A 61-year-old Canberra woman who allegedly left her 15-month-old granddaughter in a hot car for at least 20 minutes as the temperature hit 28 degrees Celsius has been charged with neglecting the child.
Flanked by her family, the woman appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court this morning after spending last night in police custody.
Police said about 2:00pm yesterday, the woman parked her car in full sun on Botany Street in the industrial suburb of Phillip before leaving the car herself and locking the doors.
The woman allegedly left the toddler asleep in the car for at least 20 minutes before members of the public smashed the car window with a tyre iron.
When police arrived, they took the woman into custody and charged her before keeping her at the ACT Watch House overnight.
Today, the court heard the woman had been the main carer for the girl.
Prosecutors told the court it was concerning the child's mother appeared not to be interested in proceedings.
Magistrate Robert Cook banned the grandmother from having care or custody of the child.
She was released on bail and will be back in court later this month.
