A sad story - a happy ending . . . <br /><br /> http://www.theparisnews.com/story.lasso?wcd=6870 <br /><br />Boy left in hot truck at lake, dad arrested<br /><br />By Jamie L. Bridges<br />The Paris News<br />(Paris TX)<br /><br />Published June 02, 2003 <br /><br />As temperatures soared Sunday afternoon, a 2-year-old boy was left inside a pickup truck at a Pat Mayse Lake boating ramp.<br /><br />The child was left in the heat for at least 25 minutes, Sheriff B.J. McCoy said. A window had been cracked about two inches, he said.<br /><br />It could have been deadly, fatal if it wasnt for the witnesses getting involved and flagging down the game warden, McCoy said. It could have been fatal.<br /><br />The toddlers 21-year-old father, who was fishing at the lake, was arrested when he returned to the Lamar Point boating ramp where the pickup was parked, McCoy said.<br /><br />Rafael Rangel was arrested by sheriffs deputies after one of his friends who knew where he was fishing went to get him, McCoy said. When Rangel arrived on shore, he was taken into custody.<br /><br />At about 3 p.m., several people were loading a boat at the ramp at Lamar Point and heard the cries of a baby coming from a nearby pickup truck, McCoy said.<br /><br />A few minutes later, Game Warden Darla Barr drove up and the boaters told the warden of what they heard, the sheriff said.<br /><br />She found a 2-year-old baby that was sweating profusely and hot, McCoy said. We dont know how long the baby was in the truck, but we do know that it was at least 25 minutes.<br /><br />The baby was left in the truck under no shade tree with only a 2-inch crack in the passengers side window, McCoy said.<br /><br />Barr told the sheriff that she drove through the first time and saw the truck and was flagged down the second time, which was about 25 minutes later.<br /><br />While the baby was left in the truck, McCoy said, its father was fishing in the lake. The childs mother had gone to town to buy supplies and had left the baby in the fathers care, the sheriff added.<br /><br />Rafael Rangel was arrested for felony abandon/endanger a child with intent to return. He was expected to be arraigned this morning, McCoy said.
....Tragic ending....Child died