A Colorado man faces child abuse charges after allegedly leaving his 6-year-old son locked inside a hot car while he shopped at a Walmart in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Incident Details
Michael Clohessy, 45, was caught on Walmart surveillance cameras entering the store alone on Monday, while his son stayed in the car’s back seat. The outside temperature that day was about 80 degrees.
When police found the boy, they noticed his face was red, a sign of distress caused by the heat. Bodycam footage released by the Albuquerque Police Department shows officers confronting Clohessy about his actions.
What Happened?
Clohessy told police he was inside Walmart for about 15 minutes, though officers believed he was gone closer to 20 minutes. The officer questioned Clohessy on whether he knew it was illegal to leave a child unattended in a vehicle, especially after a 1-year-old had died in a hot car nearby just the day before.
Clohessy seemed to believe that leaving a 6-year-old alone was different from leaving a toddler, saying, “A 1-year-old’s a big difference.” The officer responded, “A child’s a child,” emphasizing that any child is vulnerable.
Other Concerns
Officers also noted that Clohessy had locked the car and took the keys with him. When questioned about this, Clohessy said, “It’s Albuquerque,” implying he felt the city was dangerous and that he wanted to keep control of his keys.
Legal Action
Clohessy was booked into Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Detention Center on one count of open child abuse. He was released from custody on Thursday.
