The incident happened at the Newport Centre Mall parking garage in Jersey City at about 11 a.m.
Responding officers said they were with the 15-month-old girl for 11 minutes before the father returned. They estimate the child was left unattended for upwards of 20 minutes.
The officers called for an ambulance to respond to the scene to check out the child.
The man, who is still being processed by police, will be charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
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