Child abuse charges have been filed against a mother in Fort Collins, accused of leaving her two-year-old daughter in a hot car.
Heidi Fruhling, 35, was arrested on Tuesday at Children’s Hospital, where the girl is still hospitalized.
Investigators say Fruhling was shopping at the Northern Lights Bookstore on E. Monroe in Fort Collins on Sunday, April 16.
Fruhling put her daughter in the car after she became disruptive in the store, then continued shopping for more than 90 minutes, police say.
Then, around 4 p.m., Fruhling brought the girl to Poudre Valley Hospital.
The girl was flown to Children’s Hospital in Denver, to be treated for hyperthermia.
The temperature in Fort Collins on April 16th was 74 degrees, according to police. Rita Davis, police spokeswoman, cited a study in the health journal “Pediatrics,” which showed that on a 72-degree day, the inside of a car can reach 117 degrees within 60 minutes.
Fruhling was released from the Larimer County Detention Center on Thursday, after posting $10,000 bond. She faces a class 4 felony child abuse charge.
