VALDOSTA — A man was arrested Saturday in connection with leaving a toddler in a car while he shopped, according to police.

At about 4:30 p.m., officers responded to a store in the 1100 block of North St. Augustine Road on a 911 call of a child left unattended in a vehicle, according to a Valdosta Police Department statement released Tuesday.

Officers found a 1-year-old child inside the car, which was running and had the air-conditioner on, the statement said.

After waiting 15-20 minutes to see if the child’s guardian returned, officers entered the store and found the child’s father, who was shopping, police said.

Jeffery T. Jackson, 40, of Valdosta is charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct and was taken to the Lowndes County Jail, the police statement said. The child’s mother came to the scene and took the child, police said.

“We are grateful for the citizen that witnessed this incident and notified us immediately. This was a dangerous situation, and there is never a reason to leave a child alone in a vehicle,” VPD Lt. Scottie Johns said in a statement.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.