An Indiana man faces neglect charges after allegedly leaving his three children in a hot vehicle outside a Lafayette Walmart on July 1. A witness reported hearing the children screaming and called police.
Hugue Ipoma is accused of leaving the children unattended for more than 10 minutes while he shopped inside the store. The car was turned off with windows cracked, and temperatures inside reportedly reached 94 degrees Fahrenheit amid an extreme heat warning in the area.
Officers from the Lafayette Police Department responded after the witness contacted 911. They stopped Ipoma as he attempted to drive away and had medics examine the children, who were found sweaty but not overheated.
Ipoma faces three counts of neglect of a dependent. Court records show he is scheduled to appear on Aug. 5. Police located the children's mother and released the kids into her custody.