Baby is heard crying in hot truck as mom rides horse at fairgrounds, Nebraska cops say

A mother was arrested in Nebraska after authorities say she left her baby in a hot vehicle as she rode a horse.

Deputies were dispatched to the Merrick County Fairgrounds at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, for a report of a baby being left unattended in a vehicle, according to the Merrick County Sheriff’s Office.

A good Samaritan heard the baby crying and checked all of the vehicles in the surrounding area, ultimately finding the 3-month-old alone in a pickup truck, the sheriff’s office said.

The truck’s engine was off and its windows were only partially open, authorities said. Outside temperatures had reached 90 degrees.

The child’s mother, according to the sheriff, was inside a fairgrounds building ride a horse. The 40-year-old mom, from Kearney, was arrested and charged with child abuse, authorities said.

The Merrick County Fairgrounds hosted a horse auction that began at 2 p.m. the day of the incident.

Authorities said the baby was cared for by good Samaritans until law enforcement arrived. The child was evaluated at a hospital and was determined to have not suffered any injuries, the sheriff said.

“Captain (Jake) Bauer wants to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all the citizens who offered assistance during this incident,” the sheriff’s office said. “Tragedy was most likely avoided thanks to their response and actions.”

Merrick County is about a 120-mile drive west from Omaha.