Cross Lanes, WV – A Charleston Police Department officer was charged with a felony after he left his young children in a hot car Sunday while he shopped.
Charleston Police Corporal Daniel Goffreda, 32, drove his two-year-old son and five-year-old son to the grocery store in Cross Lanes.
Corporal Goffreda parked in the rear of the parking lot at a Kroger store, according to the West Virginia MetroNews.
He then left his children in the car as he went in to shop, according to WSAZ-TV.
The children were in the car for about 25 minutes before being discovered by deputies.
When the deputies arrived, the temperature was about 84 degrees outside with 67 percent humidity, according to WSAZ.
The deputy who responded said both children were sweating profusely and both were strapped into their child seats. The deputy shouted to the five-year-old boy to open the car door, but the boy mouthed, “I don’t know how to,” according to WSAZ.
Paramedics from the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority arrived and the deputy broke one of the car windows. The paramedics removed the children and put them in the ambulance.
One of the children had wet clothing from sweating, according to WSAZ.
Cpl. Goffreda is charged with two counts of child neglect creating risk of injury, according to WVAH-TV.
The Charleston Police Department said that Cpl. Goffreda is on paid leave pending an internal investigation.
The Kanawha County Sheriff's Department is investigating, according to WSAZ.
Do you think that the officer should be immediately fired if he inadvertently forgot his children? We'd like to hear from you. Please let us know in the comments.
