Rochester Mother Accused of Leaving Toddler & Dog Inside Hot Vehicle While She was at the Beach

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Rochester woman is facing charges for allegedly leaving her toddler and dog inside of a hot vehicle. 

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The criminal complaint, filed in Olmsted County Court on Monday, says the temperature was in the mid-80’s when Rochester police encountered the child and pet in the unattended vehicle. 

A witness reported the situation to police at a Rochester beach. 

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Rochester Woman Accused of Leaving Young Daughter & Dog in Hot, Unattended Vehicle at Rochester Beach

24-year-old Emma Josephine Kaiser Espinosa is charged with gross misdemeanor child neglect and misdemeanor animal endangerment. 

The complaint indicates police responded to the report of a child and dog left in an unattended hot vehicle at Foster-Arend Beach in northeast Rochester on the evening of June 2. 

The responding officer found the young girl asleep in her car seat in the locked vehicle. He used his baton to open the vehicle door and removed the toddler, who felt warm and damp, the complaint says. 

The vehicle was not running and the window was slightly cracked. There was no water inside of the vehicle, the court document says. 

When police arrived at the scene Espinosa approached the officers and identified herself as the child’s mother. 

She told the officers she left the child and dog in the vehicle for approximately 20 minutes while she was at the beach, according to the court document. 

A witness told officers they had been standing by vehicle for approximately 20 minutes and that no one came from the beach to check on the vehicle, the charges say. 

Espinosa is due to make her first appearance in the case early next year.