News 12 speaks to officer who broke window, rescued child from hot car after mother locked keys inside

A police officer in Island Heights made a quick-thinking decision that may have saved a child's life, breaking a car window and rescuing the child locked inside a hot car.

News 12 Staff

Jul 19, 2021, 11:55 AM

Updated 1,174 days ago

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A police officer in Island Heights made a quick-thinking decision that may have saved a child's life, breaking a car window and rescuing the child locked inside a hot car.
According to officials, the mother had just secured her toddler into the car seat and shut the door, not realizing she locked the keys inside.
She immediately called the police, and Officer Rocco Mellott arrived. As soon as Mellott noticed the young child starting to sweat, he had to act. Without hesitation, he smashed the window, opened the car door and got the child out -- using a window breaking device donated a few months ago by a local who lives in town.
Officer Mellott even offered to pay for the new window. Along with some money from the local first aid and Island Heights PBA, the entire cost of the new window is being covered and a local shop in town is going to fix it.