The father of a child rescued by police after nearly three hours in a locked car in an affluent Sydney suburb thought he had taken the young boy to school.
The three-year-old was found dehydrated and visibly distressed inside a people mover parked outside a unit block on leafy Powell Street in Neutral Bay at about 11:15am on Thursday.
Officers broke the window of the car to rescue the toddler who is believed to have been inside the vehicle alone for three hours.
He was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for observation but has since been released.
Police said they have spoken to the parents and are continuing their inquiries.
The father appeared apologetic and stressed as he spoke to reporters where the car had been, acknowledging he had a restless night that left him confused.
"We didn't sleep... it was a rough night," he said.
"I went to drop off my kid at the school, he fell asleep in the car. I thought I had dropped him off and I went straight to work."
The car after police smashed the window to rescue the child. Source: 7 News
The incident prompted police and paramedics to again warn parents of the potentially deadly consequences of leaving children in cars, especially in summer.
Even on a mild day, the temperature inside a car can reach upwards of 40C, NSW Police said in a statement.
Internal research last summer by NSW Ambulance Chief Inspector Brian Parsell revealed temperatures of close to 80 degrees within minutes.
"The situation can quickly cause damage to body cells leading to unconsciousness, shock, organ failure and death. Even in milder temperatures, children and babies can get sick very quickly," he previously said.
The RACV also said tests show that on a 30C day, the temperature inside a car can rise to 70C in a matter of minutes.
A maximum of 28C was forecast for Sydney on Thursday.
