Nevada resident Brian Laugeson is facing child abuse and neglect charges after he and his children were found inside his car on a desert, his two children were suffering from the heat while he was unresponsive.
Laugeson and the mother of the children are separated, but had agreed for the children to spend time with him for the weekend. Police were alerted by the man’s friend after they failed to return home, adding they were supposed to go to church but never made it there.
The mother was unable to contact Laugeson, police couldn’t find him at his apartment or anywhere. Eventually, they decide to ping his cellphone which leads them to a desert area, where they find his vehicle alongside him and the children.
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The Search And Investigation
He was unresponsive and officers found narcotics which they took, the children were naked and were suffering from heat-illness symptoms – with the boy reportedly having a seizure. All three were immediately rushed to the hospital, tests concluded Laugeson took narcotics.
The man was arrested and charged two counts for child abuse and neglect and mental or body harm, his pretrial custody hearing was extended to July 31st as he is still recovering at the hospital. He is also currently unrepresented by a lawyer.
The mother of the children told police that daycare workers refused to let Laugeson pick up the children on Friday as they found he was under the influence, court records from two weeks ago and 2006 showed that the man had a history of child abuse and endangerment.
Kids and Car Safety’s Founder/President Janette Fennell said there has been a worrying increase of children being left unattended in a vehicle with an adult under the influence, studies have shown that the elderly, children, and pets are at higher risks for heat-illness.
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