2 children rescued from locked car in La Mirada and treated for dehydration; mom arrested

Deputies rescued two children left unattended in a hot car in La Mirada who were later hospitalized for dehydration, and arrested their mother on suspicion of child endangerment Sunday, Sept. 1.

Deputies received a call for service at about 2 p.m., near the intersection of Imperial Highway and Meyer Road, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Blanca Arevelo said. There, they encountered two children, ages 2 and 6, who were in distress after sitting in a locked vehicle for an extended period on a hot summer day, LASD Lt. Jorge Marchena said.

The National Weather Service forecast temperatures to peak as high as 97 degrees in La Mirada on Sunday.

The vehicle was parked near the 13900 block of Imperial, LASD officials said in a news release. Its windows were not completely rolled up, allowing deputies to reach in and unlock a door, Marchena said. The children remained conscious throughout the incident, but were transported to a nearby hospital, examined and treated for dehydration.

It’s unclear exactly how long they had been inside the vehicle. Deputies were investigating to learn where their mother had gone and why she had left them unattended, deputies said.

Their mother was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment. Her identity was not immediately released.