On a sweltering day at the Merrick County Fair, a Nebraska woman’s decision to leave her 3-month-old baby in a hot car could have ended in tragedy, if not for the quick actions of a vigilant bystander. Cara Dugan, 40, is now facing a child abuse charge after allegedly leaving her infant in a pickup truck with the engine off and a window partially open while she went horseback riding.
The incident unfolded on August 24 at the Merrick County Fairgrounds, where Dugan had gone to participate in a horseback riding event. According to the Merrick County Sheriff’s Office, the temperature outside hovered around 90 degrees. Meanwhile, Dugan’s baby was left inside the vehicle, exposed to the dangerous heat.
As the fair continued, Edgar Estrada, a roping contestant, heard something unusual—a baby’s cry cutting through the noise of the crowd. “I got on my horse to warm it up again, get ready, and I started listening to the sounds of a baby crying,” Estrada later recounted. Acting swiftly, he mounted his horse and began searching the parking lot for the source of the distressing sound, Fox Nebraska reported.
In a scene reminiscent of a dramatic rescue, Estrada galloped through the lot, weaving between vehicles as the baby’s cries grew more desperate. “I instantly got on the horse and ran up and down the parking lot area where the vehicles were at, and I was just weaving in and out looking for this crying baby,” Estrada said.
An announcement was made over the loudspeakers, urging others to assist in the search. After about 10 tense minutes, Estrada located the infant inside a pickup truck. With the window only partially ajar, Estrada managed to pry it down and open the door, freeing the baby.
Authorities arrived at the scene at 1:30 p.m. and found the baby had been left in the vehicle for a substantial amount of time. The child was immediately taken to a local hospital, where it was determined that no injuries had occurred, despite the extreme heat.
Dugan, who was found riding a horse inside a nearby building, was arrested and charged with child abuse. The baby has since been placed in the custody of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
This close call is a stark reminder of the dangers of leaving children in hot cars. In many similar situations, the outcome is tragically different. Just last week in Texas, a 9-month-old baby died after being left in a car for eight hours, a day after another toddler succumbed to the heat in a similar incident. According to Kids and Car Safety, there have been at least 25 cases this year alone of children dying in hot cars.