SUISUN CITY, CA (KOVR/CNN) – The father of a newborn was arrested Monday night after allegedly abandoning his weeks old-child at a California strip mall.
Barber Eric Keaton and a coworker from J’s Barber Shop in Suisun City, CA, walked outside to investigate after seeing a car seat in the parking lot. They were surprised to find a baby inside.
"We're just shocked because it’s a newborn baby. Plus, the way people pull into the smoke shop, he could have been hit by anybody’s car,” witness Wendell Cooper said.
Surveillance video from Mega Smoke Shop, next door to the barber shop, shows a man pulling into a parking spot around 3 p.m. Monday. He then goes to the back of his car and takes out the car seat.
"He put the baby on the side, waited for five to 10 minutes, saw if someone was around then just pulled out,” witness Karen Grewal said. "Any car could have hit the kid. It was super hot outside, and the kid was in the sun. There were no clothes on the kid. He was just wrapped in a blanket."
Suisun Police and medics responded and checked out the baby. Business owners say the infant did not appear to be physically hurt but was transported to the hospital.
"He was real calm, alert, wasn't crying,” Cooper said.
The baby’s father, 18-year-old Daniel Mitchell, was arrested later Monday night after he was involved in a hit-and-run crash. He had previously been arrested June 27 after a report of a burglar in Suisun City.
Mitchell was arrested on suspicion of probable cause for child endangerment, child abandonment, committing a felony while on bail and misdemeanor possession of suspected cocaine.
Witnesses to the event say they have been left shaken.
"It's heartbreaking. It's very, very disturbing. He shouldn't get away with what he's done. He should get behind bars,” Grewal said.
Investigators say hospital testing revealed a condition for which the infant was life-flighted to a different hospital. The child is in protective custody.
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