Leaving children alone in vehicles poses legal, medical concerns Published July 16, 2015 By Ashlie Steel U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- An Air Force Academy Airman was cited by the 10th Security Forces Squadron for leaving their child alone in a car June 16, a situation Colorado statutes say can be child abuse. Specifically, Colorado Statue 18-6-401 states "If a person causes a child to be placed in a situation that causes that child harm, that person is guilty of child abuse and could be sentenced up to 24 years depending on the class of the felony." Along with the legal implications, people who leave their child alone in a car could be putting the child in danger. "Since 1990, more than 600 children left alone in vehicles have died," said Clifford Tebbe, deputy director of the Academy's Safety Office. "On a day when the temperature is 72 degrees, the interior temperature of a vehicle can increase 30 to 40 degrees in less than an hour. There are carbon monoxide risks, car-jacking risks, and some unattended children have bypassed safety interlocks and managed to get a running car in gear." A child left alone in a vehicle for any amount of time could suffer heat exhaustion, stroke, dehydration, hypothermia, frostbite and death, said Master Sgt. Jason Holland, 10th SFS operations superintendent. "While the temperature outside may be moderate, the inside temperature of a vehicle can quickly rise," he said. Call 333-2000 or 9-1-1 to report a child left alone in a vehicle.