Carer left non-verbal autistic man in blazing hot car for two hours

A man has admitted to leaving a non-verbal 25-year-old man with autism in a locked car in 40 degree heat while he went shopping for several hours. 

Tsz Wing Tam, 38, pleaded guilty in Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday to endangering the life, health and safety of Jefferson Do, and to stealing his money. 

Mr Do was trapped in the back seat of the car at Lakeside Joondalup Shopping Centre while Western Australia was hit with a heatwave on January 13. 

Members of the public noticed that he was in distress and beating his chest and called triple zero, WA Today reported.

Police officers broke into the car where they found Mr Do strapped in with his seatbelt on, with the back windows shut and the front only slightly open. 

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Tam had worked with Mr Do for eight years, even going on holidays with his family.

But the Do family said on Friday that they hoped Tam would face jail for his crimes.

‘The damage has been done, we will never trust another carer in the same way that we did,’ Mr Do’s brother Harry told reporters outside the court.

‘It’s really heartbreaking for our family to know that we trusted someone, and we got taken advantage of.

He added: ‘It’s really difficult to deal with because it’s hard to see someone you trusted for so long in this light…

‘We never suspected this from (Tam) and knowing he has done this behind our backs is really scary.’

Harry Do said his brother is ‘doing good’ and getting back to his usual self.

‘To finally hear that (Tam) has pleaded guilty allows us to feel confident that the court case is moving on and that we can put this to rest,’ he said.

Harry warned other carers who may be thinking about taking advantage of their vulnerable clients that they risked being caught.

‘It’s important to remember what you’re doing the job for,’ he said. 

‘At the end of the day you’re doing the job to advocate for a person that might be disabled or needs help.’

Tam will be sentenced next week and could face up to seven years in jail.