Leaving Children in a Hot Car – Michigan Has Strict Penalties

It's barely July and we have already seen some really high temperatures this summer. With recent news of a baby succumbing to heatstroke in a parked vehicle, it's a grim reminder that the heat is no joke, and its' affects happen quickly. We know that we shouldn't leave children or pets in a hot car, but what does Michigan law have to say about it?

Accodring to an article, leaving an unsupervised child (6 years of age or younger) in a hot vehicle can be charged with a misdemeanor with up to a $500 fine and jail time. However, if the child sustains harm (such as brain damage, hemorrhaging, burns) or dies due to the conditions within the vehicle, that's a felony. Physical harm is punishable by between one and ten years incarceration, and up to a $5,000 fine. In the vent of death, 15 years and $10,000 in fines. Stay safe out there, and lets keep our children safer.

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