DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - Two young boys were rescued from a hot car after, police said, their father left them outside a Davie business.
Police arrested South Florida father Alan Luna after he allegedly left his two children inside of a parked vehicle for over an hour.
One of the children described the sweltering temperatures inside the vehicle. “Yeah, it was hot,” he said.
Davie Police and fire rescue responded to the U-Pull-It business Saturday afternoon where the boys, ages 6 and 7, were found alone.
Officials said Luna went into the business to pick up some parts for an hour and a half. The vehicle was parked in the sun with the ignition off, but the windows were cracked.
A customer said he heard the children crying, and when he went over to the vehicle, they were sweating and complained that their stomach hurt.
“Luckily, there was a customer walking through the parking lot, heard some kids crying in distress,” said Davie Police Sgt. Mark Leone.
According to investigators, employees tried to contact Luna several times via the PA system, but he did not respond.
Police said Luna claimed he was only in the store for 10 to 15 minutes, but witnesses said that is impossible. “The guy said he was only in there 15 minutes? It’s a lie,” said witness William Yakel as he shook his head. “I heard four announcements.”
In the parking lot, customers and store employees tried to get the children to open the car door. “The kids, knowing that this person was a stranger, didn’t unlock the door, so the kids did the right thing by keeping the door locked. However, it’s a terrible situation that the kids were put in by the parent,” Leone said.
Fire rescue was able to get those children out and cooled them down.
Police then took Luna into custody.
The children are OK, but rescue officials said they could have severely been affected. “Within minutes, these kids were on the verge of going into heatstroke,” Leone said. “It’s very deadly.”
“To me, it’s sad. How a parent could just think more of a used car part at U-Pull-It than the kids in the car,” Yakel said.
Child protective services said that they do not have any prior history with the family. The Florida Department of Children and Families is now investigating.
While Luna waits to learn his fate, the boys will remain in their mother’s custody.
When 7News asked the children’s mother how they were doing, she said, “They’re OK.”
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