A Maryland mother allegedly left her three young children inside an unlocked car for about 40 minutes while she shopped at Walmart as temperatures soared to 97 degrees.

Marium Khan Ghauri, 32, was arrested Wednesday after her children, ages four, two and one, were discovered alone in the running vehicle outside the Walmart in Aberdeen, police said.

An off-duty police officer spotted the children and alerted the Aberdeen Police Department at around 4.40pm.

Ghauri, of Abingdon, allegedly told officers she had left the children behind because they were asleep while she went inside the store.

The car had reportedly been left running but unlocked while the children were unattended.

The region was under a heat advisory at the time, with the heat index exceeding 100 degrees for much of the day, according to The Baltimore Sun. AccuWeather recorded a high of 97 degrees in Aberdeen.

Ghauri was arrested and charged with child neglect following an investigation.

She was released on her own recognizance later that day, according to court records cited by the Baltimore Sun.

The children were found outside the Walmart in Aberdeen, Maryland, while Ghauri allegedly shopped inside the store 

Marium Khan Ghauri, 32, allegedly left her three young children unattended in a running, unlocked vehicle for approximately 40 minutes

The children were found outside the Walmart in Aberdeen, Maryland, while Ghauri allegedly shopped inside the store

The three children were released into the care of their father, police said.

Aberdeen Police used the incident to warn other parents about the dangers of leaving children alone inside vehicles.

‘Leaving young children unattended in a vehicle, even for a short period, can place them at significant risk and may result in criminal charges,’ the department said.

The Daily Mail has contacted Ward, Walmart, and Ghauri’s attorney, Joshu Feder, for comment.