Amira Thabet Rezk, 32, told officers that she “wasn’t aware that a child could not be left alone in a car” with the motor off, as she was being arrested in front Burlington at 100 Oaks Mall, where she returned back to her vehicle after being gone around 20 minutes.
On Wednesday at 4:30 PM, VUPD (100 Oaks Mall is part of the Vanderbilt Campus Properties) received a call that a 3 year-old child was inside of a parked and locked vehicle that was not running, in front of the Burlington store at 719 Thompson Lane.
Several individuals were attempting to get the child out of the locked vehicle when officers arrived moments later, but were unsuccessful. No one knew who the parental unit or responsible party was, or where they went. It was 87 degrees outside, and officers eventually had to break the glass to rescue the child from the vehicle. According to officers, the child was dehydrated and was in shock, but was breathing. Medics arrived and transported the child to Children’s Hospital to be cleared
After several minutes of waiting, the mother, identified as Amira Thabet Rezk of Mt. Juliet, arrived to the scene confused as to what was going on. VUPD explained that a child cannot be left inside a vehicle, while motor is off and the windows were up completely. Amira stated that she was only gone for no more than five minutes, and was not aware that a child could not be left alone inside a car alone with no air condition and with windows not rolled down.
After video was reviewed, the child was left in the car at 4:19 PM, the call came in at 4:30 PM, it was near 4:40 PM before the mother returned to her vehicle, nearly twenty after she locked the child in the vehicle.
Amira was taken into custody and transported to booking for child endangerment. She posted a $3,000 bond via Slater Bonding, and will appear in court on 06/14/18.
