Ocean County authorities have charged a Lakewood man with Endangering the Welfare of a Child after his 2-year-old son was discovered alone in a locked vehicle outside the Lakewood Township Police Department.
According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, the incident occurred on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at approximately 3:15 p.m., when a Lakewood Police Officer noticed a small child alone inside a locked, non-running vehicle parked in the department’s lot. The officer quickly retrieved a lock-out tool from his patrol vehicle, gained entry, and removed the child from the car.
The child was immediately evaluated by Lakewood First Aid and transported to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, where he was treated and later released.
An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Lakewood Police Department determined that the man had left his two-year-old son unattended in the locked vehicle for approximately 24 minutes. The temperature outside was approximately 94 degrees, and the car well above 100 degrees.
“Another 10 minutes, and this kid could have died,” one of Lakewood’s leading Askonim told TLS.
Upon his return to the vehicle, he was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains lodged.
Prosecutor Billhimer praised the swift response and cooperation of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, the Lakewood Township Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
Parents should be aware of the various products available on the market to prevent this from happening.
Its happening everyday! Please purchase a KIDZALERT car seat sensor alarm. it works with a sensor and only rings when there is a kid in the car seat. Takes 2 minutes to put in. Its only $45 kidzsafeusa.com 848-999-9391
Or keep your kid in the front passenger seat. If you have an option to turn off the air bag.
There are laws against kids riding in front seat
Pidyon Shvuyim needed?
Yes!
Tehillim name please
Th kid is fine BH, thanks to the cop.
We need pidyon sechel
How about an arrest to stop this craziness?
How about reading the article?
An arrest would be right if it was premeditated. Most of these cases are mistakes & there’s no reason to lock up someone who isn’t a menace to society. Sorry, wrongful arrest.
Why don’t you ask Avi Schnall to amend the child endangerment law, so mistakes don’t get arrested or imprisoned?
This MUST be discussed in shules every Shabbos and every Shule should sent letters to their congregants about purchasing a device to remind drivers to check the back seat!
I posted in the other article – it doesn’t cost a dime. Put your wallet or purse next to the kid. Almost No one forgets these things.
If you have to remember to put something there it sort of defeats the purpose of an automatic reminder
It’s very easy. It’s not like that they are forgetting their kid on purpose. They are focusing on their errands.
You put your purse/wallet when you put the kid into the car seat/booster. You aren’t focusing on anything else at that time!
99% won’t forget these these things.
Btw, Nothing is Foolproof.
Focus on your child !
100% agree!
Suggestion: How about putting their phone near the car seat. Although I can’t imagine leaving my child in the car (and yes, I am a Mom with grown children) Bet no one would forget that! Get your priorities straight people!!!
How are you remembering to do that?
Put your phone near the kid
It’s easier to remember the phone than it is a child. That’s disturbing.
Get the child reminder installed from CSO radio or get in on Amazon and install in yourself. Yes, $250~, but well, well worth it in the long run. Enough to the madness.
I just got the Clever Elly for only $20. Every time your motor turns off there is a voice saying “reminder to check the back seat”
Where did you get it for only $20?
Put the cell phone in your child’s car seat you will never forget your child then
That’s really sad. You can forget your kid but not your cell phone? Nice priorities.
May be sad, but it’s a reality
Do you think the people suggesting using a shoe value their shoes more than their children?
The driver’s left shoe is better. I have forgotten my phone and/ or my purse in the car. Definitely would not forget my shoe. Soon after the first forgotten child tragedy in Lakewood about 18 years ago, my husband and I were driving with a toddler grandchild in the back. Although he was awake, he was so quiet, that we had to constantly remind ourselves that he was with us.
Actually, that’s a really great idea!
Bit in the car seat. It’s too much radiation. On the floor in the back seat.
unbelievable! how’s that?
I don’t understand why we keep forgetting children in the car, There should never be a time that you are that busy that you forget your child. You can forget to stop at the store and pick something up for dinner but you brought a precious life in this world that child should be more important to you then anything else. Lets get our heads out of the clouds slow down and focus on whats important in this world..
May Hashem never test you!
You think this father loves his child any less than you love your own children?
There’s no way every single parent it happened to was a neglectful parent. You don’t want to be in that position, better not be judgemental!
Shomer Petayim Hashem. We are all fools. We are all susceptible to doing the most foolish things. Hashem saves us from our foolish selves minute by minute. The first of the requests in the Shmoneh Esreh is for our presence of mind Atah Chonen L’adam Daat.
“Products on the market to prevent this from happening”?!? How about common sense? Absolutely ridiculous!