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Deidra Williams

(Shelby County Jail)

A 23-year-old Birmingham woman was arrested over the weekend after police say she left her infant in a hot, locked car while she shopped.

Deidra Nicole Williams was arrested Saturday in Alabaster on a charge of willful abuse of a child under the age of 18. She was booked in to the Shelby County Jail and released the following day after posting $5,000 bond, according to court and jail records. A bond requirement is that she have no contact with the victim.

Alabaster police Chief Curtis Rigney said police received a call about 1:30 p.m. Saturday to assist firefighters on a 5-month-old found inside a vehicle on First Street North. Initially investigators believed the baby had been in the vehicle for only a short amount of time, but Rigney said they later determined it was an extended period of time. He didn't have an exact amount of time.

The windows were rolled up, the car was locked and it was not running, Rigney said. At the time the infant was found, the National Weather Service estimated the heat index outside of the car to be 102 degrees. Rigney said he isn't sure what the temperature inside the car was at the time the baby was discovered.

Studies show that temperatures inside locked, hot cars rise quickly. For example, if it is 95 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rises to 114 within 10 minutes, 124 in 20 minutes, 129 in 30 minutes, 133 in 40 minutes, 136 in 50 minutes and 140 by the one-hour mark.

Williams left the baby in the vehicle while she shopped in Dollar General, Rigney said. The baby was conscious when rescued, and was taken to Shelby Baptist Medical Center. Williams was taken to jail, and the Department of Human Resources was notified.

So far this year, at least 16 children have died nationwide after being left in hot cars. Last year, 24 children died across the U.S.

Rigney said he's thankful the baby was found alive. "I would say within five or 10 more minutes, that baby would have been dead,'' the chief said. "I just want to remind people that in this kind of weather, remind yourself of who all is in the vehicle."