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Marana area man accused of leaving baby in car
A video of a baby left along in a car in one southern Arizona community is going viral, and authorities have arrested a man in connection with the incident. Now, we hear from the woman who took the video.
MARANA, Ariz. - On July 22, we heard from a woman who recorded a video that shows a baby left alone in a car in southern Arizona.
The backstory:
According to reports from Tucson television station KOLD, the video was taken at a convenience store near the I-10 in Marana on July 19, and the report identified the woman who took the video as Erica Ocejo.
According to the National Weather Service, the high temperature in Marana was 100°F on July 19.
In a statement released on July 21, Marana Police officials said they are aware of the video, and an "adult individual associated with the vehicle and the child has been arrested in accordance with Marana Town Code, leaving an unattended child in a motor vehicle."
Under a city ordinance that was passed in 2009, it is unlawful for a child under eight years of age to be left in a car or vehicle without the supervision of someone who is 12 or older, if conditions pose a risk to the child's health or safety, if the car is running, or if keys are inside the car.
In their report, KOLD identified the individual arrested as 24-year-old Brody Rago. According to public court records, Rago has been cited on DUI charges as recently as June.
This latest incident allegedly involving Rago came just over a year after another Marana father was arrested for leaving his daughter in a hot car, which allegedly led to her death.
Local perspective:
Ocejo called the incident "disturbing," and said that as she was filming the child, a man came out of a store with a pack of beer, and drove off.
"I was just in disbelief that there was a baby in the car left alone," said Ocejo.
Ocejo said she first called the police, and then pulled out her phone and filmed the 30-second video as Rago drove away.
"I don't even like to leave my son, and he's 11," said Ocejo. "It's just crazy to see that his baby was sitting there crying. The sun was hitting him."
Southern Arizona lawyer weighs in
Defense attorney Chris Scileppi, who is based in Tucson, talked about the offenses Rago is accused of committing.
"Weather comes into play. How long the person was in the car comes into play," Scileppi said. "It becomes not a strict liability if you're leaving a child in the car, they're under a certain age, and the keys are in the vehicle."