Mother arrested after leaving baby in vehicle

TIGARD, Ore. - A woman who left her 13-month-old baby in a vehicle on a warm day faces charges of criminal mistreatment, child neglect and resisting arrest after police say she kicked an officer in the knee when he tried to take her into custody.

The incident happened Monday afternoon at the Lowe's store in Tigard when police got a call from a store employee who noticed a baby had been left in a vehicle. 

When police arrived, they found the child was suffering from heat exposure.  An officer was able to open one of the doors through a four-inch window opening.  The officer then called for emergency assistance, grabbed a water bottle and started splashing water on the baby.

When medics arrived, they tried to cool the baby down further.  The child's body temperature was over 105 degrees even 15 to 20 minutes after being removed from the vehicle.

When the mother, Hong Thi Huynh, came out of the store, police allowed her to go into the ambulance with her baby to help calm the child down.  The ambulance later left without Huynh and when police tried to take her into custody, they say she kicked an officer in the knee.

Hong Thi Huynh was taken to the Washington County Jail.  Her arraignment is scheduled for May 18.