Man accused of leaving girl, 5, in hot car for nearly an hour in Coconut Creek

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. — A 23-year-old Lauderdale Lakes man is accused of leaving a 5-year-old girl unattended in a locked vehicle for about 50 minutes Wednesday outside a restaurant in Coconut Creek, according to police.

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Investigators identified the suspect as Jean Richard Adoux.

The incident occurred near the 4100 block of West Hillsborough Boulevard, in front of La Brasa Grill, according to an arrest report.

Coconut Creek police said Adoux was acting as a caregiver for the child “with the mother and father’s knowledge” at the time of the incident.

According to police, a witness parked next to a Kia where the girl was sitting alone. Officers said the witness told them that after ordering food and returning about 20 minutes later, she saw the girl crying and banging on the window and immediately called 911.

“The person that was arrested came out. Opened the car door and took the child out. Fire rescue noticed that. Once the child is out fire and rescue leaves but still we have to come in and investigate,“ said Scotty Lemon, spokesman for Coconut Creek police.

Police said officers reviewed surveillance video from inside the restaurant that showed Adoux speaking with the manager for about 15 minutes before sitting at a table with the manager for another 35 minutes.

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Investigators said the temperature outside at the time was 85 degrees.

An officer wrote in the report that “the vehicle being off with the windows all rolled up could have resulted in severe injury or death of the child.”

Police said the girl, who is related to the suspect, did not appear to have any obvious injuries at the scene.

According to jail records, Adoux is facing one count each of child neglect without great bodily harm and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle for more than 15 minutes.

As of Thursday evening, he was being held on a $10,000 bond at the Broward Main Jail.

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