in the van parked on north Capitol Avenue, and when she realized no one was around, she took the girl out of the vehicle.

The Fountain Life worker had a head count of the children, but was given the wrong count by accident, so that worker though all of the children were accounted for and went into the Capitol.

Preschool administrators said they have systems in place to prevent this, and they’ve been in business 9 years and nothing has ever happened like this before.

“We hate that this happened, but we’re doing our best to offer great quality child care for everyone. We are definitely doing our part to respond and let people know we do care, and we’re sorry that this did happen,” said Marcus Sage with Fountain of Life Preschool.

ABC 17 News learned Fountain Life is planning to implement new procedures to make sure this never happens again.

Police reportedly took the child to a Jefferson City hospital for treatment, but she was released Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said Capitol Police have reached out to the Missouri Department of Social Services.

Officials said they’ll hand over the investigation to the Cole County prosecutor and he’ll decide if charges will be filed.