Under current Texas law it is legal to break a window to a hot car to save a child or pet, but these individuals could still face civil action. State Rep. Jason Villalba from Dallas wants to change the possibility of backlash to those who try to help, so they don’t think twice about saving a life.
“Ok, if I break this window now, are they going to sue me? Am I going to have to come back and pay for this window? Are they going to make some argument that I’m a bad person and I ruined their car? If there is a child in danger or a furry family member in danger, you can break that window and you will not be charged, criminally or civilly,” State Rep. Villalba said.
Lubbock Police agreed with State Rep. Villalba and said they hope if the public is put in this situation they won’t think twice to help.
“It should help for whoever does the breaching of the window, it should relieve them of any second thoughts about doing so. If the child is in distress we want the public to immediately try and breach that window and have someone call 911,” Lieutenant Ray Mendoza, Commander of Family Crimes Unit with the LPD said.
Lt. Mendoza said they see these types of calls often in Lubbock for both children and animals. Carla Olson, the Executive Director at the Parenting Cottage said it happens more often here than people think.
“The inside of a car, even though you’ve had the air conditioning on and everything else, it can heat up over 100 degrees in a matter of a few seconds for a child thats a brain injury and death. If you get out of the car, the child needs to get out of the car,” Carla Olson.