Key Takeaways Indiana has no single law naming "leaving a child in a car" as its own offense. Prosecutors typically rely on Indiana's Neglect of a Dependent statute in these cases. Neglect of a dependent starts at the lowest felony level and can rise to the highest if a child dies. Reckless supervision law applies only to licensed child care providers, not to parents generally. Heatstroke killed 31 children nationwide in vehicles during 2025, according to federal data. Every summer, Indiana parents ask the same question aft...
