Wisconsin police officers who arrested a mother for drunk driving early Tuesday impounded her vehicle and had it towed—but allegedly left her 4-year-old daughter trapped inside.
Per WITI, police arrested the driver and took custody of a 10-month-old inside the minivan before having it taken to the Milwaukee Department of Public Works Tow Lot at around 12:30 a.m. Officials said it wasn’t until 8:30 a.m. when they said the little girl was found crying inside the van.
Officials said the girl appeared OK but she was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Calling it an “unfortunate situation,” Milwaukee city engineer Jeff Polenske told reporters, “Apparently the girl was very upset and crying, something that none of us would like to have happen to any of our children.”
Relatives who spoke to the news station said the 4-year-old was sleeping in the backseat at the time of her mother’s arrest. The girl hasn’t been returned to her mother, according to reports.
The National Weather Service reported that temperatures dropped to as low as 19 degrees—with a windchill of 5 degrees—shortly before the girl was discovered at 7:30 a.m.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that the Milwaukee Police Department’s standard procedure instructs that a vehicle is “thoroughly searched” before its towing. Someone at the lot should also inspect the vehicle in addition to log vehicle identification and license plate numbers.
Milwaukee police issued a statement in light of the ordeal. It reads:
“The Milwaukee Police Department is grateful that the child was located unharmed. MPD is currently seeking criminal charges against the driver who was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated. We will provide additional information in the upcoming days regarding this investigation.”
[Featured Image: WITI video screengrab]
