Oregon Father Leaves Two Children in Sweltering Mini-Van

The vehicle's interior temperature was recorded by fire personnel at 97 degrees Fahrenheit.

Preliminary investigative information determined the children were contained in this 2004 Chrysler Town & County van a minimum of 28 minutes. Photo: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office

(WILSONVILLE, Ore. ) - The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of two children left unattended inside an automobile in the sweltering parking lot of large electronics store in Wilsonville on Friday.

At 10:56 AM, members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office in Wilsonville responded to a concerned citizen's report of two children -- ages 2 and 4 -- inside an automobile and unsupervised by an adult in a large commercial parking lot.

At 11:01 AM, Wilsonville deputies responded to the scene, located the described vehicle, and summoned emergency medical personnel to the scene.

The children contained inside this vehicle appeared uncomfortable -- their hair was matted and they were perspiring.

The registered owner of this vehicle was overhead-paged inside the electronics store.

The father of these children then came out to the vehicle, purchases in hand. He then met with waiting deputies and medical personnel at the scene.

American Medical Response and Tualatin Fire & Rescue emergency personnel were on hand.

The vehicle had been sealed tight with the windows rolled-up and the doors locked.

Once it was opened, fire personnel examined the two children, who were declared very warm -- with their hair matted from profuse perspiration.

These two children were secured with seatbelts inside this vehicle.

Even after the vehicle doors had been open for at least two minutes, the vehicle's interior temperature was recorded by fire personnel at 97 degrees Fahrenheit.

Preliminary investigative information determined the children were contained in this vehicle a minimum of 28 minutes. (After law-enforcement personnel have an opportunity to review store-surveillance images, this 28 minutes may be increased.)

The vehicle involved is described as a light-blue 2004 Chrysler Town & County van.

The driver -- identified as the father of the two female children -- is named Kent Eugene Steinmetz. He provided a residential address on Southwest Augusta Drive in Beaverton, Oregon.

The Department of Human Services was contacted, and it was determined that no prior history was noted with respect to Kent Steinmetz -- and the two children were allowed to remain in his custody.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office once again commends the conscientious citizen who brought this incident to the attention of Sheriff's Office personnel in the City of Wilsonville.

Kent Steinmetz was cited for two counts of Child Neglect -- a Class A misdemeanor -- and was cited to appear in Clackamas County Circuit Court on Aug. 13th at 3:00 PM in Oregon City.