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Time for [Music] [Applause] >> how you doing? >> I'm all right. How are you? >> Good. So, who found him like that? >> My sister and I. We were getting ready to leave. >> There he is. He's our friend. He knows. >> And we looked and she and I were questioning if he was alone. So, she got out of the car and parked and showed up. So from when we pulled out over here till she parked pulled over over there and I got in the car. He got out of the car and he was walking out here and I stopped him here and got him back in the car. >> Okay. Was the door open when you saw the car? >> Okay. How long ago was this that you saw him sitting here? >> 30 minutes. >> So let's see. >> We text our husband's at 16 minutes ago and that was after we were here for about 10 minutes. >> Okay. And no one's come out since then. >> No. And he has a cell phone. There's a credit card on the back of the cell phone I just >> I thought I saw a dad with us loading up our car. Didn't think anything of it. Saw an empty shopping cart. I figured, oh, dad's just returning from the shopping cart. There's nobody there. >> So that's that's what I and I could be mistaken. It could have been a different car, but I thought Hi What's your name? >> No. Oh, >> okay. Oh, smart. >> What time did you send that text that you >> I texted my husband 18 minutes ago? >> What time? Do you have a specific time? I know it's 18 minutes ago. I'm bad at math. Can you like pull it over? >> You can pull it to the right. >> Oh, I don't know. >> Oh, wait. Let me see my iPhone if we can do it. We're on a group chat. >> Okay. >> So, let's see. 10 minutes would be 40 43. Well, it's okay. 20 minutes ago would be >> So 35. So 7:35 I texted my husband. >> 7:35. Yeah. >> And we had been here about 10 times at that point. >> We text our husbands that we're not going to be back right away. >> So I would say 7:25. >> So you think 192 7:25 is when you first noticed that he was just sitting in the car by himself at this point? >> I know. I thought I thought So we were parked here. I got in the car and when we were backing up and pulling up, I saw him. He opened the door >> and then by the time we pulled past the stop sign and she put on the flashers and I got out, he was out here past the yellow line. >> Okay. So, he was standing out here and then you came back and >> and I I like did this and just kind of coralled him back in the car. >> I said, "Where's dad?" And he just all he's done is shook his head. She asked him his name. I asked him dad's name and he just hasn't said anything. So, I wanted to see what his mom could his mom and dad be here or just >> I mean, I thought one parent. >> I thought I only saw dad. Okay. >> But, like I said, I could be mistaken. >> And he was playing a video game on his on his cell phone. >> Um, do you guys have IDs on you? >> Yeah, >> I can get um Can you get my purse? >> Yeah, I'll get your >> dad. Dad. >> Are you dad? >> Yeah. >> How long are you in the store for? Uh just 10 minutes you just go grab something. >> Just 10 minutes. >> Yeah. >> So these nice ladies were saying that at 7:25 they came out here and the kid was alone. So if I check the cameras is it going to say 10 minutes? >> Maybe 10:59 was walking around out here in the parking lot. >> Who walking around? >> Your child. >> He how he take out of the car? >> Probably by opening the door cuz you left him alone in the car. Do you have a driver for >> this? Who's this car registered to? >> My friend. He let you borrow the car. >> Sorry. >> He let you borrow the car. >> Yeah. >> I'm out with the driver now. You can disregard. >> What time did you get here at? >> I don't know about 20 minutes ago. >> 20 minutes ago. >> Are these both your sons? >> Yeah. 3:42. >> Let me ask you this. Why did you leave him in the car and bring him with? because he say my tummy is hurt. I want to stay in the car and I say okay I think that's going to be 5 minutes and then we stay in the line and wait I don't know it's going to be stay 20 minutes you know >> the line at what like the checkout line or what >> check out line to buy that and he say Tommy heard please I want to stay watch the watch the movie and I say okay I give him a phone and I believe I can come back in 5 minutes I don't know the line was took too long to wait you know to do check out >> where do you live at how far away is that Where I live? >> Yeah. How from here? >> 15 minutes. 10 minutes. >> Is mom at home? >> She's working. >> Where does she work at? >> Okay. >> Did you get here at the Walmart today? >> Walmart? >> Yeah. Let me step out. >> Yes. What time did you get to the Walmart? >> I don't know. 25 minutes ago. I don't know. I stay maybe 15 minutes. I stay maybe 15 minutes inside. >> 15 minutes >> maybe. I don't know. >> Okay. >> You left him inside cuz he was planning a tummy ache. Didn't want to come. >> Yeah. He say my tummy is hard. I say, "Okay, that's just 5 minutes. I don't play to stay 15 20 minutes." >> Why did you come here? To get batteries? >> Yeah. >> Okay. And you you for 15 20 minutes. >> Okay. and then >> come out here and cuz they're saying it's much longer than that that they were waiting out here. >> I don't think so. I don't think so. More than 20 minutes at the same time. >> Do you think it's a good idea to leave here? >> I know. I know that's the I know that's my bad. I know that's not good. than I do. I know I make mistake but I he say I I think that's that's fine for a couple minutes you know I don't pray to stay more than 5 minutes I just think okay go inside pick up that and go out and that's it for 5 minutes he don't want to walk he say oh please I want to stay you know I sit inside I don't want I I I lock the door I don't know how he open it I know 100% I lock the door >> okay go and stand over here while I talk to my partner okay so these two young ladies are telling They're giving me the time. So, they sent me they showed me a text from like 7:35. They're like, "Hey, like we're kind of like out with this kid or whatever. I'm going to be late." But they're saying they were here for like 10 minutes before that. >> So, supposedly they find this kid sitting in they drive by the kid sitting in the car by himself and then they watch the kid get out and like start walking. So they get out and they like usher the kid back in the car and I suppose they were sitting out here waiting for >> they think since 7:25 they came out while I was out here. So I mean that's a long time if it is from I mean what time is it? What time we get this call? I mean >> 8:05. When did he come up? >> A few minutes ago maybe 5 minutes. >> Is it dad? >> That's dad. Yes, that's dad. >> Who's this? >> These are the So are you are you guys confident that it was is long? Cuz he's claiming he was in there for 20 minutes which still in my mind is a long time to leave. call our text >> from What did the text say? >> I'll show you. >> So, this is 31 minutes from here, which was we determined was 7:35. >> Okay. >> 31 minutes ago. >> How long is 31 minutes ago? >> 31 minutes ago we determined was 8:35. Well, 7:35. >> Her iPhone pulled that. Was able to do that and it came up to 7:35. So, we were able to pull over here. I came over. I was here for I don't know 3 or 4 minutes. She turned around, parked in the bank parking lot, then went inside, and then this text was sent. So, you think you said about 10 minutes before you sent the text, you noticed the kid in the car by himself? Yes. >> And then after 10 minutes is when he got out of the car and you guys >> No, no, we noticed him about 7:25. >> And then she went in, got somebody, and then sent this text. I sent this text. >> Are you still living in North Carolina? >> Yes, I'm visiting them. >> Okay. >> My friend is is triggered, so she's sitting in the car. >> Sure, sure, sure, sure. >> Where's it at? >> Right here. over here. >> Flashers on the Prius. >> Cool. >> Like I said, you said before that text was sent about 10 more 10 minutes before that. >> We were able to I She pulled over here. I got out of the car. We sat here, waited enough for people to back up and honk at it and everything. She was able to turn around. >> And at this point, he was just in the car. He was still I coraled him back into the car. >> So you noticed him initially still in the car? I noticed as we were pulling out and coming here, the door opened >> and then you saw him get out >> and I saw there's no parent. So we pulled over here. I immediately got out and then at that point he had come out past the yellow line. >> Okay. >> And there was cars coming. So I not touch just coralled him back in the car. >> She sat there for a few minutes >> and then I said, "No one's coming. Why don't you go in the bank parking lot?" And then she went inside and then we sent >> Okay. I appreciate you guys. you guys can appreciate it. I'll get out of here. Um I'll probably try to follow up with a cave to get the full video at a later time. So, I appreciate you, man. >> No problem. >> Thanks. >> Thomas will be here in the morning. >> All right. Yeah, cool. Thanks. >> Yeah. >> You want to put the kids in the car right now? >> Yeah. >> Sorry. >> No, you're fine. He told me that you're coming from uh Elmherst. That's quite a drive. Yeah, I asked him to be >> That's fine. Let's go and bring the car and then >> Hey, Mom. >> When you're ready, you have a driver's license that I can take a look at. >> I don't understand. Check on. >> Thanks. Washington. >> Yeah. >> Do you live with him on uh what's the address? >> Yes. >> What's the address you live at? Okay. Uh just hang out for a minute. We're going to talk to your husband. I'll come back and talk to you. Okay. >> 216. I'm clear. >> All right, Stefan. So, here's the deal. Right now, based on a little investigation I've done here, I I have to take you back to the station, do some processing for endangering a child. Okay? You left the kid for 30 minutes out here by themselves. Okay? So, right now, you are under arrest. Okay? 13 boy one in custody. >> 104 one in custody. 2046. >> All right. I'm going to You might just take him while I talk to mom. Scoop. Thank you. Anything else in his pocket on the left side? There's just keys. Just keys. >> Oh, it's the car keys. Perfect. >> All right. And what's on this side? Just keys. More keys. Just keys. Take it off. All right, I'll put my clear. Thanks. >> Hey, Stefan. Is it okay if I tell your wife what's going on? >> Okay, so here's the deal. Based on everything, I had to do an investigation. My investigation determined that he left the kid. What's the his 30 minutes. Okay. Um the state of Illinois that suffices to child endangerment. Okay. He's not going to stay overnight. There's a bond. His bond will be $100. Okay. You can post his bond. We're going to process him at the station. He'll be released. You can either pick him up at the station at the Skooki Police Department. Okay. Um and we'll go from there. But there's just a totality of the things. Left for a long time. I don't know if he told you, but some nice ladies saw your kid alone in the car for a long time. >> Luka ended up getting out of the car, almost walked into traffic here. They had to stop Luka from walking into traffic. >> So, I I can't look away from that. I I don't Your husband seems like a nice guy, but I think he made some bad decisions. Um, so that's where we're going from there. Okay. >> Okay. >> Do you know where the Skooki Police Department is? >> No. >> Does he have his phone on him? >> I don't know. >> I'll take down your phone number so that you can call him. Okay. or that he can call you. >> What is your phone number? It'll be at the Skooki Police Department. Do you want to write down the address or put it in? >> So, we have to bring it back to the station, do a little bit more processing, but >> what about the car that can stay here? >> Stay here for now. I mean, he has a driver's license. He can come pick it up after he's bonded out. It's just >> Okay. Can you write it here? >> Yes. >> It's this one right here. >> Police Department. Okay. >> Police department. >> Okay. When can I come? >> Like I said, you can come and wait in the parking lot for as long as you want, but you have your kids with you, so I'll have him call you when it's about time. Okay. Or you can just go there now. It's really up to you. Okay. >> I will wait. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Yes. All right, let me explain this to you, Stephan. So, this right here is your bond. Okay, so what this is is essentially you promising you're posting the $100 today so that you don't have to stay overnight and you're promising to show up your court date. Okay, >> your court date is August 22nd, 2023, 1:30 p.m. at Skoi Courthouse. That's 5600 Old Orchard Road. Do you know where that's at? >> I don't know, but the check >> Okay. 1 It's going to be at 1:30 p.m. Okay. Okay. >> Make sure you show up to court because there's a lot of court proceedings are going to happen after this. If you don't show up, you can get a warrant for your arrest. >> Okay. So, I said I does the like Zoom or >> It'll probably be in person. It'll probably be in person. >> Okay. Um, >> but yeah, typically it's in person. They don't really do the Zoom anymore now. So, especially for something like this. If that makes sense to you, you can read this. I just need you to sign right here where it says defendant signature. Hey everyone, it's Trent, prior deputy sheriff, patrol sergeant, and K9 handler. Unfortunately, in my experience, these types of incidents are fairly common. And typically, law enforcement will interact with two different types of parents when responding to calls like this. And with the first group, it will be fairly obvious and evident almost immediately that their intention was more malicious in nature and the safety and care of their child is not their main priority or concern when making a decision to leave them in a situation like this. In the second group of parents or parents, their actions are not necessarily malicious in nature. However, their decision-making lacks complete logic and common sense. when they are placing their children in some very dangerous situations. And like we see in the video, it's the job of this officer to complete a full investigation and determine if this situation is going to meet that criteria or elements in these child endangerment or child neglect criminal codes. And for this state specifically, there's actually a specific subsection that this father, the suspect was charged with, which stipulates that a child under the age of six left alone in a motor vehicle for longer than 10 minutes automatically qualifies for child endangerment. And of course, there's a whole host of bad things that potentially could have happened to the small child as a result of being left alone like he was. And it is a very good thing that these people in this video were able to take note of that, intervene, and contact 911 before something like that potentially happened. >> The father was charged with child endangerment, but remains innocent until proven guilty. [Music]

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