Nebraska mom leaves three-month-old baby in hot car to go horse riding

A Nebraska woman was arrested for allegedly leaving her infant in a scorching hot car while she went horse riding, cops say.

Cara Dugan, 40, was charged for leaving her three-month-old baby unattended in a vehicle when the outside temperature was recorded at 89-90 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday.

The Merrick County Sheriff's Office said they were called to the Merrick County Fairgrounds after a citizen heard the infant crying.

Dugan had allegedly left the baby inside a pickup truck with the engine off and the windows only partially open for a 'substantial amount of time.'

Police said they found Dugan inside a building at the fairgrounds riding a horse and arrested her for child abuse. 

Cara Dugan, 40, was charged for leaving her three-month-old baby unattended in a car on a 90 degree day

Police said she left the baby in a car at the Merrick County Fairgrounds (pictured) and was inside riding a horse when they arrested her

The baby was taken to a local hospital, where doctors determined that no injuries were sustained. The child was placed in the custody of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

On average, 37 children under the age of 15 die each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle, according to the National Safety Council. 

So far in 2024, 27 deaths have been reported and more than 1,000 kids have died in these incidents over the last three decades.

Last week, a nine-month-old baby died inside a hot car in Texas after being left in there by their grandmother for eight hours.

The unidentified baby was found by their grandmother, who was seen by police clutching the unresponsive child in her arms just after 4pm on Wednesday.

The baby had been left in the car outside of the East Flournoy home since 8:30am.

A preliminary investigation determined that the 'child's grandmother had left the child in the rear seat of her car in the child safety seat,' a statement said. 

A six-month-old baby baked to death in Arizona after being 'forgotten' in hot car for seven hours.

Travis Carter Jr (pictured), six-months-old, baked to death in Arizona after being 'forgotten' in hot car for seven hours

The baby's mother, Aleesia Phillips (pictured with her older child), asked a teenage neighbor to drop off the baby at his father's house after she went to work

Travis Carter Jr was found unresponsive in the back seat outside the neighbor's house in Cordes Lakes, about 60 miles north of Phoenix, on July 30.

Earlier that day the baby boy's mother, Aleesia Phillips, enlisted a teenage neighbor's help to drive her to Prescott Valley.

Phillips took Travis along with her in the back seat, and after he fell asleep she asked the neighbor to drop off the baby at his father's house when she went to work.

The neighbor arrived home, next door to the boy's father, Travis Carter, about 2pm, but did not take them inside.

Instead, they 'parked the car exposed in the hot sun and went into their house, claiming to forget about the baby in the car', police alleged.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office began investigating and arrested the neighbor and charged them with negligent homicide.