A supermarket chain says a case of a toddler left in a hot car in north Auckland today is a timely reminder not to leave children or pets in vehicles, especially on hot days like those currently being experienced.
An Auckland man has told NZ Herald he was shocked to see a little boy aged about two sitting in a baby seat in a car parked in the Pak'nSAVE Silverdale carpark at about 12.30pm.
David Le Roux said the temperature outside must have been about 28C.
He had parked next to a heavily tinted, black SUV, and on seeing the child, found the car doors were locked and went inside to get help from supermarket staff.
"I called the duty managers and they rushed outside. The little boy, he must have been about two, luckily he wasn't strapped in. He was okay, he wasn't stressing yet," Mr Le Roux said.
He said a manager asked the boy to open the door, but he couldn't because the child lock was on.
"So she coaxed him to the front door and he managed to open that and they took him inside."
A spokeswoman for Foodstuffs told NZ Herald customers should leave pets at home and take their children into the shop with them rather than leave them in the car.
"Even a quick trip in-store could lead to discomfort for someone left in a hot car, and it's simply not worth taking the risk," she said.
Police said they were not immediately aware of the incident, but urged anyone with more information to contact police.
Police said in general, they encourage anyone who sees a child in distress to contact emergency services immediately.
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