Toddler inside car (stock image). Photo: Getty
An Alaska mom is in hot water after allegedly leaving her toddler alone in a freezing car while she met up with someone at a hotel. Now, she’s facing serious charges.
It all started on the chilly evening of March 18 in Healy, Alaska, when a concerned citizen heard a child crying from a parked car outside a local hotel and bar. Alarmed, they called 911, and Alaska State Troopers quickly responded to the scene. What they found was shocking—a 20-month-old child, alone in a vehicle that was completely turned off. One window was partially open, and the outside temperature was a bone-chilling 6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Emergency responders arrived and pulled the toddler from the freezing car, treating them for early signs of hypothermia before rushing them to a local EMS and fire station for further care.
Meanwhile, the child’s mother, 38-year-old Lillian Johnson, was nowhere to be found. She reportedly only came out of the hotel after medics had already left with her child.
State troopers launched an investigation and reviewed hotel security footage, which allegedly showed Johnson inside the hotel for about 35 minutes, from 8:18 p.m. to 8:53 p.m. Authorities say she had left her child unattended to meet with someone inside. When she finally returned to the vehicle, her child was gone—already taken by medics for urgent care.
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Johnson was arrested and charged with first-degree child endangerment. Officials haven’t released any further details about the toddler’s condition but confirmed they were being treated for hypothermia, which can be life-threatening, especially for young children.
Health experts warn that infants and toddlers are especially vulnerable to cold temperatures because their bodies struggle to regulate heat. Signs of hypothermia in babies include blotchy skin, limpness, and feeling cold to the touch. In extreme cases, it can be fatal.
For now, Johnson faces legal consequences for what authorities describe as a reckless and dangerous decision. As the case unfolds, many are left wondering—how could a night at a hotel be worth risking a child’s life?
