Guys, we were this Who's Who's kid is it? He's mine. He's your baby? >> Yes. Okay. Danger does not always come from the outside. Sometimes it begins within the home itself. I can hear but see I saw you in the bed. Children who are too young to understand have no choice in where they are born and they cannot protect themselves from what is happening around them. What's Jay? Is it J A Y? How do you spell Jay? J A Y J Y and this is your real name? Mhm. Okay, you know what you can't lie to me about that, right? No, that ain't my real name. What's your actual name? What's your last What's your last name, buddy? Smith. Smith? That's your real last name? Who's mom or dad or whoever dropped you off is in the car? My mom came. Your mom or what's your mom's name? Tequila. It's what? Tequila. Tequila is your mom's name? Like the liquor? I don't know how to spell her name but her name is Tequila. What's her last name? Huh? What? What did you say your last name was? What's your last name? Okay, listen to me. Some truths leave us speechless when a parent's actions lead children down the wrong path. On October 13th, 2024, Atlanta police received a report of a theft involving minors. At the scene, two boys around the age of 10 appeared confused and inconsistent in their statements. Their attempts to mislead were unconvincing, yet seemed driven by a desire to protect their mother. Um, I don't know if you heard. They haven't committed a crime yet because I wonder if our presence has deterred it. Okay. But they, um, would you come, I mean, I'm not sure. I'm going to wait for my other unit to get here. Do you know what, um, just cuz they're probably going to take off running. I just ate and I'm not driving to to lose a foot chase, especially with some juveniles. So, uh, what's what is the Honda a sedan? Like, what is the Honda look like? >> a sedan and it's white. I am much more concerned with getting the adult that's driving them around. Um, cuz with them being like, probably 12 years old, they can't even get punished for a crime. But there is an adult that's driving around, so that's my concern. So, the car is a white Honda sedan and it has a black top. It's noticeable cuz it has like a black, um, I would say like, um, like a sunroof, but the entire top is black. The whole, like, is the hood black or just the top? Just the top is black. >> Um, Yeah, that's it. Yeah, so same kids. We think that adults are putting them up to stealing stuff. >> Yes. It's the same car every time. Drops them off, they do it, and then they comes back around and picks them up and they drive off. Thank you. Is it the, this one right here? Pretty sure. Are these the guys right here? Yes, that's them. What's up, guys? My dad keeps showing me this stuff that he sees on TikTok. Where's y'all's parents at? The mother arrived with a calm, almost detached demeanor, denying any involvement, which raised further concern about what was about to unfold. Outside. Outside. >> She was She was at GameStop getting him a game. She was at GameStop? And then I had came in here with him going to go look at the, you know, the electronic section. He was going to go look at GameStop. Okay. All right. Where's, um, do y'all have a cell phone on you? Uh-huh. Okay. Is it mom, dad, who's driving you around? Okay, what's your names? Jay. Jay game. It's Jay. Is it J A Y? How do you spell Jay? J Y. J Y and this is your real name? Okay, you know it's a crime to lie to me about that, right? No, that ain't my real name. What's your actual name? What's your last What's your last name, buddy? Smith. That's your real last name? Whose mom or dad or whoever dropped you off is in the car? My mom is here. Your mom, and what's your mom's name? Tequila. It's what? Tequila. Tequila is your mom's name? Like the liquor? I don't know how to spell her name, but her name is Tequila. What's her last name? What'd you say your last name was? What's your last name? Okay, listen to me. This [ __ ] lying back and forth and names not getting because you told him your last name was Smith. What What last name did you tell him? Okay, can you not remember your last name? How old are you, my man? You're what? You're 10 years old, so you know what your last name was, right? Are you mom? Okay. They are jumping over security counters and looking through electronics and making What's What's their name? What's their other name? What's your name, ma'am? Tequila. What's your name, buddy? Yeah, I don't know. I haven't seen security footage or anything. They From what the security guard told me is that they were watching them the cameras jumping in and around the electronics. I'm not sure what it is, but we'll go talk with security and see what they want to do, if they just want to warn them, you know, to stop doing what they're doing or or how they want to go about everything, okay? Excuse me. Excuse me. Are you okay? Can we walk outside and have a conversation real quick? Um, if you'll just let this officer sit with them just in the store just for a second and we'll meet you up The what? The adults have been conducting it, so I'm not sure if that's who dropped them off, but this is the car and this is the license plate and I can show you um, the individual. Give me one second. Yeah, that's her. Okay. Okay. Um, have you all reported this in other counties? >> Yeah, this is all This is a district wide. District wide thing? >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. >> This is in the Atlanta area. This is the farthest they've like they've just been coming out farther. So, that's him. Okay, that's the same kid, yeah. Okay, so we think that um, Yeah, that's him. Yeah, so same kids. We think that adults are putting them up to stealing stuff. >> Yes, it's the same car every time. Drops them off, they do it and then they comes back around and picks them up and they drive off. >> So, what's her involvement in it? How do you all have pictures of her in the store? If she's dropping them off >> we have pictures of her in the store. Outside of this, how's your day going? Oh, it's going good. Where are you guys from? We're from Atlanta. From Atlanta? Yeah. That's a long way from home. Hi Ms. Kela, I just got to have a I have a couple questions to ask you. Um, you're not no one's under arrest at the moment. Um, but just because I am going to ask you questions and there's a lot of cops here, I'm going to go ahead and advise you of your Miranda rights, okay? And you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish. Um, knowing all of those rights, uh, do you consent to talking to me? Can we have a conversation about what's going on today? I don't know. Is it When I came in, I just saw my boys right here. That's why they were later on. Okay. All right. Um, so do you, as of right now, have any stolen Target products in your vehicle? No. Nothing like that? Okay. I think Target has a concern that it could be crazy. It could be a you know, off-the-wall concern. Their concern is that um, these are the same boys that have stolen from other Targets. I don't I don't know if it's true or not. Obviously, I'm just hearing about this. Um, but with that in mind, are you able to let us make sure that you don't have any stolen Target products in your car? That maybe they snuck into your car or something like that? Um, yeah. Is that okay? Yeah, I don't They ain't even in my car. Okay. Um, if you wouldn't mind, uh, this officer can go and and just take a look just to make sure I don't again, I'm not saying that you know, you know, but maybe the boys snuck something in or something like that, okay? So, if you don't mind, I would love to let this officer just take a peek in and just make sure that there's no stolen Target stuff in there, okay? Um, would you mind handing him the keys so he can do that? Okay. What did you say about If you consent to it, obviously. What did you say? What did you say about when you just read me my rights? Yeah, so I just because I'm I'm asking you questions about a potential crime, I'm going to go ahead and advise you of your rights. That way you know that you have them, okay? Yeah, I just want to know what's going on. Like you just stopped me, stopped us from leaving. And they didn't Uh, cuz right now we're investigating a theft. We're investigating whether they stole products or not. What is theft? Okay. Uh again, it's >> theft? Again, it's entirely up to you. So, is that you you have to be be the one to give consent. During a search of the vehicle, multiple high-value items were discovered. Despite this, the woman continued to offer explanations that did not align with the evidence in front of her. iPhone box right off the cuff. We got an iPad and five cell phones so far. Looks like six cell phones. Okay. Everything I found so far is right up here. Um The majority The white iPhone box that's on the bottom right there was down here in the floorboard. Those three iPhones and that Motorola box were in the center console. And I'm just telling you this just for your reference. I'm obviously going to write it down. And then this iPad was in this baby seat in the back. And it looks like there's one more phone back here. But I haven't gotten anywhere near the trunk yet. You want to total that everything and our individual like itemized and all of that. Awesome. Yes, sir. Thank you. Am I going to jail? I don't know. I don't know. Um Do you see why I'll be telling y'all this? I will tell you that uh Well, I'll wait till he gets back over here and I'll explain my thoughts on it. Okay. Okay, you want to go and hang up the phone so I can answer your question as best I can. Am I going to jail? So, let him talk to you for a second. >> I'mma be honest with you. >> But he's he's Ma'am. He's He's got to talk to you first. Sorry, this Ma'am. Ma'am. You want to stand up and listen to him for a I promise you you'll get it. Uh This is Officer Cornelison's case and I'm not going to tell him what to do. I will support what he chooses to do. And that's going to depend on your amount of cooperation and honesty, I feel reasonably certain. Um what I want you to understand is Target corporate Target has a very extensive loss prevention group, people that meet with each other constantly. Computer networks, phones, security camera networks, all this This is a list, a long list of incidents where photographs of your children at various Targets have been taken over the past 2 and 1/2 months racking up a total of somewhere in the neighborhood of $25,000 in thefts. See Um Me, just me, Lieutenant Anderson. I believe you are 100% involved. I believe you transport these kids around and you put them out at Targets all over North Georgia, Central Georgia, all the way down to Hiram. You put them out, they go do thefts, they bring the stuff back, hop in the car and you take off with them. I think you are 100% involved. You should be charged with felony theft, racketeering, conspiracy, uh Contributing to >> Contributing to the delinquency of minors, felony theft and I can think of three or four more things that if I choose to. I can keep going and going and going and going. I'm absolutely confident in this that you are 100% involved. Now your amount of cooperation today and honesty >> You're not putting my baby in jail. Oh, it's going to happen and you won't be with him. You will not be with him. Huh? >> Now whether they go to jail or not today, I don't know. They may not go to jail. >> Mr. Aquila, you got to you got to listen, okay? >> Listen to me. They may not go to jail today. Today, the only question I've got is whether you're going to jail or not. But either way, they are not going to be with you if they go to jail. Now, No, no. the question right now is whether you are going to be cooperative and get honest about what's going on or whether everybody's going to separate duplex homes and jail. So, what's happening here, Mr. Aquila? What's going on? Now, you need to go ahead and talk to him while I go talk to some of these investigators. No. >> Mr. Aquila, you Hey, ma'am, I need you to get off the phone, okay? You need to talk to me. You I'm the most I'm the person you need to be concerned about right now, okay? No one that's on the phone. You need to be concerned about me. Yeah. So, you need to tell me what's going on. Mr. Aquila, have you ever heard of a RICO charge? Do you know what that is? No. It's called a racketeering and criminal organizations charge. That's what a RICO charge is. So, I'm going to jail like this. It's a it You need to start telling me what's going on. And I would recommend you not get on your phone because like I said, I'm the one you need to be worried about. >> get down the road. Okay, so talk tell me what's happening. Why does Target have you going from store to store to store to store racking up over $20,000 in stolen merchandise from this kid? Are the phones that's in your car stolen? So, when I go and run the serial numbers and I compare them to these cases, they're not going to return back as stolen? No. So, where are you putting the stolen merchandise when you leave Target with it? I'm not putting no stolen merchandise nowhere. So, these cameras don't have you coming into the store? The cameras don't have the kids that look exactly like your kids wearing sometimes the same clothing walking into the store and then jumping over the counters, stealing phones, electronics, and then coming back out of the store and getting in your same car with your same tag and driving away. Is that not what's happening? Are you saying that these people are lying? I have not Damn. The The truth is going to take you a lot further. I can't let them go to jail. Well, then you need to start telling me what's going on. I can't let them go to jail. Cuz right now it looks like uh you got about just from this evidence alone, it looks like there's about six different charges that you could get right now. I'm going to jail and I don't know. I ain't got nobody to call for them. They can't call no defense. >> Ms. Keo, you're not You're not focusing on what you need to be focusing on right now, okay? >> They just told me that I have my babies in jail. Oh, God. So, you need to be telling me what's going on. You ain't You don't need to be worrying about about anything else. How much stolen merchandise is in that vehicle? You just went over there and you like, "Oh, nothing is stolen in here." So, you just have random phone cases and phones and tablets and all types of electronics in the car? It's only one tablet, my granddaddy's tablet. So, what about the six or seven phones that we pulled out of the seats and the and the cases, the random phones? Are those not going to match up to these serial numbers that's in these these cases? No. So, where are these phones at? Where is these electronics at? >> What phones? I'm What other kind of are you talking about? Those are them old phones. >> Okay, so let's go through it then. I was going to take one. Where's the I mean, I don't even know where to begin. Where's the electronics that are being taken out of these counties? DeKalb, Conyers. Hiram. Hiram. And Fulton. And not Fulton, Tucker. Where's Where's these electronics? You They don't get in in trouble, but it took No, took. Excuse Where's these electronics? I have not seen those. Due to a lack of cooperation and increasingly clear evidence, the mother was detained for further investigation. Meanwhile, the children were promptly placed in a safe environment by authorities. Go ahead and put your hands behind your back, okay? I'm going to jail. Well, right now you're being detained so we can figure out what's going on. You're not being honest with me and you're not talking to me. And like I said, that's not really helping things out. Put your hands together like you're praying, it'll be a little bit more comfortable for you, okay? I don't want to put my shoulder back out. That's okay. I'm going to put two cuffs on you, okay? Put two sets of cuffs so it's a little bit more comfortable. Those two phones that are still in the boxes brand new. Do they have service to them yet? No. Okay, you can help me out. Why have two brand new phones with no service? For what purpose? Nothing. Can I see my mom? Sorry? Can I see my mom? Not right now. She's in handcuffs in the back of a cop car right now. For what? She's being detained for investigative purposes. Investigating what? What? Investigating what? Investigating thefts. Thefts? What? Thefts? Hi. We were going to steal out of Target, though. We haven't stolen anything. Okay. I actually sent one of the cops to go get a car seat because they already They're They're getting it from your car. You got a car seat in your car? Okay. He's going to get it from your car cuz they already charged it. So, and your mom just called and said she's on 85. There was a minute where I didn't know where she was, she didn't have a ride, but she got one. She's on her way. You sure you talked to my mom? Is she at the Target? >> don't know. Alicia? She said it wasn't going to make the trip. That's what she said. But she got somebody to come. Hey, is this supposed to Let me grab your shoes for you. Here. You just step on it. You can put them on real quick. Hey, I'm on my way there. I just put you on speaker with him. You all there, y'all? And she just wanted to make sure that you were coming to get her children. See? So, she made it really I'm on 85. I got a couple of 85 I'm coming on 85. It's like 85 to 360. Okay. Uh-huh. I just Don't be crying. Don't be No, I just want to say hi before I get off the phone. Hey. Oh. I just want to watch you go back in the uh in the bed like it was. Why you just not pick up for me? No. Uh-uh. Trust me, baby. I do not know about other times because Target, like I said So, they made me leave one counter and go to another counter. If they took more, it's I don't know yet. You been extremely honest with me, okay? I respect that. And you should be honest with me one more time, if you can, if possible, okay? Where did these come from? He said he said he said somebody gave them to him, so. Somebody gave them to him? I don't know, he said somebody gave them to him or something like that. I don't know. But I I do know I signed him in, so I don't know. What about, do you know anything about the iPad? The iPad? Mhm. No, this the iPad ain't been taken from no from nobody. Have any of the phones in the car been stolen? Cuz there's like five of them. There's There's this one, this one, and there's two or three not even in a box. They um Nine times out of 10, it's been it's probably been the one that we've been looking for, cuz if you call it, it's going to ring. Mhm. >> Um They up under my name. I know those two not activated at all. >> Yeah, cuz this one hasn't even been touched. To preface the question I'm about to ask you, okay? We are able to tell where our car has been, okay? That car has been all over the state today. Today? Mhm. Have y'all been to any other Targets today? Um Conyers. Conyers? Did they take anything from Conyers? No. Okay. Anywhere else? So, y'all didn't go to Douglas County today? Douglas County? No, okay. No. I appreciate you being honest, and it with you being honest and all that, we're still going to do our part, okay? We're still going to see if y'all have been to any other Targets. Um, but to your knowledge they didn't take anything from the Conyers Target. So, why'd y'all go? Just keep being honest with me. Y'all went for a reason. I know that, you know that. What was that reason? Please don't make us jump through all these hoops to find out that reason cuz we will. I don't know. My son just I don't know. What is he so desired to get? I don't know. Cuz he keeps doing this. I was I was I'm still trying to I don't I don't I don't know. I know how much stuff they've stolen. There's no way you don't know about that much stuff. There's no way anybody doesn't know about that much stuff. With the with the total worth of amount of stuff they've stolen that you can't hide that stuff. You can't. Where is it? That's what you're worried about your kids, isn't it? Right? Am I wrong? We're so close. The woman was charged with racketeering and criminal organizations, felony theft, and contributing to the delinquency of minors. She could face a prison sentence ranging from 5 to 20 years, along with fines of up to $50,000. Teach children the value of integrity and honesty. In the end, no material possession is more valuable than growing up with proper guidance and care. Children are like blank pages, and it is the responsibility of adults to shape the first lines of their story. Do you know like >> No. Because I think I've seen him out with some other Because I think I've seen him out with some other people's kids. Okay. >> Cuz my son lives over on Severely. Okay, so you think somewhere down past the cul-de-sac? >> down past the cul-de-sac. Okay, I appreciate it, guys. >> a wag. Okay. In the middle of a busy world, there are still kind strangers willing to speak up, and sometimes they are the ones who step in just in time to protect a child. On what seemed like an ordinary afternoon in Palm Coast, a situation nearly turned tragic when a 3-year-old boy wandered into a busy roadway without any adult supervision. Fortunately, a passerby noticed and contacted the police, and officers arrived shortly after. Across the street that way, nobody know You guys haven't seen him in the neighborhood before? You don't know where he might live? I've never seen him either. And offering up a name or any other information? What you got? You got sticks? What's your name? Animals taking care of. You need anything from us? Um, you guys Somebody called. Yeah, if you just have your ID so I can grab your information if you don't mind, and then you you're free to go after that. Yeah, this is his, too. And the dog was wandering, too. He's not on the leash. They put the leash on him. What did you need? So, we stopped and talked to the We thought it was the workers cuz there was there was a guy that was here before us. Um a lawn care guy. Yeah, he just stopped right before us. He said He just Yeah, a little bit before us and he's like So, you found you saw him first or who saw him first? >> The guy left. >> But you drove by after the fact you saw him? >> pulled up and he was like he was like who's this driving we don't know who this guy is so we saw So then we thought maybe it was somebody over here so we knocked on their door. Okay, what's a good phone number for you? 801 Okay, you're good to go. What did he say? To get the car off the corner would be nice. All right, you guys are good to go. I appreciate it. Thank you. Yeah, yeah we've never seen him so we don't know. I'll try and figure it out. And um like I said he's not home. Hey bud. Ooh, don't touch that. I don't want you to get Can you tell me what your name is? Oh, he was mad because his car >> Is that a plant? Yeah. Is this your doggie over here? Do you know how old you are? You know, I think I've seen that kid before and I think he lives way down the street. >> Do you know like what the house looks like or anything like that? >> because I think I've seen him out with some other people's kids. Okay. >> Cuz my son lives over on Beverly. Okay, so you think somewhere down past the cul-de-sac? >> down past the cul-de-sac. >> Okay, I appreciate it guys. >> a wag. Okay. You know what a wag is, right? No. >> Wild ass guess. You're good. >> Oh, we're going to we'll figure it out. If anything Amber and I will end up calling DCFS but I'm going to wait for another deputy and we'll start knocking on the doors and figure it out. Officers went door to door searching for a guardian until a woman appeared worried reporting that her young son was missing. Is who's who's kid is it? He's mine. He's your baby? >> Yes. Okay. All right, he's safe. All right, how long do you think it's been? I don't know cuz I let him go out back all the time and play and I have the door open, you know, and you know our fence is We have a fence. What number do you live at? >> Um 58 Beachway? Yeah. Okay. And I went over to check on him and he was over playing with the dog. And then I I didn't see him so when I walked around I seen that the panel was missing. He knocked the panel out. >> What color is your house? Um It's blue, light blue. >> Okay. Um you realize it's been probably at least 45 minutes by now. Are you serious? Yeah, it's been at least 45 minutes. >> I let him go out there all the time. You still got to keep your eye on him and check on him. And that's being easy, it's probably really going closer to an hour. Oh my god. What Do you not like check on him every so often? >> I do, but I'm just so used to letting him go out there and play. I've never had an issue. That's just a that's just a very long time for no supervision at all. I mean 50 minutes to an hour in a backyard, there's I mean God, there's that get through defenses. I mean I obviously defenses and security a kid got through. I mean I'm just glad he's okay. He's perfectly fine the dog. Thankfully the dog's very protective and the dog doesn't want to leave the side. So they were seen walking down the road together and it seemed like the dog was doing a good job at protecting the kid. So Okay. You got it in your hair. Do you know what your dog's name is? No. Dirty. It is dirty. I'm just glad you guys or someone found him before he wandered to Beltway. Right, yeah, it's busy. Right. I do think he's from this neighborhood. Yeah, more than likely. Let's stay up here, bud. We don't want to get in the road cuz there's cars, okay? If you guys did need to go inside or go about your day, I can always put the dog in the back of my patrol car's AC on, but I don't want to keep y'all waiting out here if you have stuff to do. But, if you're okay with with that Okay. Well, then that works for me, too. I just don't want to make you guys wait. I feel bad. Oh my goodness, you got your hair all dirty. Oh. Is he He got out He got out through a gate. Okay, where do you guys live? She lives down there. What Let's see her address. What's the address? Uh I don't uh six I think it's six. I could be wrong. >> Six what? Uh Beachwood? Yes. Do you have your ID, ma'am? Yes. She's down there She's pregnant. She's freaking out. Is it 38? I think it might Yeah. Okay. That Yes, that's our dog. That's her dog, too. She just went out to check on him because he plays in the backyard. It's all fenced in. Apparently, the dog has done a hole under the fence, and that's how he got out. He's in the back? >> Yeah. Do you live there, too, or are you just helping out? >> I'm the grandmother. She just called me. That's why I was rushed over here. Okay. No, you ain't going nowhere. You stay right here. Are you going back to the residence? Yes. Okay. Um do you have a car seat for him? >> Yes, I do. >> Okay. You can put him in the car seat and we'll follow you back to the residence, okay? Okay. Thank you guys so much. Um can you This is their leash, so the dog wasn't on a leash. Oh, that's yours, too? Yeah, we can walk him. Walk him. Walk him. Yeah, we'll walk Walk to the car. The mother explained and admitted that she often allowed the child to play alone in the yard, believing it was still safe. All right. I I think your grandmother's down there, too. How long How long did you notice that he was missing? I just started cleaning we just let him play out there. I've never like I said it's not Did you fall asleep or No, I was cleaning. Yes, I cleaned he's He can get some stuff a lot at the house. Okay. And um he I I had actually gotten him donuts earlier and he had crumbled them up on the floor so I was starting to think oh and just clean some and like I said I let him go out back and I said he never had an issue. He goes out there and plays all the time. And it just didn't I don't know. I didn't think anything like this would ever happen. Oh, I know. I let him go out back. Usually I let him go back out back all the time, you know, to play. And um I started cleaning and I went out there to check on him. Like I don't know why I had been a little bit but we let him go out there all the time and play, you know. And uh I called his name he I didn't hear him he didn't say anything. So I walked back out there to look and I seen that the panel on this side of the gate had been knocked out. And he had gotten out so I started walking down the road to try and find him. And then that's when I he was down the road so I stopped and talked to him. But that's it like All right. Who do you live here with? My fiance and my other two kids. Okay. But none of them are here. He's out working my other kids are at school. Okay. About how long do you think he was outside for? Um It didn't seem like that long maybe he said he was probably gone for like 45 minutes. So I'm not sure. Yeah, if you had to give an approximate time it's 1:54 now. What time did you let him go outside when you started cleaning or doing whatever you were >> Probably like around 1:00. Okay. It was like the same he goes out back there all the time and plays and don't go nowhere, but Can you show us uh the fence where it got knocked down? When the father spoke, it was revealed that the fence had been damaged for some time, and the child had managed to get out on previous occasions, but it had not been repaired due to financial difficulties. And are you Steve? >> Yeah. Hi Steve. Hi there. Your son is And you were at work this morning? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right, we'll be Grandma just told me what happened. But um yeah, the fence is pretty tore up itself. Um I've blocked holes and you know, reshoveled back in there and everything. >> if I just go talk to you over here for a second? Let's step over here. >> Okay. Just do me a favor, keep your hands out of your pockets for me. There you go. Sorry. Where do you work at? Uh I work for Aim Lawn Service. Okay. Is it like local here? >> It's local. >> Okay. Do me a favor, just just lawn force it. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just keep your hands out of your pockets for me. I know it's a normal practice people want to do that. Um is it normal protocol for him to go out back and play? Uh yeah. Yeah, they they play out back all the time. I mean, he's gotten out a couple times, but you know, right here where we got him. Okay. I've seen him go out or whatever and catch him. Every other time he's gotten out like where >> He's only gotten out right here. He's never That's That's never happened. Gotten out from like the backyard or from inside the house? The backyard. Well, that's why we got like a I don't know if you've seen in our house, we got a lock thing on the On the front door. front door cuz he just learned how to open the damn front door. Um my wife works at nights, so a lot of times she's in there, you know, just laying down and Right. you know, we make sure everything's locked up where he can't get out. Um unfortunately, I don't know if you walked out back, like I said, >> Yeah, we walked out back. Um unfortunately, if you look out back, like I said, that fence is is tore up. This This one >> time he got out from the back, which side of the fence was it on? Um I don't know. I don't I want to say this side, but this side I had to like put things in there and everything. >> it, you know what I mean? We uh we're actually talking about cuz they got a good fence and they got somewhat of a fence back here and that back one's okay. Just seeing if we could, you know, with our tax money Get another one up. fit something better in than what's there because they pushed this side over. I had to take up another piece of panel and basically put it together with, you know what I mean? Right. I don't know if you've seen it, but I had that's what I had to do for the time being. Um, we weren't Paycheck, paycheck, we ain't got Right. >> I mean? So But yeah, that scared the [ __ ] out of me when I pulled up and I was like, "What the hell is two cops doing?" So essentially, we're here because he was in the roadway, okay? A few people A good Samaritan stopped. They stood out with him for a while. They called us. I stood out with him for a little while until we were able to figure out this is where he, you know, lives and all that information. He's three, so he he couldn't give me his name or anything like that, which is typical. I understand that. Um All right, he can count to 20 and knows his ABCs, but he can't say his colors. >> Yeah, oh yeah, he knows all his colors. He knows Again, I was strange to him, too, so he might not be open to talk. I understand that. But again, so now we just kind of have to figure out he's back inside, you know, he's in good health and everything like that. I just want to make sure that we're doing a thorough job and, you know, obviously we do have to do a DCF notification. Doesn't mean it's the end of the world. We do a lot of DCF notifications. Um, again, I went back around back to see where he got out of and stuff like that. So that's why I'm asking you several holes on this side and this side. That whole fence fell down and they could go through the damn fence. Those panels are so loose, you know what I mean? Tried to do what I could. I don't have the money right now. Yeah. Does he normally go out there with the other kids when they're home? Uh, Coop usually here, you know, unless they're in school and uh We got, you know, Gus, our dog, you know, and we literally we leave the back doors, slider doors all open, everything open and, you know what I mean? It's it's been fine. So >> Does he ever go out there by himself when the other ones are at school? Yeah, but we're here, you know what I mean? Somebody's here and like I said, we don't like, "Oh yeah, go outside and shut the door." That wouldn't happen, you know I understand. Um How often if he goes out back and you guys are like inside doing whatever, how often you guys go out there and check on him? All the time. Like I'm saying like say he's out there for an hour, how many times did you check on him within that hour if he was out there? My me? I'm up I'm moving all the time. So, I'm always checking on him. Yeah, 100 times. You know, like I'm always keeping an eye on my kid. Um again, she works. Again, she works, so I don't know. I'm at work. Like I was just cutting grass so What time did you leave for work today? Uh 7:00 or so. So, earlier this morning? Oh, yeah, earlier this She's it's always like a different She gets like a 2 days off, but it's like usually like a Monday and like Sunday or like So, she works like permanent nights for now? Oh, yeah. What are her shifts normally like? Oh, as soon as Right now, I'm home now. She leaves and then I don't see her till about 1:00 in the morning. Okay. So, does she normally like sleep in in the morning since she's working later or does it depend? That's the thing. That's the thing. I don't know. A lot of times she says she's, you know, she's taking a nap or a lot of times she told me she didn't, you know, and that's why she's tired when I get home before she goes to work, you know? I'm not here. Again, I can't say. >> Right. Does she ever take a nap and then, you know, leave the back door open where he could play outside while she's napping like on the couch or something? You have to ask her. That's what I'm saying. I'm not here for that. But, um when I'm here, my back door and I've told DCF was here for her friend one time. And I told DCF I said you need to get your off my line for one, but um I know you guys got to do a job. Listen, I I I understand that. We're not We're not I'm not placing blame or anything like that. I am like I mean we do have to do a DCF notification. It's fine. It's fine. Like I said, I just want to be a father to my kids. I I wasn't here. I'm a good father. I know what I'm doing. I've raised raised three of them on my own. Eight My dad passed away when I was 19, so I ain't I ain't got nothing else to say. Like I said, if they need to come here, I'll tell them to get off my property and they got a problem with it, I'll I'll leave state, whatever. I'll go and get another Does she smoke at all? I smoke a minute. Okay. Does she Yeah, and that ain't a crime, like I said. So, I don't really That ain't got nothing to do with nothing. That's fine. I was just asking if you know if she smokes at all. >> No, she doesn't. She doesn't. So, it's just you? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Officers ultimately determined that the child had been in a concerning situation and made the decision to place the mother under arrest. Essentially, you are going to be placed under arrest today, okay? >> god, for what? >> Possession of marijuana. All right, so do me a favor. Oh my I'm not even pregnant. How far along are you? Like 13 weeks. 13 weeks, okay. All right, you've been cooperative with me so far. Do you want me to cuff you in the front? Are you okay? So, I do have to cuff you, so are you okay with the front? Yeah. Okay, just put your hands together just like this. There you go. Say that again. Can I call my mom? Well, let's try and figure out something. We'll make sure that your mom knows. Do you have anything on you in your pockets or anything? All right, I'm going to walk you to my patrol vehicle over here, okay? Can I talk to him first? Well, I'll have I'll let him come talk to you in a second, okay? We're going to go on to the passenger side. Here you go. Go ahead. All right, face my patrol vehicle for me. All right. Spread your feet apart. You got nothing on you at all? No keys, wallet, anything like that? >> Okay. All right. You're not taking her in? Yeah, we'll be right up there in a minute, okay? >> I'll talk to you in a second. You probably don't want the kid out here for this. Yeah, well, I need to know now. I'll I'll I'm not leaving. I'm going to be here for a while. Talk to you in a minute, all right? Go and have a seat. Put your bottom in first and then just watch your head, okay? There you go. All right, I'll roll the window down for you in a second. Adult female 10-15. I'm thinking about calling I want to call DCF right now Okay. and see if they'll come out right now. Yeah, I will. Um All right. Like I said, I'm not leaving. I'm going to be here for a long time. I got you. Um He's just FYI I let you say if you know that he's talking about if DCF comes to you heard him he said yeah and he said he's going to leave the state. I guess they have two kids that are at school right now. The woman was charged with child neglect. In Florida, she could face a prison sentence ranging from 5 to 15 years, depending on the severity, along with fines of up to $10,000. A single moment of inattention can lead to consequences that cannot be undone. What may seem like small gaps in daily life can sometimes be where serious risks begin. Do you think the officer's response was too strict or necessary to protect the child? Share your thoughts in the comments. It was my fault. Stop. Okay, okay, okay. When adults lose control, the ones most affected are often the children left feeling confused and unsettled. On January 16th, 2025, what seemed like a routine roadside stop quickly became more serious. The vehicle was initially pulled over for a minor violation, but after a few questions, the woman's responses raised concern. Hello, I'm Officer Gray with the Bearville Police Department. The reason I'm stopping is you don't have any tail lights. What? Yeah, your tail lights aren't on. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Do you have your driver's license with you? Yeah. Where are you coming from? Uh wrestling match. Okay. No alcohol tonight? No. Okay, any reason I would be getting an odor? Hm? Any reason I'd be getting an odor of alcohol? No. Have you guys spilled alcohol in here before or anything like that? No. You had nothing to drink? I was drinking this earlier. Okay. All right. You got an insurance on the vehicle? Uh yeah. It's my registration. Yeah, that'll work. I'll let you get that insurance. I'll be right back with you, okay? Oh, here's another one. That's the registration? Yeah. I don't know which one is like This one's expired. Is it? It's the old one? Yeah. What's that can by your left foot over there? Um my husband was driving earlier. I don't know. Okay. Well, I'm just saying that might be the smell he was getting if that's alcohol. I can't tell what it is from here, so. My husband got home from work and I jumped in the truck to go to the wrestling. I don't know. Okay. Like if he really if he can't look up the insurance like >> He He'll be able to. Okay, but I have >> you you still with your tag it should run the insurance, but you per officer still that state law you're still supposed to have a physical copy in your vehicle. It's not a huge huge deal right now as long as it comes back confirmed, but Like I mean we have insurance. I just Then you should be fine, but yeah, just try to have one in the vehicle or try to tell your husband to carry one in the vehicle. >> Okay. Yeah, just your insurance company can send you one. You can have it on your phone as well, so you can have it on your email picture or something. Just you've got to have it somewhere on your person or vehicle. Did you find that insurance? Um I can call my husband and have him message Who's your insurance through? I have no idea. You don't know? Okay. Um do you mind uh doing a couple exercises for me, a couple tests on your eyes just to make sure you're okay? No, like I have astigmatism. Okay. Would you mind giving me a breath sample? Uh no. Nothing here. Okay, go ahead and step out of the vehicle. What do you want with the insurance? Nope, it's okay. We'll We'll do We'll do We will deal with that in a second. Go ahead and put your shoes on and step out of the vehicle for me back here with me. But you said you've had no alcohol whatsoever? Nope. None? Okay. Go ahead and step back here. Is there any reason that you wouldn't want to give me a breath sample? No, I just I don't want to. Okay, go ahead and step back here. To ensure safety, the mother was asked to perform a sobriety test. The situation became clearer when officers discovered evidence near her feet. And in the front of my unit right there. I'm going to turn my forward facing lights off, okay? It's kind of odd that you don't want to give me a breath sample. It's not that at all. >> That That's usually not something that people that haven't been drinking will do. No. >> So, have you had anything at all? No alcohol? >> No. Okay. So, do you mind doing some field sobriety for me? Sure. Okay. So, if I would have you stand right here facing me. So, this first test I need you to do, stand feet together, hands down at your side, okay? You said you have a had a stigmatism in your eye? Yeah. Okay, which eye? Driver's side. Driver's side, so your right eye? Yeah. So, this eye right here? >> No, like yeah, my left driver's So, you Do you have anything in the other eye? No. Okay. Do you have contacts in? No. Okay. I don't have my glasses on. >> So, that's okay. With your eyes and your eyes only what I need you to do is I need you to follow the tip of my finger, okay? Remain in that position, okay? Don't move and deviate from that position. Keep your head straight Okay. and forward. With your eyes and your eyes only follow the tip of my finger. Do you see the tip of my finger? Yep. Okay. Do you understand the test? Yep. Okay. Is there any reason your pupils should be dilated? Um I'm on medicine that could do that. >> What kind of medicine? Uh it's called phentermine. Phentermine? Yeah. Okay. Weight loss. Are you supposed to be taking that while you're driving? Probably not, but So, for this next test I need you to do is stand right here for me. So, I need you to stand right foot in front of left, heel to toe, hands down at your side, okay? That's the starting position. I need you to get in that position and remain in that position till I'm done instructing, okay? Okay. So, again, right foot in front of the left, hands down at your side, okay? Remain in this position till I tell you to begin the test. Don't deviate from this position till I'm done instructing. I need you to imagine a straight line coming from your forward foot out on that line. I need you to take nine consecutive heel-to-toe steps. Once you get to nine, I need you to leave that forward foot on the ground and take a series of small steps pivoting on that forward foot. So, this is the starting position. Don't deviate from this position till I tell you to start, okay? Okay. So, again, right foot in front of the left, hands down at your side, take nine consecutive heel-to-toe steps down. 1 2 3 I took nine or I took three, you're going to take nine. Leave that forward foot on the ground. Pivot like so. Take nine consecutive heel-to-toe steps back, okay? Okay. You understand the test? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I'm not trying to be smart or No, you're good. You may begin. So, 1 Okay. Now what? That's good. That's the end of it. All right. So, this next test, I need you to stand feet together, hands down at your side. I got to run you through all of them, okay? So, I need you to pick a leg, it doesn't matter which leg, raise it 6 in above the ground, point your toe, look at your foot, count it count out loud until I tell you to stop, okay? So, again, I'll demonstrate. Doesn't matter which leg, raise it up 6 in above the ground, keep your hands down at your side, point your toe, counting out loud 1 1,000 2 1,000 3 1,000 4 1,000 5 1,000 and so on and so forth until I tell you to stop, okay? Do I bend my knee? No, keep your leg straight, 6 in above the ground, keep your hands down at your side, look down at your foot, point your toe, count out loud until I tell you to stop, okay? Okay. Do you understand the test? Yes. All right, you may begin. Good luck. >> to count? I'm sorry. 1 1,000 2 1,000 3 1,000 4 1,000 5 1,000 6 1,000 7 1,000 Put your foot down. 8 1,000 9 1,000 10 1,000 11 1,000 12 1,000 13,000, 14,000, Okay. 15,000. Good? So, I am seeing some signs of impairment. Um if you haven't had any alcohol at all, it would help my investigation for you to give me a breath sample. No. That's what I'm That's what I'm asking you now. I don't I don't want to. So, you haven't You haven't had any alcohol at all? No. Okay. I'm a veteran. I don't do searches. I don't do breath samples. I don't do No. It's not that I'm like against it. >> admissible in court. What it is No, I just I don't I don't care. You're right now right now I got to go off of what I'm seeing from you. I'm cold and uh it's freaking what? Like 8 8:00? I've been up since like 5:30 this morning. Like, come on. All right, you can have a seat back in your seat. Thank you. Instead of acknowledging the situation and prioritizing her child's safety, the mother refused to cooperate, leading officers to intervene and place her under arrest in front of the child. Husband sent daughter a picture of insurance. Can you smell anything from there? Like I'm getting an odor. There's a open can of Coors Light on by her door. Is there really? Where at? Well, it looks like Coors Light. Could be a French fry. Right here? Um one thing, open your door for a second. What? Just open your door. Why? Do you have Coors Light? Do you have an open container of alcohol down there? Yeah. Uh my husband was driving this morning. >> Okay, open your door. We're not going to play this game. Open the door. I'm going to give you one more chance to open this door or you're going to be arrested, okay? I do not consent. Open Open your door. Open your door now. >> your sergeant. You can get out of my car. No, excuse me, sir. No. No, stop. What are you doing? 919, can I get one resisting? No, I'm not resisting. >> Open the door. No, excuse me, sir. You cannot get inside of my vehicle. >> door right now. Open the door you're under arrest. I told you I told >> I'm not resisting. You cannot You're under arrest. You're under arrest. Sir, you dropped something for one. For two, I'm not resisting. And for three, I do not consent to >> hands behind your back. You're under arrest. You're resisting. >> My hands are behind my back, obviously. >> Okay. Can I Here, hold on. I got my baby I got my baby. >> resisting. Drop it. Listen and comply, okay? But here, can you just put it back in the car? Allie, stop crying. >> you could have just done what I told you to do. >> No, you know what? You can't search my vehicle. Your vehicle's being searched now. Okay. Can I call my husband to come pick up my daughter? >> Nope. What do you mean, no? Allie, call him. >> Not at this moment. You can't just search a vehicle and you can't just open the door whenever >> the open container of alcohol. That's fine. It wasn't Allie's. Stop. Okay. Okay. Okay. Be easy. Are you getting a resisting? I don't really have pockets. I didn't get a resisting. You just kind of like opened my door. >> ask any anybody out of the vehicle, I can. Or I won't be able No, you didn't ask me out of the vehicle. >> I told you to get out several times. No, you didn't. I told you to open the door, okay? Now you're going to jail. Now you're going to jail. Here's the camera. Switch. Still cold to the touch. So, I think it's going to be DWI as well. I'm going to do Did field sobriety and everything. I got the sagmus in both eyes. And I kept asking her about that can and she kept saying it was her husband's and she just jumped in the truck and all this, but where are your husband's? He's in the county out with them. Okay. Right here is where it was. Go ahead and shine a light here. Go ahead and touch. I knew I smelled it. I was like, "I smell it." You going to vehicle? Yeah, I'm doing it. You doing it? I'm doing it, yeah. Okay. There's several more back here. Okay. Once the situation was under control, officers ensured the child was taken to a safe location. Although the immediate risk had passed, the child remained visibly upset, which continued to raise concern. Do you have a parent coming for her or what's going on? That's fine. She can sit with me. Um I'm going to move my unit up here and Okay. Do you need inventory? Well, I'm going to move mine so she can sit with me. Are you all right? What happened? What happened? Well, we smelled alcohol. She wouldn't comply. Said it wasn't hers. We did sobriety tests and clues. She wouldn't comply. She wouldn't uh admit to anything. Breath sample. She was resisting arrest. Wouldn't get out of the car. Okay. Oh. And there's open containers, two open containers. We poured them out. That's the daughter. Okay. She's a minor. Transport her somewhere? >> Uh dad's coming. I mean, she can just sit there in the car that way they can do inventories. Dad's going to leave and go to Green Forest. Here. I'll shut this door for you, okay? That way you can stay warm, all right? >> You got to think out there. Hi. Hi. Um the officer that um uh arrested her is not here. He's currently going to jail with her. Um as far as I know, there's an inventory being done and it's being towed. That's all the information I have. I showed up after the fact. Okay. But we just know she was in the vehicle. And I just let her sit in my car for a little while. >> she's going to the police station? She's going to Carroll County Jail. Okay. I don't know any specifics. I showed up after the fact. This is my sergeant uh Sergeant Cuddihy Warren, if you have any questions for him. Huh? What are you needing to know? I'm just curious if you know what Yes, but you were just going on. She's being arrested probably for DWI, resisting arrest, open container, Um possibly endangering welfare of a minor. And what do I need to see her or You'll probably wait for a phone call from her probably. Okay. And she's He's going to transport her to the detention center. She'll be booked in eventually. It takes a few Okay. Um Thank you. Hope you don't get hurt. The mother was charged with driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, and endangering the welfare of a minor. In Bearville, she could face a prison sentence ranging from 1 to 5 years, along with fines of up to $6,000. The law places a strong emphasis on protecting children's safety. And when that boundary is crossed, consequences are often unavoidable. Wait, but I could hear cuz yeah, I saw him doing this. Some truths only come to light through the innocent courage of a child. On April 15th, 2024, police responded to a call at a home in Middletown regarding a heated argument. The adults involved attempted to downplay it as a minor incident, but the sound of a young girl crying revealed a more serious situation within the home. I know how it was going in the house. Was in the house with my My my okay, is the aggressor. There are two children there. I don't think so. Hello. Hello, Middletown police. What's going on? How you doing? He had a little too much to drink. >> Okay. What's up, buddy? How you doing? You all right? 100% Just come on separate separate sides and talk to these guys. I'll come here and talk to you guys. What happened? We were just getting ready to go to bed. There was a little yelling going downstairs. Nothing crazy. Did it get physical at all there? Did anybody Then he came upstairs and well, we So, the world over that quick. Okay. So, you guys got in a little tussle? Yeah. Are you his girlfriend? What started it all? We had an argument earlier tonight, but it wasn't about anything. Are there kids in the house? Yeah, they're sleeping. Are they sleeping? Well, they were sleeping. Just make sure they're all right. Yeah, they're fine. Just walk me through what happened between you and her upstairs. We just got into a face-to-face. Yeah, started arguing and then So, we got pushed over. Something broke over here. Yeah, this this table was on Did he I mean Did he Did he punch We didn't punch each other. Okay. We just kind of wrestled. Do you guys all live here? I do, yes. We all live here. They live downstairs? Yeah, downstairs. Can you scratch your ID, please? Does this happen often? No. Was it the drinking that kind of incited it? Um I think for him, yeah. Yeah. Was he arguing with her downstairs? Is that kind of what >> No. No. Just trying to figure out what started it, you know? I'm not sure what they were doing but they were going downstairs, but I was lying in bed watching TV. What was he saying when he came upstairs? He was downstairs. What's What's on? You want to start from the beginning? All right. Where are you going? Just over here to start from the beginning. Okay, go ahead. My man, do me a favor. Take a walk right over here for me, please. >> All right, over here, bro. So, what happened tonight? What happened tonight? We just got into an argument because like we are planning on moving into our own apartment. What happened to your hand? Put your hands over like this. What happened there? I don't know. If you splash some water on it. Do you need an ambulance or anything? Absolutely not. >> turn physical? Um, probably. What do you mean, probably? Like I probably got Like I mean, I didn't like I didn't like like Like splash I splashed some water on it. I don't have any water. Past that point, what else do you want to know? I'm just wondering what happened to your hand. Do you know how that happened? And you got some like scrapes on your legs and stuff. Ooh, be careful. I don't know. That's just That's just me being like I'm a very dry person. Okay. So, what were you guys arguing about? So, like we had an argument. I left this house because I was so upset. That's me being genuinely honest. >> So, what happened when you came back here? What made me leave the house? Hmm. Was it an argument? It was an argument. It was like, "Oh, yeah, I know. Like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what?" Acting like I was And I was like I was like, "Hey, look." No, I didn't So, do you remember what happened when you got home? I'm kind of feeling surrounded right now. A detail shared by the grandmother shifted the perspective, helping officers recognize that this was not just an argument, but a serious domestic situation. Okay. Can you talk to me? It's your What's your relationship? Uh, that's my daughter's boyfriend, my grandson's father. >> That's your Okay, is your daughter in here? >> Yeah, she is. Did he do anything to her? >> Well, well, what happened I started hearing him downstairs. One of one of the kids they stopped him. And so, I told my husband what's going on. And then I had a boyfriend. You're here. You and your your boyfriend, your daughter, and him are in the basement. They My daughter and he were downstairs with have two children. They have two kids down there. How old? Four and eight. Four and eight. Then what? Okay, so then he starts coming up the stairs. Okay, Cuz you can hear arguing from downstairs. Exactly, cuz I went and told him he was in the bed. Okay, so he goes down. No, he just went to the top of the stairs and then came up and kind of rushed him. He rushed They were tussling. >> Yeah, they were on the floor in my living room. TV's going, everything up in there. Yeah, okay, so they're wrestling on the floor and then what? I'm calling 911. And they pushed they and they were starting to fight in the living room and that's when I heard everything hit the ground and everything broke. Does he live here? >> Yeah, he was downstairs. Everybody So everybody Yeah, my daughter and him they just came up from Mississippi. So then I talked with her. She lives here with her boyfriend, this guy. Yeah. Her daughter and the daughter's boyfriend are up there with two kids down there. They hear arguing downstairs. She goes to the top of the stairs and says, "Hey, what's going on down there?" She says this dude runs up the stairs, bum rushes him and they're tussling. That's where I'm at right now. Let me go see what this guy says. I'm kind of surrounded by that that girl that's When officers approached, the boyfriend showed signs of intoxication and loss of control requiring law enforcement to proceed with caution. We're not going to interact with her right now. Yeah, I know. She's If you want to go look inside that house, we are looking forward to getting to our own house. >> When's that going to happen? May 8th. Okay, that's going to be a couple more weeks. >> May 8th. Okay. We move into our own house. All right, good for you. Yes. What happened when you got back? Did you guys get into a fight? I mean, I was generally already aggravated. I don't think that I like because I am the kind of person that like would want to be physical. And I'm sorry, no. No, you're good. But I made a note to not be physical. Did it turn physical at any point? I don't think so. Who were you arguing with? I know that I can't argue with which is my companion. Okay. But I would I'm just going to take down your name. That girl in there can is and she smokes If you ever see cars coming in through here, you know who it comes from? It comes from her. Tia DG? >> But she does. She smokes. All right, enough. And I don't smoke. >> Okay. Okay. You still have your license? No, because she smokes. She deserves that guilt. She deserves that guilt. Guilt? >> Listen, she thinks that she can spend time with my son. She thinks she's going to spend time with my son. Do you have a license? Listen. Focus on me, okay? Do you have a license out of Connecticut or is it out of Mississippi? I have a license out of Mississippi. Only Mississippi? You've never had a Connecticut driver's license? No, I haven't reached out for that yet because I didn't see a reason for that yet because >> Okay. We're not doing that. Yeah, we are doing that. That's just simmer down, all right? Yeah, we are doing that. Because if you have a if you have a son No, okay, I'll back up. If you have a son, would you want your son Don't move up. Relax. You're you're going to fall. You're going to fall. You're going to fall. I'll walk away. No, you don't got to walk away. I'm on your property. No, listen. Listen. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Listen. Just listen. All right? Hear me out. You're just being everywhere right now, all right? You're walking up on me. You're not staying in the same place. Sit up. Sit up. You're in the same place. Just sit up. You're good. Does he drink often? No, like this. No. He's been pretty decent over the a while now. I think I came here when he first moved here. Everything was pretty good since then. Do you know what they were arguing about downstairs? That I don't know what was going on down there. Maybe because he's been drinking and the kids are trying to go to sleep and he's just shutting it down and going to sleep himself and maybe That makes sense. Yeah. You all right? I'm all right. He woke up the oldest one of the two. She's all shook up a little bit. So, nothing physical between you and your boyfriend tonight? I was asleep. Like, he was angry earlier. He was walking it off. I'm just assuming he's just like, I don't know, around the block, just like working it out. But, apparently he hadn't worked it out. Is he going to jail tonight, you guys? While he's working it out. As of now, not sure yet. And the kids, you said the kids were sleeping in their bedrooms. Yeah, we were all asleep. He was aggravated earlier. He texted me like, "Hey, I'm I need to go." Was he home or he was out when he had texted you? Like, I'm He's smart enough not to drive, right? But, I mean, there's a reservoir down here. >> So, he'll go for a stroll. He'll go He'll like work it out, you know? >> Yeah. Yeah. Kids are fine, right? They're in the >> fine. I mean, it's She's the older of the two. The youngest one is still asleep. Cuz she heard the yelling, you know? Yeah, yeah. She's eight, you know, like >> Right. So, it startled her. I assume you want to press charges? I just want him out of the house. Well, we can't do that. He lives here. Yeah, you got to go to court. You got to evict him. You got to go through the whole process. Yeah, we're leaving May 8th and moving into our own apartment. From now until then, we can't we can't force him out of the residence. He's a He's a tenant resident here. It's up to you if you want to press charges for for his actions tonight. Either way, he can't come back Yeah, essentially. I mean, I don't I don't want him to get in trouble. I don't want him to lose his job, cuz he has to take care of those guys once they got to you. I don't want to press charges. Obviously, we want you guys separated the remainder of tonight. Does he go to work tomorrow? That, I don't know. You're retired, right? I think I retired from the deals. I'm retired from DLC, but I work for uh Family members acknowledged that conflicts like this had happened before, with the greatest concern being the children, who were visibly shaken by what they had witnessed. In the apartment down here? It's like a finished basement. Ah, that's good. Uh see, that's my four-year-old asleep over there. It's a little bit of a mess down here. We're We're working on it. And these are both your kids together? His my oldest from a different dad. We know I take care of her full-time. >> Yep. And then is ours together. >> Okay. Four. But, I mean >> Sound asleep. Sound asleep. No one else down here, just you guys? Just us. Okay. Let's go back downstairs. Y'all are going to take my kids from >> No, we're not taking your kids. We have to document in the report though that the kids were present. Who can I talk to? >> Yeah, we we reviewed it with the boss and it goes above us. Guys, I We were this close to moving out. I can't afford this on my own. Like I don't know what about Okay, well listen. Listen, if he's he's been cooperative with us. He's not pressing any charges, so we can go I can't What time is he supposed to go to work tomorrow? He's supposed to be at WORK AT 1:00 AND THEN JUST >> OKAY, HE'LL be at work at 1:00 tomorrow. Excuse me. Do you mind grabbing some sweatpants and some shoes they're on or slippers cuz he's in the cold right now outside. He doesn't have obviously doesn't have clothes on. He's not pressing charges. He doesn't have any He doesn't have the discretion of that. So he said he doesn't want to press charges, he's not going to jail cuz anything he said. So I'm going to be taking the the investigation. What happened? Okay, well earlier It was kind of He's been drunk like since this afternoon. This guy here? Yeah, I was talking to her daughter about something and he kind of came up and then he um you know just went downstairs I just went downstairs just a little while ago. He came back in. I was on the couch and I didn't even know he was gone, but he came in and he went downstairs and then you hear him saying, "That's my granddaughter. She's eight." And she says, "Stop it him. Stop it you him." So I went to the door Who's saying that? Granddaughter. So I said, "Are you guys okay down there?" And he started yelling and then opened the door and he that's when he just walked in boom. And then he started fighting with him like I'm saying yeah, fighting with him like This is your boyfriend, right? >> Yeah, that's fine. All right, and then that That's my daughter. >> daughter. That's my daughter. Granddaughter. >> Your boyfriend, your daughter and your daughter's boyfriend. And my two children are my grandchildren and and her kids. Are there sweatpants you can give me? So when um Yeah, let me Let me think about Let me think about this right now. I just got a question for you real quick. My brother heard you saying something like your What was that about? Regarding your boyfriend, your kids downstairs. >> He's not kids. >> What what was that What was that you were saying? Why were you saying that? What was he doing? He's yelling. He was yelling. He was upset. He didn't You my children. You can literally go down >> said that because he was yelling so you said that? He wasn't doing anything to the kids? No, cuz one's asleep and one is she's gotten woke up and spooked. So the kids are still downstairs? Yeah. And how old are they? Eight and four. I just got to go check on them. All right. I want to go talk to him before he leaves. >> Who? Your boyfriend? Yes. Okay. Hello. Good job. And he's doing all right? Yeah, he's sleeping. He's not at all? No, he just slept. He is asleep right now? >> Okay. Involved with anything upstairs? He's got woken up because of the yelling and all. He came down on the couch cuz like he was aggravated with her earlier and I kind of want to explain to her, but I'm scared you're going to take my children. Yeah. You're grabbing pants, right? And uh just shoes. And shoes. Shoes, are those shoes? How about those right there? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you. All right. I'll I'll run them up. No, no, no, I want to talk to him. I I swear y'all can check me. I I got two lighters on me. >> about you doing anything like that, but let me bring the let me bring the clothes up. >> Here here I come. Come on. All right, good luck. No. I mean I know we just had a little wrestling match, but I don't want any I don't You know arguing, yelling, fighting, breaking stuff. So I mean it's not the best environment for kids to to live in, so we're So I Based on the circumstances, officers made the decision to arrest the boyfriend to ensure the safety of those involved. What? What's that? No. Listen, they just got to document it, okay? Nobody's taking the kids. >> No one's taking the kids. We're going to stand you up. No, no, no, just stand up. There, stay right there. Watch out. It's so funny to do. It's so funny to do. >> walking. No, they No, I heard them laugh. One second, we're going to stand you up. It's so funny. Two, THREE. IT'S SO [ __ ] FUNNY. This way, my friend. Turn around. >> back. Easy, easy. Yeah, we're going to get you pants, too, all right? Yeah, hold on. I'll I got your nose, hold on. Can I talk to you guys? Sure. Of course. What's wrong? >> Because we're trying to move out of here because we don't want to be I don't know if she does it here. I don't know if you'll find it on her. I mean, yeah, but we're not here for that. >> She's my biological mom. I moved up here from Mississippi and like she told us she was clean, but like, you know, it's just like she gets in a certain mood and she was mean out because I didn't cook her It's ridiculous. So, you don't know there's a potential she's doing it. The reason why I haven't called you before is because And this what happens. All I want is to be here She gets caught. Yeah, of course. Cuz I have two babies that he he just he's got a good job, you guys. He just can't stand when she when she freaks out on me because she's Mhm. Do you have a pair of pants for him, too? Oh, I'm sorry. There's a hoodie, there's Thank you. You got the cops coming. Nope, watch out. You got to back up. I don't have any money on me. >> but listen, it's not going to help the situation. That's why there's no there's no need. He's intoxicated. When he's sober, you can have a talk with him AND >> YOU'RE AN IDIOT. YEAH, that She's not helping. I know it's not helping. >> You have a job at We're getting our [ __ ] together. I hope it was worth it. Love you. Shut He has a 4-year-old who loves him. I'm telling you. Like, wait till we move out, please, cuz I love my children and I want to be >> listen, there's there's certain parameters on what we can and can't do. Like, we can't go and search her house for no reason. We're not here for that. Even if I tell you hey right now We can't. Like legally we can't just go in someone's house and search it. I know illegal search and seizure. I mean I get that. >> We've had run-ins with her, you know. I'm telling you you guys it's in this house. And I don't and we put up with her ramifications. Yeah, I don't doubt that. He's mad because I feel bad for him. I doubt when she was too high asking him because I didn't make him nuggets. This is awful. Y'all can't go search her house but y'all can harass her. Wow, unless that's the law. The law says I can't tell you that. No, the law does not say that but it's not going to help the situation. So there's no point of you talking and yelling at him and stirring He's been cooperative and calm with us. It doesn't help if you call him an idiot and a [ __ ] >> I can't afford to live in Connecticut by myself. He's not going to prison. I grew up in dirt poor Mississippi. I know the cops. I know how y'all do people. It's a little different up here than it is in the south. It's it's actually a lot different up here. I did everything in my power to try to keep everything cool, calm, collected. We just have to wait here so I don't make sure he's okay before we take off. >> Please look at my son. LOOK AT HIM. HE'S BREATHING. HE'S GOT A dirty little face and he's in the shower before he goes to sleep. He's mine. All right, we just want to make sure everyone's okay because you made a comment saying you're That's why we wanted to make sure you were okay. Who said that? Who said that? Cuz I didn't say that. I did. Who was he? Nobody. She just said she said it. Because he He didn't remember. No, he was not pushing me. He was pushing me to scoot over. But but he was. No, you did the right thing. It's okay. You were trying to take care of your mother. You guys were all in here? Yes. Yep. Okay, and where was I couldn't see cuz I was I was half asleep, but I could hear cuz he I saw him doing this. And and what was she saying? She wasn't saying anything. She was just telling him to go lay down. Okay. >> What what did you see him doing, you said? Like Yeah. Um where where were his hands hitting? My leg. Yeah. Like do you know where I hurt you? I couldn't say. He was pushing me. He was trying to for what point? To get you out of here? Because he wanted us to scoot over so he could lay down. But there's no room. Okay. But there's no room. All right. So, you're not No. I'm fine, you guys. All right. I'm just going to give her the this is an officer of victim services card. You don't have to use it. We're just required to give it to you, but there's numbers on here that might be of assistance if you feel like you're in a domestic relationship and uh if you're needing help, okay? Before we go, because there was some disagreement between you and him as well, do you want to um complete like a LAP screening with us? It's to determine if you're at risk. Uh it's a state form that we're mandated to ask. Is it something that a questionnaire that you want to at least have me read to you and then you could decide if you want to answer it or do you just not want to do it? I appreciate I appreciate the offer, but no, thank you. >> Okay, so you don't want to complete any other paperwork then? No, I I appreciate it and thank you. Okay. Okay, I'll I'll just put the client in. All right, you're all set then? You're okay? As okay as I can be, yes, sir. Okay. All right, well, we're taking off, all right? >> Thank you so much. Yep, have a good night. The boyfriend was charged with domestic battery. He could face a sentence ranging from 6 months to 1 year in jail, along with fines of up to $1,000. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe environment. Their cries and calls for help are signals that should never be ignored. Behind the wheel of a moving car in New Mexico was a mother with two children inside. You okay, buddy? On May 14th, 2025, Bernalillo police on patrol noticed the car behaving unusually. The driver, a woman, appeared unsteady and the front tire was damaged. The car moved slowly through a Walmart parking lot, scraping against the curb and a mailbox, but kept going. Police quickly intervened to stop the vehicle. Got to the car. It's going to take off on us. All right. 1070 so 1070 I knocked on the window and the driver uh put the vehicle in drive and took off through the parking lot and the front right passenger tire is flat, but we can't seem to stop the vehicle. Air freshener in the car. And 1070, so the vehicle is slowly driving through the Walgreens parking lot, just ran over the curb, the mailbox. It's going to be a 47 driver here. If he comes to a full stop in the parking lot, 10-4 for a VBM. 10-4. The unit in front of me get uh in place for a VBM there. Request has been noted approximately. And go ahead and send that. Kick down. Kick down. Kick down. He's going to try and spin out. And it's a roll. All units stand by. All units Necesito que salga del carro, por favor, con las manos arriba. Driver, this is the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. Not at all. No resistance. If you fail to roll down your window and exit the vehicle, we have to put a beanbag into the vehicle. Oh, man. Driver, this is your last opportunity to comply and exit in a peaceful manner. You want to just get Leslie out of the car, all right? Stop 30. Stop 30. Seven out. Seven out. Get out of the car. I got Leslie. >> Leslie, put your phone down, please. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. Come on out. Come on. Come on out. Come on out. 30 up. Come on. Come on out. Yeah. Come on. Come on out. We'll get you out, okay? You guys got it? You guys got it? Yeah. Come on. Come on. Go to that one. Go to that one. Go to that one. Speaking English. You need to speak English. Yeah, we're going to make sure your babies are all right. They're all right, all right? All right. Come here. We're going to go around the vehicle. You're all right, okay? All right. Nothing on you? No. Have a seat here. Officers immediately removed the two children safely, calming and caring for them before handing them over to relatives. You okay, buddy? You okay? Here, come out. I got a I got a good spot for you. Come on, brother. I'm moving to my unit. Do it? Yeah, my unit is back there. I don't have much in there, so There's another kid? Yeah. Hey, bring that one to me, too. I got a good spot for you. How old is the other one? You want a receipt or bag? >> No. She's super intoxicated. Super intoxicated. I think he was like I was like, "You hungry?" He was like, "Yeah." I was like, "What do you want?" He was like, "Lucky Charms." They then worked with the mother to verify her identity and confirm information related to the children. And what's your what's your your kiddos' names? Charles Holola. >> Charles Holola? C H A R L E S H O L O L A M. Your baby's name? What? >> One's last name? That doesn't seem right. Your kids aren't that old. Yeah, that that would make your kids 10 years old. Okay, let me read you your your Miranda warning, okay? Okay, listen to me, okay? You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to talk to an attorney for advice before we ask you any question and have an attorney with you during the questioning. Yes, I have an attorney and Sophie. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you by the state of New Mexico free of charge before any questioning if you wish. >> Sophie. If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present, you will have the right to stop answering at any time. You also have the right to stop answering at any time now. I have an attorney, Sophie. Do you want to talk Do you want your attorney present or are you willing to answer questions? I have questions for you. Do you wish to answer my questions? Okay, that's your attorney? Okay, and you want your attorney up here to answer questions? Okay, I won't ask you any questions pertaining to your to this. I'm charging you with a DWI, okay? But what's important to me right now is taking care of your kids. Is there Is there a dad involved? Okay, Brandon? Brandon Hohola? Okay. Oh, I'm with the dad. Oh, perfect. Oh, okay. Okay, all right. Um, do you have anything in your mouth? Open your mouth. Okay, can you spit the gum out? No? Okay, then open your mouth and lift up your tongue. Okay, all right. Hang out, okay? Okay. The situation became more complicated when police found several empty containers in the car and suspected the vehicle documentation was not valid. Dude, I know. Okay, so uh importer's vodka? Okay, jeez, dude. Oh, what else? Some Red Bull? That's what I smelled, dude. Some Red Bull. Is this your license? Where did you guys snap her license or no? What's that? I I didn't uh I was trying to get the kiddos' names. I don't see her license, though. Yes, ma'am. Yes. Yes, we're we're working on getting them somewhere safe to go, okay? Okay, thank you. >> Um what's your first name? Felicia. >> Where's your license? Um it should be in the car. Uh F E L I S H A? >> F E L I C H A. A. F E L I C H A? S And your Yeah, P A P U L. Can you spell it? P, Paul, apple, Paul, um unicorn, umbrella. P A P U? U L O. Y O? Okay, all right, Felicia, but um your kids, you want them to go with Brandon? >> With their dad. Okay, all right, with their dad. Okay. Do you need to see medical at all? >> I'm just so bad. That's it. >> Okay, you want You want to see medical while they're here? They can come I'll have them come check you out real quick. Just >> bad. Yeah. Do you need me? Are you okay? I'm okay. >> All right, I'm going to take you to >> Can I get my kids to their destination? >> We're We're going to We're going to take care of your kids, okay? Can I get them to their destination? You have a Where's the key for your vehicle? It should be on the It should be on the on the lap. She doesn't know. On the lap? >> It should be on the Okay. Um we're going to take care of your kids. We have uh their dad and Robert. Brandon? Brandon and Robert. Okay? Brandon is >> What They're going to >> of the 3-year-old and my baby is with the other dad. He's uh with the other dad? Yeah. Robert? >> Yeah. Robert is at his home. We We're going to make sure that your kids go to the safe home that where to go. Can I get a baby to Bernadette? Yeah, well, no, we have baby two. I'm going to buckle you up here cuz I I got to drive with you. They're going to the same spot we're going to. We're You're going to the same spot they're going to right now. Okay? But hang out. Legal procedures were carried out at the station. Tests revealed the mother's condition exceeded safe limits for driving. What a mess, dude. Okay, he's going to take you to P. Yeah, she she looks good. She's just pretty intoxicated. Okay, he's going to help you over to that building, all right? >> Okay. Yes, sir. Okay. Hey. Um you can actually have a seat right there. Yeah, have a seat right there. Yes, sir. Right there. Um definitely Say it again. Hold on. Hold on. I'm talking to you. Say it again. So, I'm going to read this to you, okay? Listen to me. I'm about to tell you something important. You're under arrest for driving under the influence of an intoxicating liquor and/or drug. The New Mexico implied consent act requires you to submit to a breath test to determine the alcohol content of your blood. After you take your test, you have the right to choose an additional independent test. If you choose to take this additional independent test, you have the right to a reasonable opportunity to arrange for a physician, a licensed nurse, or laboratory technician, or technologist who is appointed by a hospital, or physician of your own choice to perform an additional chemical test. The cost of this additional test will be paid by the law enforcement agency. Do you agree to take your test? The breath test. As far as my kids were They're They're I As As soon as I find out where your kids are, I'll let you know where they're they're at. Right now, they're at the South Valley uh so, I'll fill this letter up. That's where they're at right now. They're being taken care of by deputies. You know, they have your diaper bags that you had. They're in their car seats. Your your kids looked like they were happy kiddos when when I left them, okay? They're safe. Right now they're at the South Valley sub. And as soon as I find out who's taking your kiddos, Brandon, I will let you know when Brandon has possession of the kids. >> Oh, Brandon's having Brenda. Brenda is saying it. Brenda? Brenda. Brenda, okay. Zuni is getting Zuni, okay. They're working on that. I I have to deal with this portion of the investigation, but >> Okay, I understand. You can You can rest assured your kids are going to be taken care of, okay? >> I understand. Do you want to take our test? The breath test? >> Okay. Okay. All right. Um You can hang out right there. This is warming up. Once it's good to go, I'll I'll let you know, okay? So, I'm right here for now, okay? The mother faces charges of DUI with children in the car and child Under New Mexico law, she could face up to 2 years in prison and a $2,000 fine. This situation highlights the importance of prioritizing children's safety and serves as a warning about the serious consequences when adults fail to exercise caution behind the wheel. This child is proof that sometimes luck can be a life-saving factor, rescued just in time before the car's interior became dangerously hot. She's like there's like a three or four-year-old passed out in the car seat in the back, burning up and just sweating profusely. She's probably 40 minutes away from heatstroke. On June 9th, 2014, police received an emergency call from Universal Studios security about a man unconscious under a car while his daughter had been left inside for over 45 minutes. Upon arrival, the child was found sweating heavily and nearly exhausted while the father remained unconscious under the vehicle. Hey, baby. Okay. Can somebody just keep an eye on her for me? Hey, boss. Hey, boss, you okay? Hello. Uh can someone open the gate for FD to get here? They're across the street. Caden. Is she okay? Yes. Okay. Just keep her on here. Hey man, you all right? Did you take anything today? You guys found him on the ground like that? Do you know if he's staying in the room here? He said he was waiting for his sister. He came out of the room so we didn't want to check his pockets. But he didn't get identification. Right now I've just got a pedestrian. I don't know who was driving the vehicle. I'm just going to check on her. Look with there's a small child in the back. Hey sweetie. Hey baby. Hey. Hey sweetie. Hey the child back here Hey child back here where's the FD at? That one's over there. Baby. Hey you might need another one. The child back She's burning up back here. I don't know how long she's been in the car. The child yeah she's breathing and she's I think she's sleeping but she's burning up. Yeah I don't know how long she's been in the car. So she's just sweating profusely. Hey dude. I think she's sleeping. Huh? Parked for an hour? Yeah they said she's been here for maybe an hour. So I don't know how long she's been in this hot car. I'll stay here with her. I'm going to check on him. I don't have anything yet. No I just got here and he walked up I walked up on him. I want to check on her. He was under the truck. Yeah man you were under the truck bro. Hey no no no just hang out let let these guys check you out okay? Just stay You going to You going to hop on that? No I'm good. No no just stay right here for now. You guys do whatever you need to do. My main concern is her. She's awake and walking now. Yeah. So what's your name? >> Chris. Chris I'm Zach. What's going on? You're just hanging out? Any alcohol today? Who's staying at the hotel with you, man? No one, sir. No one's staying, just you? Yes. Okay. What's your name? Chris? What's your last name? Messer. Messer? How do you spell it? M E S S E R. >> M E S S E R? At Commander Bay? Yes. Okay. Do you know what room you're in? No, cuz I I didn't pay for the room, you know. Okay, got you. All right, we're going to take some vital signs. Do you have an ID or a wallet without reaching for it? Do you have an ID or anything in the truck? No. Okay. You don't have it with you? My license is like suspended or something. Okay. Is this your truck? Okay. Is this your daughter, sir? Yes, sir. Okay. What's her name? Is mom around or anybody else I can help watch her? Well, mom works here, so So, it's just you and her here? There's nobody else, no other friends or family? Yeah, they're like hostile or uh But at the hotel, specifically. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Nobody's here? Go ahead, sir. Uh you guys said you know he was here based off of like Tiny Park. Okay. Here normally, he was under the not passed out again Okay, okay. So, at least an hour ago they spoke with him in the same spot. Police had to ensure the child's safety while also addressing the father's responsibility in the situation. You're not being arrested, you're just being detained, okay? We found you passed out underneath your car and your child is in the back seat by herself and your car is about 100° out inside, okay? Can you go wherever they go? With the child? And he's logging on a black Cadillac You got his phone? Yeah. Let me just check. I don't I'll be I just used my last breath, it was my last breath. Just face the face the bushes real quick. He was passed out under the truck. She was in the car with the door shut. And right now, he's saying it's just the two of them here. Yeah, I was just my main concern was her once he woke up. >> So, the security said they spoke to him maybe an hour ago, so I don't know how long the truck's been off. You guys opened the doors? Okay. Okay. When I first got there, man, she was sweating, burning up when I first walked up. All right, he's good. Okay, we're going to walk over here to my car. Well, I'm going to I'm going to put you in the car. I'm going to turn the AC on. Listen, I'm going to turn the AC on cuz I know you're really hot and sweaty. What? Okay, you passed out in your truck. So, I'm I'm going to leave my partner here to talk to sit with you for a second make sure that happens to you, okay? Inside the car, officers found items that suggested unsafe conditions for the child. A guardian was located immediately afterwards to take custody. I know it's Chris Messer. Yeah. Oh, him? Yeah, yeah. Hey Chris, hey let me let me ask you a question real quick. Sir, hey where's mom at? Who's registered to the room? Does it show? Do you need the name? I just want to know if it's just him or if it's other people or I just want to make sure there's no 95 or no Uh they're they're going to go knock on the door right now. There's two of the people registered to this room, two females. I'm just looking for anything just make sure that there's no nothing related in the truck. I wrote it down. Huh? On my notepad. Notepad? So, I got here guy was passed out like half under the truck. There's like a three or four year old passed out in the car seat in the back burning up and just sweating profusely. She's probably 20 minutes away from heat stroke. The guy is conscious and awake now, but it took me I literally dragged him from underneath the truck. I got to the front of the truck. FD's here. He woke up. He's walking around. He's in handcuffs in the back of my car now. Yeah, he was passed out like halfway under the truck. Like he fell over and just went to sleep. And the doors were shut. And luckily secure Universal Security found them and that's why they called. Hey man, I'm just going to read you some things, okay? Anything you say may be used against you in court. Do you understand? You have the right to talk to your lawyer before and during questioning. Do you understand? Okay. How did you end up underneath your truck? Um I don't I I mean I'll tell you straight up I had to drag you out from underneath your truck and you were passed out. You didn't wake up when I dragged you out. Do you have any medical conditions that would make you get in that state? >> Um well, like my truck does like run low on like oil like on low on oil and like stalls out. So, but Okay, um who else is staying here with you that we can contact that can maybe meet him at the hospital? My baby mama. >> Your baby mama? And you gave that phone number to somebody else? Uh Do they live here in Orlando? I don't know her like her cell phone number like by heart, though. Is it your phone? Um yes, it is. It is in your phone? My phone was like by the cell phone. So, where are your phones in the charger in your truck? Okay. Well, Who can we call to take look after your child? The baby mama? What's her name? K. K. That's fine. >> Okay. Most important thing to me is that she is okay. I can deal with the child neglect stuff cuz he wasn't driving the car that I'm aware of. He's just drunk and child So, as long as he's with the child, I'll figure out what kind of guardian or whoever can show up there. But, as long as you guys take her to the hospital and we'll figure it out from there. Out of the year, two cold beers in the back of the truck. Two cold beers. This one's like half full. This one's like almost empty. Hi, good morning. Who am I speaking with? Hi, my name is Officer Johnson with the Orlando Police Department. First thing I want to tell you is that your daughter is okay. Are you nearby Orlando? Are you in Orlando right now? Do you have any friends or family that are in Orlando? So, we were called to the resort because Chris was found underneath the vehicle in a passed out state or in an inebriated state and your daughter was located in the back of the vehicle. When I first arrived to the scene, your daughter was not Your daughter would was in the back of this truck for an undisclosed amount of time. Your daughter is fine. She's awake. She's crying. She's breathing. She's going with the paramedics to the hospital so they can check her out and just to make sure she's okay. But, she was very hot. He is in handcuffs in the back of my police vehicle. We are going to be working a crime against him potentially, okay? I just want you to know that. Again, I can't stress enough that your daughter is okay and she's going to the hospital again just as a precaution cuz her vehicle was very hot. >> she like sweating? >> But Joe, soaking wet. Just moving back and forth. Just wouldn't even wake up when I said Absolutely. Mhm. Charges on the way here. I just called them after you. It's inside my driver seat. If you want to run it on drugs.com to figure out what he had in the car, what this stuff was. This I found in This was all in the backpack right there, which was in the rear child seat behind the driver seat. >> What did he say this stuff was? >> He said I haven't asked him about this stuff yet. I just found it. I asked him how he got here today and he said he doesn't know. The father admitted that most of the items in the car were his and acknowledged that he was not fully alert. All right, dude. Hey, um you all right? All right, stay with me. Um I'm just putting that on for your safety, okay? Um she's on her way to make sure your daughter's all right, okay? All right, I found a bunch of stuff in your car, so let's talk about that. >> Yes, sir. Uh black backpack, that is your truck, correct? Yes, sir. Okay. You're here at the hotel by yourself with your daughter. Is that correct? >> Yes, sir. That's what you said earlier? Mhm. Does everything in that car does it belong to you or does it belong to somebody else? Mine is mine 9/10 of the law is, you know what I'm saying? It's going to be mine. >> I'm just asking. Yes, sir. What was in that car? Tell me about everything that wasn't maybe clothes or shoes that was in that car. I don't know what I'm going to say. Is that black backpack in the back seat in the car seat doors? Yes, sir. Yeah? Okay. What was in there? Uh there's some empty baggies and like a scale. The scale? Okay. Empty baggies and the scale? Okay. Little tied up clear baggie with some blue and white stuff. What are those things? In the center console? What about the prescription bottles in the front door? That's probably like uh I don't I don't know what that was. I don't know what that was. You don't know what it is? >> Yeah, but I don't know what it You don't take any prescribed medication? >> Like you know, it's like probably >> know. You got to tell us. Yeah, I don't know like what like exactly what, you know what I'm saying? Did you take any prescribed medication today? No, sir. Okay. Did you have any alcohol today? No, sir. You haven't had any alcohol today? No, I had like a beer or a You had a beer? Was anybody else out here drinking with you today? No? Were you drinking some like Bud Ultras by your truck today? Yes, sir. Okay. Do you remember what time you guys parked here roughly? It's like two It's like 2:00 in the morning now. I think one of the security guards said they drove by earlier and talked to you. A couple of hours ago? I don't know. I didn't see him. Why would they? I have no clue. It's okay. Remember getting sleepy or do you remember just feeling like you had to lay down or anything? No? When I show up, you know, I know you couldn't see where you were at, but look at look at the car right here. Your body was halfway under the truck that way. I grabbed you by your feet and I dragged you out of the back of the car, okay? And that's when the fire department kind of woke you up and you stood up on your own. But I guess the universal security people here said they were trying to wake you up for a few minutes and you wouldn't wake up, so they were concerned that you maybe you were dying. So again, you don't know what those little pills not pill bottle are for? Do you remember getting a prescription for anything? The one in the pill bottle, that's probably like I don't know if that's like what do you call it? Like like a ham steer. I have no idea. It's It's like a I think it's like a get it up deal. A get it up deal? Okay. Do you take anything regularly? Any sort of prescriptions, medicine? Do you smoke regularly? Anything like that? I don't know. I don't know. I smoke a little bit of weed. >> weed? Okay. Here's what's going to happen. We're going to go to jail. You're going to go right now for child neglect, okay? Your daughter was in your back seat for at least 45 minutes according to the security camera. I don't know what happened in your driver's seat. Looks like you maybe you slid out of your car. Don't know if you're under the intoxication of being inebriated by alcohol, maybe a mix of alcohol and alcohol and some other All right now, you're going to be going to jail for possession of 8.8 that was in the back seat in that black baggy. Open container. Yeah, I found two open containers of Michelob Ultra in the back of your car. One was in the bushes, so it was cold. Had a little bit left in it. And you had another one on the back right bumper um that was still like it was freshly opened. It was cold. I will be contacting DCF here shortly as well, okay? All right. Hey, are you guys going to You guys going to want to tow it? The father was later temporarily booked into Orange County Jail on charges of child and possession of Under Florida law, he could face up to 6 years in prison and a $6,000 fine. Young children cannot regulate their body temperature effectively, so leaving them in a hot car can lead to serious health risks. This incident highlights the need for responsibility and constant supervision when caring for children, especially in potentially risky conditions. A child's safety and future begin with the responsibility of adults. When care is replaced by a lack of awareness or control, the impact can last far beyond the moment. A child's sense of security is built through consistent care, protection, and awareness. If you found this video meaningful, consider subscribing and turning on notifications so you don't miss upcoming videos.