Union County Sheriff's deputies arrested a Monroe-area woman Thursday, Sept. 3, after she allegedly left her 8-month-old granddaughter in a hot car. Dedra McManus, 50, had gone inside an animal shelter to look at kittens, WCNC Charlotte first reported.

McManus faces a child abuse charge. She is being held without bond in the Union County jail.

The outside temperature was 96 degrees at the time. The heat index across the Charlotte area reached about 100 degrees.

According to the Union County Sheriff's Office, McManus arrived at Union County Animal Services on Presson Road with friends to look at kittens available for adoption. She allegedly parked between two marked sheriff's office patrol vehicles, turned off the engine and went inside, leaving the infant in the car.

When McManus saw three deputies approaching the adoption area, she sprinted back to her vehicle, the sheriff's office said. She returned to the shelter carrying the baby.

Deputies reviewed surveillance footage and determined the child had been alone in the car for approximately 10 minutes. WCNC Charlotte meteorologist Chris Mulcahy said a car's interior can climb to 119 degrees in just 10 minutes when outside temperatures are near 100 degrees.

Paramedics evaluated the infant at the scene.

The baby appeared to be OK, according to the sheriff's office. Union County social services took custody of the child.

Even after her arrest, McManus asked about receiving free kittens because she said she had missed a special adoption event the previous weekend, according to WCNC Charlotte. Her request was denied.

The arrest came during a week of dangerous heat across the Waxhaws area. Union County Public Schools halted outdoor activities at 95 degrees on Thursday amid a heat advisory.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates about 37 children die each year in the U.S. after being left in or gaining access to hot vehicles. A child's body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult's, the agency says.

Residents who see a child alone in a vehicle can call 911.