Other — Thornton, CO — reported 2026-07-15

SUMMARY

A 62-year-old man was arrested on child abuse charges after his 7-year-old granddaughter used a mallet to break out of a hot car in Thornton, CO.

KEY FACTS

  • Incident type: Other
  • Location: Thornton, CO
  • Date reported: 2026-07-15
  • Suspect: age 62
  • Victim(s): 1 (7-year-old girl)
  • Status: arrested

REPORTED DETAILS

  • The temperature inside the vehicle read 121 degrees after the window broke.
  • Firefighters estimated it had exceeded 150 degrees while the child was inside.
  • The child got overheated and used a mallet that was inside the car to break a passenger window.
  • Bystanders helped the child out of the vehicle before first responders arrived.
  • The 7-year-old girl only had minor injuries from the window's broken glass.