GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — A woman has been charged after allegedly leaving a 4-month-old infant inside a car in the parking lot of a Green Bay Walmart for more than 50 minutes, court records show.
Selena Buckner, 25, was charged Tuesday for the alleged incident that took place Monday just before 2:30 p.m. at the Walmart on West Mason Street.
According to a criminal complaint, a passerby called 911 after spotting a baby left unattended in a vehicle in the parking lot, advising dispatch that the infant was "completely soaked in sweat," red and crying. The caller told dispatch that the vehicle was not running and the windows were rolled all the way up.
While the caller was still on the phone with 911, two individuals walked up and opened the vehicle's door, which was unlocked, according to the complaint. Those individuals then began cooling the child down with the air conditioning in their own vehicles.
Officers who responded stated in the complaint that the child had very wet hair and a red rash could be seen across the child's torso.
The baby was taken to a hospital for treatment, where medical staff said there were no life-threatening concerns, but the child was treated for possible heat exhaustion.
When questioned by officers, the child's mother said she did not think she would be in the store for very long and that a recent medication change was causing her not to feel well.
Officers asked Buckner about Walmart bags they observed in the rear seat of her vehicle. According to the complaint, Buckner first denied shopping and said the items inside the bags were from other stores, but shortly afterward admitted to buying pull-ups and diapers.
She also told authorities she called the child's father, who works nearby, to check on the baby during his break and told officers he said the baby was okay.
After taking Buckner into custody, officers obtained surveillance footage from Walmart staff to determine exactly how long the baby was left unattended. According to the complaint, officers observed a woman enter the store at 1:13 p.m. and not return to the vehicle until 2:05 p.m.
Officers stated in the complaint that the woman was pushing a shopping cart while leaving the store, with a laundry basket and bags inside it — the same bags Buckner was questioned about earlier.
The complaint further states that officers later learned from a CPS worker that the child's father said he was never contacted by Buckner and therefore never went to Walmart to check on the child.
Buckner was charged Tuesday with neglecting a child as a repeater and resisting or obstructing an officer, also as a repeater, court records show. An initial appearance hearing was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
