Crying 8-month-old girl left in car while dad went to gym, police say

LOS ANGELES -- An 8-month-old baby girl was left in an unlocked car with the engine running for at least an hour while her father, a personal trainer, met with a client at a North Hollywood gym, police said.

The girl was found crying in the car parked in a garage at the 24 Hour Fitness by a maintenance worker who was astonished at the sight.

"He went into panic mode," said Jose Rivera, the maintenance worker's supervisor. "He couldn't believe what he was seeing. A baby. Nobody around in the parking lot, not even walking by."

"He knew the baby had been in his eyes abandoned inside the vehicle. And the baby just seem really bothered, in the baby seat and just constantly crying."

Los Angeles police were called in and made sure the baby was checked out at a hospital before she was released, safe and sound, to her mother.

The father, 28-year-old Solomon Allen, was arrested for child endangerment.

"It's extremely careless and it's very selfish to leave an infant that's 8 months old in a car with the motor running, unlocked in a parking structure at a public business," said Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Stephen Carmona.

Camrona noted that the North Hollywood area has had 290 stolen vehicles already this year.

"He saved a life in my eyes," Rivera said. "Anything could have happened."