Canoga Park Man, 24, Accused Of Leaving Toddler In Cold Truck While He Goes Into Bikini Bar
CANOGA PARK (CBSLA.com) — A Canoga Park man faces child endangerment charges after officials said he left his two-year-old daughter in a cold pickup truck while he went inside a bikini bar Friday evening.
Cristy Fajardo, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, spoke to officers who could not believe 24-year-old Santos Barillas left his child alone -- let alone where they found him.
Authorities say Barillas left the child unattended -- in a car that was between 45-50 degrees -- while he went inside Club 7557, a bikini bar located at 7557 Woodley Avenue in Van Nuys.
Barillas was arrested and charged with willful harm to a child.
Fajardo said just after midnight, a parking attendant noticed Barillas slumped over the steering wheel of his silver Toyota pickup.
When he saw the child in the backseat of the vehicle, the attendant took the car keys so Barillas couldn't drive under the influence.
A bar patron reportedly called 911.
Officials do not know how long the child was unattended.
Sgt. Jason Zabel of the Los Angeles Police Department said the toddler was "scared and very cold obviously."
Fajardo went to Barillas' Canoga Park apartment for a comment but got no answer.
Neighbors told her he manages the building and seems like a nice, quiet guy.
Police told Fajardo the girl was whisked away in a blanket and police jacket and has since been turned over to her mother
