Sheriff: Woman Left 91-Year-Old Stranded in Hot Car Because He ‘Wouldn’t Buy Her Cigarettes’

A 37-year-old Kentucky woman left a 91-year-old man in a car Thursday when temperatures reached over 100 degrees after she claimed he would not buy her a pack of smokes, law enforcement said.

The incident happened near Littontown Road just after 1:00 p.m. when a passerby called police about the elderly man being stranded in his car as the heat index was hovering around 101 degrees, Fox 56 reported.

Deputies with the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office learned the suspect, Nikki Reed Hoskins, had allegedly taken the keys out of the man’s vehicle and left him there, according to a social media post from the agency.

“The victim stated that Nikki Reed Hoskins had left him and the vehicle in the roadway walking back toward her residence because he wouldn’t buy her cigarettes,” the sheriff’s office said.

When deputies went to the woman’s home, they determined she was inside but the suspect would not comply with their requests to come outside. After making several attempts to get her to come out, deputies entered the residence and found her hiding in a bedroom.

However, “She struck Deputy McVey before being taken into custody,” law enforcement noted, also stating she was unsteady when standing, her speech was slurred, and her eyes were glassy and bloodshot:

Nikki Reed Hoskins was charged with wanton endangerment first degree; theft of unlawful taking; assault 3rd degree Police Officer is victim; menacing. In addition this subject was charged on two outstanding warrants including: A Laurel District Court Bench warrant of arrest charging failure to appear in court regarding child support. A Laurel District Court Bench warrant of arrest charging failure to appear in court regarding charges of alcohol intoxication in a public place and contempt of court. This individual was lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center.

The inside of hot cars can be extremely dangerous for children, the elderly, and pets, according to the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

“Temperatures inside a vehicle can rise 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, creating deadly conditions. The North Carolina Department of Insurance urges everyone to use the ACT method: Avoid leaving vulnerable adults in cars, Create reminders, and Take action by calling 911 if you see someone in danger. Heatstroke deaths are entirely preventable, and caregivers must take this responsibility seriously,” the website read.

In September, a mother in Texas was accused of leaving her 15-month-old child to die in a hot car for two hours while she went to work, Breitbart News reported.