Toukley pool: Man fined for leaving child in car on hot day

Forgetting your child is every parent’s worst nightmare. A Central Coast dad took it one step further when he not only left his toddler in a hot car, but failed to turn up for court.

A man has been fined $1100 for forgetting his child in his car while he went into Toukley Aquatic Centre with other kids on a hot day. Picture: File

Forgetting your child in a hot car, or at a busy shopping centre, is every parent’s nightmare.

But one Central Coast dad took it one step further when, after leaving his toddler in a hot car for 40 minutes, he failed to turn up to court and was convicted in his absence.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had custody of his children one weekend in March.

He was taking the kids to Toukley Aquatic Centre about 11am on a Sunday when he stopped at his ex-partner’s house to drop one of them off.

“About 11.35am the accused parked his car in the aquatic centre car park on Heador St,” a set of police facts tendered to Wyong Local Court states.

Toukley Aquatic Centre on Heador St, Toukley. Picture: Google

“The accused left the front passenger side window slightly ajar, left the keys in the vehicle and all the doors were closed.

“The car was turned off with no air conditioning in 28C heat. The accused proceeded to walk inside the swimming centre with [two children], leaving [another child] clipped into a child seat located behind the driver’s seat.”

The child was left in the car for 40 minutes. (File image)

About 15 minutes later, a passer-by noticed the child unattended in the car and called police, who arrived about 12.15pm.

Officers unclipped the child and held the toddler while they tried to find the parents.

“Police conducted checks and contacted the accused by phone,” the facts state.

“He ran out of the aquatic centre and met with police and bystanders. Police cautioned the accused. He said ‘I thought he went inside with [a sibling] when I dropped him off at my ex-partner’s house’.”

The facts state the man had left the child unsupervised for 40 minutes.

Officers contacted the man’s ex, who said the child was not supposed to be dropped off at her place until 5.30pm that afternoon.

The man was charged with leaving a child in a motor vehicle causing emotional distress.

He faced Wyong Local Court the first time in April, when he sought an adjournment to get legal advice.

When the matter returned to court this month, the man was a no-show.

Magistrate Robyn Richardson convicted him in his absence and fined him $1100.