Police Rescue 4 Kids From Hot Car While Dad Was Intoxicated In Adult Store

A 38-year-old father from Phoenix was arrested last Thursday (July 24) after police rescued his four young children from a parked car that had reached a staggering 124 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The man, identified as Ascencio Largo, was allegedly shopping at an adult entertainment store while intoxicated—leaving his children to suffer in the heat for nearly an hour.

The case has not only reignited national outrage over parental negligence, it also tested the patience of the police officials involved in the rescue.

“It’s unfathomable, to be honest with you,” said Sgt. Rob Scherer of the Phoenix Police Department, who found the children showing signs of severe emotional distress.

“As a father, I can’t wrap my head around it.”

Arizona police rescued four children from a potentially fatal situation after their father left them inside a sweltering car for nearly an hour

Four kids rescued by police from a hot car with the father intoxicated outside an adult store.

Image credits: Phoenix Police Department/Facebook

Officers were alerted to the scene near 24th and Washington Streets around 3:40 pm after a witness called 911 to report multiple children suffering inside a non-running vehicle.

When officers arrived, they found the four children crying and drenched in sweat inside the sweltering SUV, which had its windows rolled up, and no air conditioning. The children’s internal body temperatures had already spiked to fever levels.

Police officers offering water to kids rescued from a hot car while their dad was intoxicated in a store.

Image credits: Phoenix Police Department/Facebook

“They had pink, red skin, they were sweating and crying,” Sgt. Scherer continued before dropping a stern warning. 

“That kind of thing showed officers the severity of where this could have gone.”

Police officer lifting a child from a hot car while bystanders watch near an open vehicle door on a sunny day.

Image credits: Phoenix Police Department/Facebook

As emergency responders rushed the children to a nearby hospital, officers confronted the man who had left them there: 38-year-old Ascencio Largo.

At first, Largo denied the vehicle was his. More disturbingly, even after it became clear the kids were his own, he continued to distance himself—refusing to take responsibility in what appeared to be an effort to avoid arrest.

“That’s troublesome,” said Scherer. “Also, obviously, once it’s clear those are his kids and that’s dad… It’s wild to me that 50 minutes wasn’t enough time to turn this into some sort of tragedy.”

According to court records, the father had a prior history of alcohol-related incidents and his driver’s license was restricted

Street signs at the intersection of 24th Street and Madison Street near where police rescued 4 kids from a hot car.

Image credits: 12 News

Largo has since been charged with eight felony counts of child abuse and endangerment. Police also noted a “strong odor of alcohol” on him at the time of arrest.

Court documents revealed that only one booster seat was present in the car, and no proper child safety seats were available for the remaining kids.

Police rescue 4 kids from hot car outside adult store while their dad was intoxicated nearby.

Image credits: 12 News

Complicating matters is the fact that Largo’s driver’s license carries an ignition interlock restriction, which should have prevented the car from starting without a breathalyzer test. As a result, the Department of Child Safety has launched an investigation.

Adult store entrance with signs for DVDs, toys, and lubricants, related to police rescue of kids from hot car incident.

Image credits: 12 News

While the kids are expected to recover, the incident is only the latest in a grim and growing trend across the US—parents abandoning children inside hot vehicles while tending to trivial tasks.

Phoenix, where the temperature outside reached triple digits on Thursday, is one of the hardest-hit cities in the country for these types of tragedies. 

According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, 36 children have passed away in hot cars in Arizona between 1998 and 2019. Nationwide, the toll surpasses 849.

The incident is only the latest in a string of disturbing cases involving children left in hot cars by their parents

Police officers placing handcuffs on a man’s wrists during rescue of 4 kids from hot car.

Image credits: 12 News

Just weeks ago, in California, 20-year-old Maya Hernandez was charged with murder after leaving her two children, ages 2 and 1, inside a parked car while getting lip fillers. 

The younger child passed away after being left inside the vehicle for over two hours. Court documents revealed that Hernandez believed the air conditioning would remain on, unaware that her Toyota Corolla’s hybrid system would shut down after one hour.

“She thought she’d be in and out,” one police official said. “But even a short delay can be deadly.”

Man standing at a podium speaking to police about the rescue of 4 kids from a hot car while dad was intoxicated.

Image credits: 12 News

Police officer from Phoenix Police Department speaking during a press briefing about rescue of kids from hot car.

Image credits: 12 News

Similarly, another case out of Arizona stunned the public earlier this summer when Christopher Scholtes left his 2-year-old daughter in a car while he played video games for hours inside his home. 

By the time his wife returned and discovered the girl, it was too late.

Experts warn that cracking windows does little to mitigate internal car temperatures, and young children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than those of adults.

According to statistics by the pediatric safety advocate group Safe Kids Worldwide, every nine days, a child passes away from being left unattended in a hot car in the US.

“These casualties were preventable,” their site reads. “As summer temperatures rise, more kids are at risk.”

“I can’t stand it.” Netizens took to social media to express their exasperation with the trend

Comment from Tiffany Florez expressing no forgiveness for an intoxicated dad who left kids in a hot car.

Comment from Lynn Hicks expressing hope for strict punishment due to endangering children in hot car rescue case.

Facebook comment by Barb Higgins expressing outrage over a police rescue of kids from a hot car with an intoxicated dad nearby.

Comment by Kathy Kaonohi expressing anger that a dad was intoxicated while police rescued 4 kids from a hot car.

Comment expressing concern over leaving kids unattended in hot cars in a high crime area, related to police rescue incident.

Comment by Hollye Bright expressing frustration about parenting, criticizing the situation involving police rescue of kids from a hot car.

Comment by Kayleigh Rangel expressing concern and relief after police rescue 4 kids from hot car with intoxicated dad nearby.

User comment on social media expressing relief that kids rescued by police survived after being left in a hot car by intoxicated dad.

Comment by Dannielle Mastello expressing a call for severe punishment to prevent repeated offenses.

Comment on social media post about rescuing kids from hot car while dad was intoxicated at adult store, calling for offender punishment.

Facebook comment by Glenda Wirtz expressing frustration about parents facing prison time for their actions.

Comment by Christine Hart expressing relief that someone called 911 during police rescue of kids from hot car incident.

Comment from Darla Wright expressing shock and disgust about perverted tragedies involving humans.

Comment from Pat Hill-Yandell expressing hope for jail time and custody changes for intoxicated dad involved in kids rescue.

Comment from Maryann Davis expressing anger about a man involved in a police rescue of kids from a hot car while intoxicated.

Comment by Stephen K. Banerjee expressing strong disapproval and calling for punishment related to police rescue of kids from hot car incident.

Comment from Brendaii Ocas OVirola expressing concern about kids rescued from hot car while dad was intoxicated in an adult store.

Police rescue four kids from a hot car while their dad was intoxicated near an adult store.

Facebook comment from Candice Elder expressing suspicion about someone's intentional actions in a serious situation involving police rescue.

Comment text on social media post saying take the kids away for good related to police rescue 4 kids from hot car incident.

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