A Kansas couple faces six counts of aggravated child endangerment for allegedly leaving their six children, including two infants, in a vehicle for an extended period on a dangerously hot day. Michael Krueger, 53, and Tiffany Krueger, 40, were charged after authorities responded to a call at a Wingstop restaurant in Salina on Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities reported that the children, ranging in age from 7 months to 13 years old, were left in the car for approximately 20 to 30 minutes while the parents were inside the restaurant. Temperatures in Salina on Wednesday approached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with a heat index exceeding that mark, creating potentially lethal conditions inside the vehicle. One window was reportedly left partially open, but the car's air conditioning was off.
Emergency responders assessed the children at the scene, but it remains unclear if any suffered heat-related illnesses. The children were subsequently placed into protective custody.
According to Chad Scoville of the Salina Fire Department, children are significantly more vulnerable to heat than adults, with their body temperatures rising three to five times faster. He emphasized that vehicle interiors can reach deadly temperatures within minutes, even with a window cracked. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that leaving a window open offers insufficient protection and that unattended children in parked cars are at high risk for heatstroke and death. Data indicates that temperatures inside a car can increase by nearly 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes, even with a window slightly ajar.